Chocolate (secretly hidden zucchini) Cake

Yes you read that title correct, this cake has zucchini in it! But please relax you can't taste it and neither will the picky eaters! You don't even have to tell them its there! My children, luckily, love all the veggies I serve them! They will eat zucchini on pizza, in soups, and many times we either season and grill it or batter and deep fry it. But I am helping a friend get her family to include more vegetables in their diet without the fight. She said her husband is asking for chocolate cake for a cookout and she wanted to know if I had anyway of making that healthy! Believe it or not you can!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 cups grated zucchini

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 9x13 inch cake pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs and applesauce, mix well. Fold in the zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

As this cake bakes the zucchini softens and is not even noticed in the cake! I hope you give it a try! 

Love,

Mom

P.S.

Homemade Cream Cheese Icing

8 oz Cream cheese (at room temperature) 

1 stick unsalted butter (at room temp) 

1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)

milk as needed

For chocolate frosting- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Cream all ingredients together until smooth. Add milk and powdered sugar as needed to thin or thicken to desired consistency! I suggest allowing to sit or even refrigerating after to allow the butter to cool and firm back up from mixing.

Garnishing with berries is also another good way to make it more nutritious as well!

<3 M