Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This is one of those recipes I am psyched about. I had made zucchini bread last week with my usual recipe, so this time I wanted to make something different. I went to Southern recipes on About.com and found this recipe. Can't resist anything chocolate, right? Even chocolate and zucchini together. Well, apparently neither can anyone else in my house. I made this cake in early afternoon and by dinner more than half was gone. I'm going to make another one this week just so I can get more than one piece for myself!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup raw zucchini, shredded

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs at high speed until light in color and fluffy. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in oil.

With mixer at low speed, beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with the buttermilk. Drain shredded zucchini and fold into the mixture along with vanilla and pecans. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon into bundt pan and bake in oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes then remove from pan to cool completely. Sift confectioner's sugar over cake or drizzle chocolate syrup, if desired.

Tip: I coat the chocolate chips and the pecans with some of the flour in the recipe. I've heard this helps keeps them from sinking to the bottom while baking. It worked in this recipe.

"Chocolate: Here today .... Gone today!"

-unknown

"I don't understand why so many "so called" chocolate lovers complain about the calories in chocolate, when all true chocoholics know that it is a vegetable. It comes from the cocoa bean, beans are veggies, 'nuff said."

-unknown