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Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Ganache Frosting

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Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Ganache Frosting

Moist, decadent, almost brownie-like.
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Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup butter – room temperature 8 ounces
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa Dutch-process works well with this recipe
  • 3 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ganache Frosting

  • 7 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

The Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
  • Grate the fresh zucchini - until you have 3 cups. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until smooth.
  • Beat in the eggs, adding one at a time.
  • Stir in the sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt.
  • Measure out 1 cup flour and set aside.
  • Combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and the baking cocoa.
  • Add the flour/cocoa mix to the wet ingredients, beating together until well incorporated.
  • Drain any accumulated moisture from the shredded zucchini. If your squash is exceptionally moist, gently squeeze the squash to remove excess liquid.
  • Combine the drained squash with the reserved 1 cup of flour (this will help suspend the squash throughout the batter).
  • Add the squash and the chocolate chips to the batter, stirring gently to combine.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan,
  • Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when gently touched, and the cake looks set.
  • Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting with Ganache Frosting

Ganache Frosting

  • In a small saucepan, combine 7 Tablespoons heavy cream or half and half with 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  • Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is completely melted.
  • Pour the melted chocolate/cream mixture onto the cooled cake.
  • Spread over the top of the cake.

Notes

If you don't have buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt on hand, you can sour milk by adding 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk - and letting it sour for 5 minutes before using.

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Here’s what’s Happening on the Homestead

Spring.  Just the word congers up images of blossoms and bunnies, eggs and chicks. . . . and catalogs filled with tableware, linens and all the fresh spring color imaginable. . . . so when my spring edition of the Pier1 catalog arrived – I was immediately drawn to devour every page.  The dinnerware, table settings, linens were, in typical Pier1 form, a wonderful feast for the eyes. pier1-catalog-page

But, there was one thing that especially drew my attention. . .their adorable folded napkins – especially the little bunnies in the upper right corner of the page. The catalog directed readers to log on to their website for instructions  – which I immediately did.

Upon arriving at the page, I  searched for the Bunny Fold pier-one-bunny-ears-directionsand found this.   I grabbed some cloth napkins (which happened to be from Pier1) and, following their directions, began folding.  It only took me to the 4th step to figure out that there was a real problem with the directions – they were rolling from the wrong side of the napkin. . . and by the final step – it was unmistakable.

wrong-way-bunny-napkinI had created this.  I took an unfolded napkin and the directions to my husband – who, as a builder, reads instructions for a living  . . . and his response was immediate – these are not right.  They have rolled from the long side and not the point – and used directions for a granny knot.  It needs to be an ‘overhand’ knot.  (50 plus years of scouting – he should know his knots!)

After making a few simple changes – rolling from the point and using an overhand knot – the finished product looked like the one in the Pier1 picture.  Success!    folded-bunny-napkin-perfection

 And so, as much as I LOVE Pier1, no one is infallible.  I have done my own set of instructions, including pictorials, for your use should you be wanting to try these little treasures.  Such a simple way to dress up a spring  or Easter table.

Just Click Here to go to the instructions.  Happy Spring!

Enjoy,

Kathy

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