Super Moist Chocolate Pecan Zucchini Cake

By srumbel

Several years ago a dear neighbor and friend brought me a few pieces of this heavenly Chocolate Pecan Zucchini Cake. It is absolutely wonderful, and as I mentioned in the title…super moist. Shredded Zucchini can do that to a recipe, you know. It can turn a plain old chocolate cake, moist and delicious.
from jamiecooksitup.net

Ingredients

• CAKE:
• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 1/2 C canola oil
• 1 3/4 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 C flour
• 4 T cocoa
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t cloves
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 C buttermilk (or 1/2 C milk + 1 t vinegar)
• 2 C shredded zucchini
• TOPPING:
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C pecans, chopped
• 1 C chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Into your stand mixer or large mixing bowl, place 1/2 C softened butter,1/2 C canola oil, 1 3/4 C sugar

and 2 eggs.

3. Mix it well, about 3 minutes should do it.

4. Into a medium sized mixing bowl place 2 1/2 C flour, 4 T cocoa, 1/2 t baking powder, 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/2 t cloves and 1 t baking soda.

5. Whisk it around making sure all ingredients are well distributed.

6. Pour 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla into the mixer.

7. Add the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well combined.

8. Peel yourself some zucchini and shred it all up. You need a total of two cups. Add it to the chocolate cake batter and mix until combined.

9. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and pour the batter in. Spread it around with a knife.

10. Roughly chop up some pecans, 1/2 a cup would be just perfect.

11. Pour the pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup milk chocolate chips into the same mixing bowl you used for the dry ingredients. (Why dirty up two bowls, right?)

12. Toss the topping ingredients together and sprinkle them over the top of the cake batter.

13. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream. It's really good the second and third day as well, just reheat it in the microwave.

Yield: 12-15 servings