Courgette Chocolate Cake
Triple chocolate courgette cake is reminiscent of a brownie because it’s so rich and moist. Buttery chocolate frosting, dark cocoa powder batter, and extra chocolate chips make this a rare indulgence.
All my fellow gardeners can relate to having overly-prolific zucchini plants; it’s a thin line between having enough courgettes for family meals and an overwhelming abundance of summer squash! One moment, you are patiently overseeing the growth of a tiny courgette, and before you know it, giant squashes have invaded your whole garden.
We had to come up with different, creative ways of enjoying them during the summer: freshly-grilled on the BBQ, long ribbon strips for salads, or as crispy fritters. Given the abundance, I need to distribute them freely among friends and family, as well as sneak them into numerous meals (pasta sauces, quiche, soup, relishes). Despite this, I cannot keep up with my garden’s bounty – thankfully I can rely ony my food processor and sous-vide machine! When my family refuses to eat anymore courgettes, I grate vast quantities to vacuum seal and freeze for winter meals.
In southern Quebec, during heavy snowfalls and subarctic temperatures, the first day of spring feels like a distant dream. Life is too short and winter is too long for a healthy chocolate zucchini cake, which is why I recommend this decadent alternative – you got to treat yourself! I use frozen, grated courgettes to make the dessert extra moist and and to bulk up the batter. Cold, harsh weather calls for a self-indulgent recipe and this courgette chocolate cake delivers. It is delicious as is, but if you’re feeling adventurous, I added a quick chocolate frosting to seal the deal.
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Yields: 20 portions
Ingredients:
Courgette Chocolate Cake
115g butter, room temperature
100g vegetable oil
350g sugar
Splash vanilla
5g baking powder
2g sea salt
2 eggs, room temperature
115g buttermilk (or substitute with 100g milk and 15g rice vinegar)*
300g all-purpose flour**
65g cocoa powder
10g espresso powder
380g grated courgette (if using frozen, let it thaw overnight and then place it in a sieve to exclude the excess liquid)
Chocolate Frosting
200g butter
7g vanilla extract
40g cocoa powder
200g icing sugar
Directions:
Chocolate Courgette Cake
Butter and line a 9”x13” baking pan with parchment paper.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder and espresso powder in a medium bowl.
In the stand-up mixer bowl, weigh the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and salt.
Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy.
Reduce to low speed and add eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl using a marise between the addition of each egg.
Add the buttermilk and dry ingredients, alternating a couple of times between the two.
Add the grated courgette and dark chocolate chips.
Mix on low speed, remove from mixer and finish folding in the ingredients using the marise .
Pour batter into a prepared baking pan, smooth out the top and bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Easy Chocolate Frosting
In the stand-up mixer bowl, weigh the butter, cocoa powder, and vanilla.
Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy.
Reduce to low speed and add the icing sugar.
Return to high speed until light and fluffy.
Sometimes I add a splash of cream or milk to help loosen it up if my home is very cold.
Montage
Once the cake has cooled to room temp, flip it onto a plater or board.
Peel off the parchment paper and add the frosting.
Smooth it out using a straight icing spatula.
I like to make sure it is spread evenly all over and then go back and make a wave pattern.
Substitutions
I have had success baking this cake with:
*non-dairy milk, simply substitute one-to-one with oat or nut milk
** gluten-free 1 to 1 flour mixes