273 – Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe – the BEST cake ever! / كيك الشيكولاتة والكوسة

Ingredients :

• 1 1/4 cups (160 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cups (150 grams) white granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 large zucchini (300 grams)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chunks (preferably dark chocolate)

Directions :

Step 1: Preparing the Ingredients.
1- The first thing is to grate the zucchini. Cut the tips of the zucchini, and using the big holes of your grater, grate the zucchini. No need to peel the zucchini!
2- Get the best chocolate you can find – especially dark chocolate (get 60-70% cocoa content). Chop the chocolate using a sharp knife into medium pieces.
Step 2: Making the Batter
1- First mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, add the eggs and beat them with the sugar (using an egg beater) for a few minutes until they become whitish and fluffy.
2- Add the vegetable oil, the vanilla extract, and ground ginger to the egg mixture and mix in with the egg beater for about a minute.
Note: if you do not like ground ginger you can substitute with ground cinnamon or a little bit of ground cloves.
3- Now we are going to add the dry ingredients. Place the flour and unsweetened cocoa powder in a sifter, mix and sift over the egg mixture. Also, add the salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the egg mixture.
4- Using a spatula mix in the wet and dry ingredients together.
5- Finally add the chopped chocolate and the grated zucchini to the batter. Mix in with the spatula until all the ingredients are well integrated.
Step 3: Baking the Cake
1- Prepare the pan (I am using a rectangular bread loaf pan – 9 inches long). Butter the pan, place parchment paper in it, then butter the parchment paper. The reason we butter the pan first is for the parchment paper to stick to the pan, otherwise, it would be difficult to work with it.
2- Pour the batter in the pan. The batter will only fill half of the pan, but no worries, the cake will puff up when baking. So make sure not to fill the entire pan or the cake will be overflowing in the oven!
3- Bake the cake in a pre-heated oven at 360F / 180C for around 50 minutes.
4- The cake is ready when you gently touch the top and it feels firm. If it still feels moist it means the cake needs more baking time – but do not overbake it!
5- Remove the cake from the pan and let it sit on the kitchen counter until it cools down. You can serve it warm or cold!

Bon Appetit!