Take a specific recipe, and a whole lot of cooks will agree that it’s just great, a must-fix family favorite, and they will even willingly share the how-to.
Take that same exact original recipe, and almost without exception, it’s just bound to have undergone a little tweak of this or that, the addition or elimination of such and such, and maybe even a good dose of whatever …
Which is the perfect explanation for why the 10 recipes sent in by 10 different Forum cooks for a certain chocolate zucchini cake Dee Peterson of Everett has been hoping for are nearly identical, but not an exact match.
Even so, the recipes break down, by and large, to just one major difference: whether the zucchini called for is grated or diced.
Since we have five each grated and diced, we’ll start with the grated version, listing in the following recipe the small differences, and then spelling them out with the contributors’ comments.
Everett cook Patti Boland tells us, “Here is the recipe for chocolate chip-zucchini cake I think Dee Peterson is looking for. This is one of my favorites.”
Patti’s recipe calls for the oil, sour milk, only 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and no measured amount of chocolate chips. “Sprinkle top of the batter with the chocolate chips,” her recipe says.
Then, too, her recipe originally called for 2 cups of diced zucchini, but she says, “I shred the zucchini. It seems to make the cake more moist.”
Longtime Forum helper Carol Wilson of Everett says she found a recipe for zucchini cake with chocolate chips and cloves online, “plus you can also use nuts.”
Carol adds, “Looks like the cake Dee is looking for. Sounds so good, I’m going to make it myself.”
Carol’s recipe calls for the oil, sour milk or buttermilk, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 6 ounces of chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
Elizabeth Engelhaupt of Marysville uses shortening in place of the oil, uses buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 cup chocolate chips and no nuts.
Marysville cook Lois Meade tells us, “I like this cake with whipped cream on top. All the grandkids like it, too, and I think this is the chocolate cake Dee Peterson is looking for.”
Lois makes it with the oil, buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, and no nuts.
Last but not least, Irish Eyes in Arlington antes up with a recipe that uses the oil, sour milk, only 1/4 teaspoon each of cloves and cinnamon, coarsely ground zucchini, no nuts and 1 1/2-3/4 cups chocolate chips.
Choose your own options from the above favorites so you’ll be all set to make:
Chocolate zucchini cake
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil or shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk (see note) or buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2-1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (can reduce to 1/4 teaspoon, if desired)
1/2 teaspoon cloves (can reduce to 1/4 teaspoon, if desired)
2 cups grated zucchini
Chocolate chips (use 1/4-1/2 cup to 6-ounce package or 1 1/2-3/4 cups)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter or margarine and sugar. Add the oil or shortening, eggs, vanilla and sour milk or buttermilk; beat well. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves; add to the creamed mixture. Add the zucchini and mix well.
Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips and, if desired, nuts. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cake tests done. When baked, remove from oven and cool on rack. Cake needs no frosting. Makes one 9-by-13-inch pan.
{Note:} To make sour milk, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to 1/2 cup whole milk; let stand for 5 minutes before using.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s comics pages.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
