Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This started out with a recipe in a Penzey's spice catalog. We tried it just to get rid of some excess zucchini, but it turned out delicious!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 12-16 pieces

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder, plus additional for dusting pan (preferably Dutch process)
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg, more to taste (optional)
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened,plus additional for greasing pan
• 1⁄2 cup  peanut oil or 1⁄2 cup canola oil
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup milk, mixed with
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vinegar (or 1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk)
• 2 1⁄2 cups  finely shredded zucchini, drained and juice squeezed out (5-6 small zucchini)
• 3  cups  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2  cups  coarsely chopped pecans, more to taste
•  unsweetened  whipped cream or   very  lightly sweetened whipped cream, as accompaniment (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325degF.
2. Grease a 9"x13" baking pan (preferably glass), and dust generously with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
3. Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, and cinnamon, and optional nutmeg, and set aside.
4. Cream together the butter, oil, and sugar until fluffy, add eggs, vanilla, and sour milk, and blend well by hand.
5. Add drained and squeezed grated zucchini, and stir in well.
6. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
7. Sprinkle the top evenly with chocolate chips, leaving a chip-free 1" diameter area right in the center, and then sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans.
8. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. (That’s what the chip-free spot is for. You will never get a clean toothpick otherwise; it will always be chocolate covered.) If you are using a metal pan, bake at 350degF for 40 minutes.
10. Allow to cool to room temperature in pan sitting on wire rack.
11. If desired, serve with a dollop of very lightly sweetened whipped cream.
12. Refrigerate or freeze leftover cake; this cake is very moist and will mold if left for long at room temperature, but it won't get stale!