Clothilde's Chocolate and Zucchini Cake

From Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen by Clotilde Dusoulier. This can be made with either butter or olive oil, but if you use the oil make sure it is a really good one with a flavor that will complement the other ingredients. Clothilde suggests garnishing with very thin zucchini slices, sprinkling with 10x or glazing with bittersweet chocolate; I go for confectioner's sugar sifted through a doily or stencil.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature plus more for greasing (or 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil for greasing)
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup  unsweetened dutch cocoa
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1  teaspoon instant coffee granules (I use espresso powder)
• 3  large eggs
• 2  cups  unpeeled grated zucchini, from about 1 1/2 medium zucchini (keep the remaining 1/2 zucchini for optional garnish)
• 1  cup bittersweet chocolate chips, good-quality
•  confectioners' sugar, for garnishing

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 10-inch springform pan with butter or oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a food processor, process the sugar and butter until creamy (you can also do this by hand, armed with a sturdy spatula or in a stand mixer). Add the vanilla, coffee granules, and eggs, mixing well between each addition.
3. Reserve a cup of the flour mixture and add the rest to the egg mixture. Mix until just combined; the batter will be thick.
4. Add the zucchini and chocolate chips to the reserved flour mixture and toss to coat. Fold into the batter and blend with a wooden spoon-don’t over mix. Pour into the prepared cake pan and level the surface with a spatula.
5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Transfer to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around the pan to loosen the cake, and unclasp the sides of the pan.
7. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
8. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, glaze with melted chocolate, or decorate with a few slices of raw zucchini (you don’t have to eat them, though).