Chocolate Zucchini Rum Cake

Submitted by - Momma Loon

"This is a reduced fat yet high flavour; rich, fudgy and moist; best of all no one suspects that there is zucchini in the cake."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Serves: 14

ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups flour, all-purpose (spoon into dry measuring cup and level to top)
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Natural, such as Hershey's, spoon into dry measuring cup and level to top)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3⁄4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 cups zucchini, shredded-small
• 1⁄3 1/3 cup brandy or 1/3 cup water (If use water, add in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1⁄2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 2⁄3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons rum

directions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Generously grease a nonstick 10-inch tube pan.
4. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
5. Make a well in the center of the ingredients and set aside.
6. In a medium sized bowl, applesauce, brown and white sugars, eggs and egg whites, zucchini, rum, buttermilk and oil.
7. Beat for 1 minute with a handheld mixer on medium/low until frothy.
8. (Use a small grater holes for grating the zucchini. It is not necessary to peel them, but make sure they are well-rinsed.- Drain any excess water from the grated zucchini before using. Place in colander and let drain for about 10 minutes before using. Do n) Pour applesauce mixture into the well made in the flour and dry ingredients.
9. Quickly fold ingredients together with rubber spatula until almost combined.
10. Continue to fold in chocolate chips until a few wisps of flour remain.
11. Do not overmix.
12. Pour into a prepared tube pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until done.
13. The cake will spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
14. Do not overbake.
15. Let sit on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then unmold cake.
16. Place right-side-up on a wire rack to cool completely.
17. To serve, combine powdered sugar and rum in a small bowl.
18. Place on a rimmed cake plate and glaze with the rum glaze.

Reviews

[Blackds55]

This is really great cake. It is so moist. It was a hit at my school luncheon.

 

[patriciabrennan14]

This is a really wonderful cake - I did it in a bundt pan and baked it for about 7 minutes longer. I also used 100proof rum. This has become my husbands favorite chocolate cake. I ground my zucchini in the food processor because my shredding blade is broken - it came out just fine.

 

[Rachie P]

yummy cake -I used 1/2 wheat flour, 1/2 regular. Also I baked mine in a bundt pan without any trouble...lthough a tester at 45 minutes came out clean after several pokes, it was a little undercooked yet, so next time I'll bake a tad longer. Great flavors, it blended well, presented well - and people liked it!

 

[woodland hues]

What a cake! This is extreme decadence, delicious, wonderfully chocolatey, very moist, yet light in texture. The batter was very thin, and, although the cake tested done, one side of it couldn't quite hold itself upright (unless that was the brandy, cuz I couldn't quite hold myself upright either after I finished preparing this and making sure the brandy was just right...) enough already! ;=) Great instructions, Momma Loon, baked about 47-8 minutes, love the chocolate chips too, and the brandy flavour was quite apparent. Thank you for posting, glad to have this recipe.

 

[alexismay]

Lovely and moist- worked ok even though I didn't shred the zucchini especially small. Love the chocolate chips! Wish it had a little more rum flavor... but can't complain.