Thursday Recipe - Zucchini Brownie Bundt Cake

This is another attempt to use up zucchini. It's based off this recipe, changed up to be my kind of recipe. It turned out very moist and fudgey and just all around delicious. Definitely one to make again sometime.

Zucchini Brownie Bundt Cake

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 c. oil
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. cocoa
2 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 c. flour (use half whole-wheat and half white if you want it healthier)
3 c. shredded zucchini
1/2 c. chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Stir melted chocolate chips, oil, and sugars together until mixed. Add eggs, vanilla, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Beat until well blended. Stir in flour and zucchini. Stir just until mixed and all flour is moistened. It may look dry when you first add the flour and zucchini, but don't add more liquid! Zucchini has a lot of water in it that will come out and moisten the batter.

Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Pour half the batter into the pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 c. chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Spread the other half of the batter in the pan.

Bake at 325° for 50-65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. The cake should develop a couple of cracks on top, just like the good loaves of zucchini bread. Let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Turn it over onto a plate. Shake it gently to release the cake. Let it cool the rest of the way, then cover tightly and refrigerate. This cake is better the next day. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Thursday Recipe - Flourless Peanut Butter Zucchini Brownies

Yeah, you read that right. Flourless peanut butter zucchini brownies. I have zucchini because I planted some and it grew. I'm still proud of my green thumb. I've been known as the zucchini killer for quite a few years now. Nice to know that a change of location also changed my black thumb green.

I was making zucchini brownies (and banana brownies with this recipe) because I had a pile of zucchini and a pile of overripe bananas. My youngest is allergic to wheat but she loves brownies and chocolate, too, so when I stumbled across this recipe, I knew I had to try it out. But since this is me cooking, I couldn't do it the way it was written. What I came up with is very tasty, not vegan, but wheat-free. This is my version.

Flourless Peanut Butter Zucchini Brownies

3/4 c. peanut butter (I used chunky)
1/4 c. honey
1/3 c. sugar (because I like it sweeter, you can leave it out if you want)
1 c. finely shredded zucchini (don't squeeze out the water! You need it)
1/4 c. cocoa
1 egg
3/4 t. baking soda
Chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate to help boost the sweetness)

Mix everything except chocolate chips in a bowl until well blended. Spread into a greased loaf pan (I used an 8 inch loaf pan). Sprinkle chocolate chips generously over the top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Let cool completely in the pan. Refrigerating overnight is best. Cut into bars and keep what you don't devour immediately in the refrigerator.