Being Sneaky with Zucchini

In honor of last weekend's "Sneak Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor's Porch Day" (yes - it's an actual annually recognized day, August 8, wherein gardening hoodlums are encouraged to "share" their zucchini bounty with unsuspecting neighbors), I thought I would post this amazing recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Cake included in the Fare to Remember Cookbook. The recipe is provided by the equally amazing Nancy Williams, one of my dearest mentors from Logan, Utah. Suffice to say, without Nancy's influence on my life, you likely wouldn't be reading this blog.

At any rate, her recipe is an awesome use for those prolific squash that pile up this time of year, and simple as ever to whip up (remember my baking aversion? It flies out the window with this recipe). It's also helpful that I had this recipe on file because I've been sicker than a dog (cooking hasn't exactly been high on my list these past few days), but still wanted to bring you a good seasonal recipe this week before you missed me! :)

So whip up a batch or two of this rich, moist cake, and maybe - just maybe - you won't be rushing to offload your garden's bounty so quickly!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Contributed by Nancy Williams

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 3 zucchini, approximately 6 inches long, grated (or the equivalent—about 2+ cups grated)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (try mint flavored!)

Cream sugars, butter and oil together in a large bowl. Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and stir well to mix. Measure dry ingredients into a sifter, then sift into the bowl. Add grated zucchini and stir until blended. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.