Chocolate Pecan Zucchini Cake

Heaven.
Help.
Me.

Yum and double yum. I will take two pieces...okay twist my arm, three.

Recently I was the lucky recipient of a giant zucchini. GIANT. My friend was probably relieved I took this off her hands, but since zucchini can make me stuff like this cake, I will gladly accept any zucchini dropped on my doorstep.

I better be careful what I wish for. A girl can only really use so much zucchini. I have already used it in cake and bread. Muffins are probably in the horizon. I have used mixed it into a family favorite taco bake. I paired up zucchini with yellow squash and made a squash bake. My freezer might also have some bags of shredded zucchini resting for a rainy day.

This cake would make any day splendid. The chocolate cake is moist and perfectly cakey. But what really takes the cake...whew man I am funny...

Sorry.

Continue. Okay what takes the cake, or should I say tops the cake, is what makes this cake.

That was a really confusing way of saying the brown sugar, pecan, and milk chocolate chip mixture on top of this cake is glorious.

Zucchini, have you met brown sugar, pecan, and milk chocolate?

You haven't?

Well, let me introduce you...you will be fast friends.

Do you have some extra zucchini? Do you have a neighbor who has been begging and pleading for you to take their extra zucchini?

My suggestion. Take it. Shred it. Make this cake.

Then eat this cake.

Chocolate Pecan Zucchini Cake
Jamie Cooks It Up

Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups shredded zucchini

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix softened butter, oil, sugar, and eggs until creamy. About 3 minutes.

In separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and baking soda.

Pour buttermilk and vanilla into the wet mixture. Then slowly incorporate the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.

Now stir in the zucchini until combined.

Pour into a well greased 9x13 pan. Smooth the batter evenly in the pan.

Mix up the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. DO NOT over bake. Even with zucchini in it, it will dry out if you cook it too long.
The cake will be done when a toothpick comes out cleanly.

This cake is great warm. Great later that night. Great days later. If you can keep it around that long, that is.

Happy zucchini using!