mexican chocolate zucchini loaf cake.

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wanted to call this "bread," but its pretty much "cake". oh well ;)

i love me a good mexican chocolate anything. i love the warmth and spiciness of cinnamon or nutmeg, and also...actual spiciness from cayenne! 

this bread cake loaf baby will spice up your life.

and boy is it riiiiiiiiiiiiiich. 

and dense. and moist. and textured. and delicious! and it's got two bigass zucchinis in it. so it's full of health.

jk. but dzang i love how far those zucchinis take it. they really add to the moist factor.  [yikes....nobody has yet to come up with a better food word for 'moist'?]

if you're not a fan of spicy foods but enjoy chocolate bread, just omit the cayenne pepper. i think the cinnamon is a must :) maybe throw a dash of nutmeg up in there. 

also, i am fully obsessed with pepitas on everything. in yogurt, on salads, in pasta dishes, on chocolate bread cakes... 

just over here puttin' some pepita in my stepita. 

Mexican Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

Makes 1 loaf

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 4 TB. unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 2 medium zucchinis, grated (about 2 cups, loosely packed)
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (+ 1/4 cup for loaf topping)

Toasted Pepitas:

  • 3/4 cup raw unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 1/2 TB. coconut oil
  • 2 tsp. 100% maple syrup
  • 2 tsp. brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions-

Use a box grater or large cheese grater to grate the zucchinis. Spread all the grated zucchini on top of a kitchen towel and between layers of paper towels to absorb the excess liquid. Weigh it down with a cookie sheet to absorb more water. You could also squeeze the grated zucchini in a kitchen towel. 

In a small pan on the stove, melt 4 TB of butter on medium heat. Whisk constantly until foamy. Continue whisking until fragrant and brown bits begin to form (about 3 minutes). When butter begins to brown, remove from heat and continue whisking for another 30 seconds so it doesn't burn. Transfer to small bowl and chill in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper with excess paper hanging over the sides so that you can lift the loaf out of the pan after cooled. Spray the parchment as well. 

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & soda, salt, cinnamon and cayenne. In a large bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, egg, and brown sugar or coconut sugar. Stir in the cooled browned butter, vanilla extract, and milk. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine. Add 1/4 cup of boiling hot water and stir again. Gently fold in the grated zucchini followed by the chocolate chips. 

Pour the batter into the prepared parchment loaf pan and shake until spread even. Place on a cookie sheet in the oven (set timer for 30 minutes if adding toppings).

While the loaf begins to bake, toast the pepitas on the stovetop on medium heat. Melt the coconut oil, add pepitas, maple syrup, brown sugar, cayenne & cinnamon and toss constantly with a spatula until fragrant and lightly browned/sticky (about 2 minutes). Transfer to a plate and dab the excess oil with a paper towel. 

When the loaf has baked for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and gently press the toasted pepitas and 1/4 cup of chocolate chips into the top of the loaf with a spatula. Return to oven and bake for 20-30 more minutes (total bake time = 50 - 65 minutes).  I baked this loaf for 52 minutes total. Test the center of the loaf with a toothpick to see if it comes clean.

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Lift the excess parchment to move the entire loaf out of the pan to slice it. Use a hot, dry knife when slicing (pour boiling water on the knife and dry with a towel). 

Enjoy with coffee or milk! Store at room temperature covered tightly. Eat within 3-4 days.

 

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