Chocolate Banana Zucchini Cake

Few zucchini's sitting unused in the refrigerator, one over-ripe banana and a book called Chocolate & Zucchini at your kitchen book stand! What do you do? I did exactly what anyone else who loves baking would have done. Quickly run through the recipes and find delicious looking Chocolate & Zucchini Cake. It looked interesting. Although my husband raised an eyebrow, looked puzzled and questioned with a wrinkled nose- Zucchini in a Cake? Won't that be weird?... hehehe.!

I decided to make some changes in the recipe like reducing egg, adding more sugar, also banana. I didn't want to waste the fruit and also as we all know
chocolate+banana= heavenly
zucchini+chocolate=delicious

Therefore, chocolate+zucchini+banana= Heavenly Delicious!

I went by the equation, and made this gooey, heavenly delicious chocolate banana zucchini cake with sugar sprinkled on the top. Trust me, no-one will be able to figure out that this cake has zucchini in it.

Here is the recipe (Click here for the printable version)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
4 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee granules
2 large eggs
1 cup unpeeled grated zucchini
1 large overripe banana (mashed)
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Confectioner's sugar (for sprinkling on the top)- optional

Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10-inch cake or springform pan with oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. In a food processor, process the sugar and butter until creamy. You can also do this by hand using a sturdy spatula.
4. Add the vanilla essence, coffee granules and eggs mixing well between each addition.
5. Reserve a cup of the flour mixture and add the rest to the egg mixture. Mix until just combined. The batter will be thick.
6. Add the mashed banana and mix. Don't overmix.The batter will be lumpy.
6. Add the zucchini and chocolate chips to the reserved flour mixture and toss to coat.
7. Fold into the batter and blend with a spatula- don't overmix.
8. Pour into the prepared cake pan and level the surface with a spatula.
9. Bake for 40-50 min, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool for 10 min, run a knife around the pan to loosen the cake and take the cake out carefully on the cooling rack.
10. Let it come to room temperature. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or glaze with melted chocolate.

Slice, Serve and Enjoy :)

Sending this to Champa's Bake Off Event