The Sunday Recipe: Decadent Chocolate Snack Cake

August 23, 2020 at 5:00 am (Recipes)
Tags: almond butter, cake, chocolate cake, gluten free, refined sugar free, zucchini

Decadent Chocolate Snack Cake

Okay, honestly, if you do gluten free, you need to try this. I’ve made it several times since I figured it out and it is just incredible. Even if you don’t do gluten free, you’re going to love this. It is a one bowl wonder.

The zucchini is just enough to add an added element of flavor but you don’t necessarily taste it at zucchini. Some people call for shredding your zucchini and squeezing it to remove liquid but I wanted the moisture from the zucchini in this, so I recommend shredding it JUST before you add it in. Use a large whole grater and shred big.

This recipe is also reduced sugar and gluten free, but it may actually be my favorite chocolate cake of all time. It’s good warm or cold from the fridge.

I adapted this from a chocolate zucchini bread recipe I found several years ago that I wasn’t really happy with. The original recipe was dry, not very chocolaty, and just not very enjoyable. I added a third egg, increased the maple syrup and cocoa powder, eliminated squeezing the zucchini moisture out, and increased the chocolate chips, then reduced the oven temperature, and changed the type of pan it is baked in.

If you’d like the link to the original bread recipe, let me know and I’ll be happy to share it.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• ¼ cup cocoa powder (Dutch processed, if you have it.)
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of almond butter (no salt or sugar added, preferably)
• 1 cup of shredded zucchini (150 grams)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and spray or grease a pan. (8 X 8 or 9 X 9, even a toaster oven cake tin works.)
2. Beat the eggs with a whisk or blender.
3. Mix in the maple syrup until well combined.
4. Add the vanilla. (You might get away with less than a tablespoon but indulge, vanilla makes chocolate SO much better.)
5. Blend in the cocoa powder and salt until well combined. (Go slow at first until the powder is wet down.)
6. Drop the almond butter by spoonfuls into the batter, spaced out, then blend in. (This can clog your whisk if it is too cold, until it gets mixed in well so make sure it is room temp.)
7. Now, shred your zucchini then stir it in immediately.
8. Last step – Measure the baking soda and put in then pour the vinegar over it and stir in.
9. Pour into your prepared pan.
10. If using, sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly over the cake.
11. Bake for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out of the center clean.
12. Enjoy!