Tag Archives: zucchini

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Brownie)

This original recipe (see below picture) is called a Chocolate Zucchini Brownie but once you bake it you will realize why I changed the name and frosted it for good measure.

As I mentioned in my last post this morning, I had a bit of a water spill on my scanned copies of my grandma’s zucchini recipes. This one I should know by heart as many times as I have baked it. This one is probably the most requested zucchini recipe I have. Even my previous boss used to request this for his birthday cake at work several years ago.

I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and friends do.

One of the things I like most about this recipe is that it is typed by a typewriter! Also that it doesn’t have directions just ingredients.

Grandma’s Ingredients:

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup oleo

1/2 cup oil (grandma used vegetable; I use canola)

2 1/2 cups of ap flour

3 eggs

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 Tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 TB cocoa

3 cups of finely shredded zucchini

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Grandma’s Directions:

Save chips til last, when batter is in the pan, put chips lightly on top. 9 by 13 pan, 350 deg, 45 minutes.
My Ingredients with a few modifications:

1 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup of ap flour

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup applesauce unsweetened

2 TB flaxseed ground

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cups finely shredded zucchini

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

4 TB Dutch Processes Cocoa

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp baking soda

3 eggs

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 ground allspice

Directions:

Predirections:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking pan. Set aside.

1. Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, oil, applesauce, and both sugars in large mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. In a seperate bowl sift together cocoa, both flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make sure all ingredients are well incorporated.

3. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until combined. Make sure not to over mix. Fold in the zucchini with spatula and lastly fold in the chocolate chips. Bake for 38 to 40 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean). I used a dark pan which can effect the bake time.

Fudgy Frosting optional:
(yields 2 cups of frosting)
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (unsalted) (1/2 cup), room temperature
2/3 cup Dutch processes cocoa
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups of powdered sugar
1/3 cup skim milk
Directions:

Beat the butter with paddle attachment on high and decrease speed to low and add cocoa and mix to incorporate. Gradually add powered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Beat until fudge smooth consistency appears.

Frost the cake and cut a piece already.

Grandma Harper’s Zucchini Bread

As a child I can remember grandma always had a homemade treat at the house. My sister and I would always look forward to one of her homemade baked goods. We would often spend many of our summer breaks playing at grandma and grandpa’s whether it was mowing the lawn (playing school bus), playing with our cousins on the trampoline, swimming, or picking berries in the garden.

One of my absolute favorite treats was her zucchini bread (or cookies). Her bread was always so moist and tasted so flavorful. Each bite was always rich with cinnamon goodness and had the right crunchiness with the chopped walnuts. My sister and I would slather “I cannot believe it’s not butter” on top and dive in. We would have 2 or 3 slices just for breakfast.

Years ago I was on a zucchini kick (when we had an abundance in the garden) and grandma scanned her zucchini recipes for me. Accidentally one day a water spill got to the majority of them. I am able to make out the recipes with only a few guesses to the quantities. I can honestly say every time I make one of her recipes I get several requests for the recipe.

This is not the first recipe of her’s I have posted and after today I will start a file just for her. If you knew my grandma you would know she loved to bake and try new recipes. She always shared her recipes as well as new recipes as she came across them. She’d email me a recipe weekly if she thought I’d like it.

We said goodbye to her yesterday and I couldn’t think of a better way to honor her memory then to make breakfast with one of her recipes today. I know every time I make a zucchini dish, see a cardinal or water my flowers I will think of her. All those things she’d shared a fondness for. I will deeply miss her and her passion of sharing love through recipes.

Today I made some modifications but I will list her recipe as it reads in case you cannot make out the water marks (above).

This recipe yields two standard (8.5″) bread loaves or one bread loaf and 10-12 muffins.

Grandma’s original :

2 cups of AP flour

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup nuts, chopped

2 cup grated zucchini (the best is from the garden)

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Beat eggs, add oil, sugar and vanilla, mix well. Add zucchini with dry ingredients. Mix well. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Grandma recipes were always simple and delicious.

Now for the changes, I have to admit I couldn’t allow for 1 cup of oil!

Ingredients:

1 cups of AP flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup canila oil

2 TB ground flaxseed

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 baking powder

2 cups of finely shredded zucchini (not peeled)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat bread loaf with cooking spray. Also line muffin tins with paperliners and spray with cooking spray.

Beat eggs, add oil, applesauce, sugar, vanilla mix well. Add zucchini with dry ingredients. Fold in nuts. Mix well. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans at 350 for 38 minutes. Or bake one loaf at 350 for 38 minutes for the bread and 23 to 25 for the muffins. ***Use scoop size 16 for perfectly sized muffins. Place 3 cups of batter in one bread loaf pan. **

Secret ingredient peanut butter cookies

It’s that time of year when you have so much zucchini in the garden you don’t know what to do with it all. Here is a recipe that I tried to make slightly more heart healthy than the original from TOH. Once the cookies cool you cannot even tell there is zucchini “Hidden” inside. Which makes zucchini the secret ingredient.

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.

This recipe yields 42 cookies using a number 40 size scoop.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups ap flour
2 TB ground flaxseed
1/4 cup vegetable shorten or unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups of crunchy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 Tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup shredded & peeled Zucchini

Directions:

1. In a large bowl cream with hand mixer peanut butter, sugars, and flaxseed.

Until thoroughly combined.

Add one egg in at a time. Mixing after each addition.

Add flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and mix until well combined.

Add in shredded zucchini.

Using size 40 scoop portion out onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly browned.

Flatten slightly with cooking sprayed glass cup prior to placing in oven.

Remove from pan right away onto cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Zucchini & Raisin Whole Wheat Muffins

It’s that time of year! We have zucchini coming out of our ears! This rain has sure helped! My previous boss gave me a zucchini cookbook from our hometown’s garden club. There are oodles of zucchini muffin recipes in the book. I found one of interest and made some modifications to lighten up the calories in these muffins! I made them for my sister and nephew for breakfast this weekend. I added raisins since that’s my nephews favorite snack and the only way I can get him to eat them.

Yields: 12 standard muffins and 6 mini muffins (I love the mini for east tasting & the perfect size for my toddler aged nephew).

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Vietnamese ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
2 egg whites (local when possible)
1/4 cup local honey
1/4 canola oil
1/2 tsp pure Mexican vanilla extract
1 cup shredded (not pealed) zucchini
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup skim milk
Cinnamon & sugar to sprinkle

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffin tins with paper liners or silicone cups and spray with cooking spray.
2. Place flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, & nutmeg in a medium bowl.

3. Whisk to incorporate.

4. In a separate large bowl mix milk, vanilla, egg whites, honey, & oil until combined.

5. Add dry blend into wet mixture.

6. Whisk to incorporate, leaving no dry residue.

7. Add raisins and zucchini.

Fold in with spatula to incorporate evenly.

Use a size 16 to scoop out standard muffins and a size 60 scoop for minis.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (optional). Bake standard muffins for 20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Bake minis for 8 to 9 minutes.

Leave in pan for 5 minutes and remove and let cool on wire rack.

Enjoy with some apple butter !

Caramel Frosted Zucchini Bars

My grandma gave me a bunch of old recipe cards a few years ago. Most of them were blank but one I stumbled across was a zucchini bar. I did modify the recipe to incorporate more heart healthy options.I am always looking for zucchini recipes because the garden is always producing more zucchini then one person can make. This is a flavorful spice bar with a added bonus fiber from the whole wheat flour and zucchini.

I have made zucchini cake before but it’s always been chocolate zucchini cake. This one is more like zucchini bread with frosting!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 1/2 cup AP Flour
2 cup shredded zucchini (no need to peel!) (not strained)
1/4 cup apple butter or unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup raw sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup pecans chopped or walnuts
1/2 raisins
10 by 15 inch baking sheet pan (with 3/4 inch depth)

Frosting
1/2 cup butter unsalted
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
1 to 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on baking sheet.

1. Mix well together in medium bowl flours, salt, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, & cloves set aside.

2. In a large bowl mix oil, sugar, vanilla, apple butter together then one egg at a time mixing after each addition.

3. Add dry mix to wet.

4. Fold in zucchini then nuts, and raisins.

Mix until everything is well blended.

Pour batter into baking sheet and evenly spread with spatula.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. If your zucchini is very moist you may need to bake 20 to 25 minutes. I strained my zucchini and the bars didn’t come out as moist as I would have hoped. Next time I will not remove the excess water. Use tooth pick method to test cake prior to removing from oven. If tooth pick comes out clean remove from oven.

Let cool in wire rack.

Once cooled start caramel frosting. In 2 qt sauce pan melt butter and brown sugar.

Bring to a boil and stir continuous for 2 minutes.

Add milk and bring to a boil and simmer for 2 additional minutes.

Remove the frosting from the heat. Whisk in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time.

Add 1-1/2 1 cups until you reach your desired constancy.

Frost the cake quickly with spatula. The frosting sets quickly.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies

Zucchini! I am bound and determined to make something with Zucchini everyday! Until my supply from the garden is exhausted! I decided to try a new cookie recipe even though I love my grandma’s (which I also have featured on this site). Yum yum!

Ingredients:
2 cups of Zucchini( after drained well it should yield about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
2/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 1/2 cup old fashion oats
2 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 -1cups of raisins (optional)

Yields 4.5 dozen

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

2. Mix applesauce, oil, vanilla and sugars in a large bowl. Add eggs and stir until combined.

Ingredients

2. Add flour, soda, baking powder, salt and spiced sifted over wet ingredients.

3. Mix until incorporated. Add zucchini and mix.

4. Mix until zucchini is spread throughout.

5. Now toss in the oats and raisins and fold mixture until mixed throughout.

6. Use scoop of your choice or spoon out onto parchment paper.

7. 12 cookies to a half sheet pan is a nice amount. Bake in oven for 9 to 11 minutes depending on your oven.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Dark Chocolate Cake!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

We have zucchini coming out of our ears! And we don’t want it to go to waste! Just recently I found this recipe in FN Magazine and I have been etching to try it. I did do some modifications to add some of my own touches of course. PS it goes well with ice cream…..

Cake Ingredients:
1 medium Zucchini ( remove excess water)
1 1/2 cups AP flour, plus 1 TB
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 oz dark chocolate chopped finely
2 oz of semi sweet chocolate chopped finely
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup unsweetened coco powder
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla

Topping
1 tsp canola oil
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate
1 tsp honey

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray pan with cooking spray and sprinkle/dust pan with flour.

2. Chop chocolate finely.

3. Place one Tb of flour in bowl of chopped chocolate and stir to coat.

4. Place flour, baking soda, coco, salt, and nutmeg in large bowl and whisk.

5. In medium bowl whisk eggs, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and oil.

6. Add wet ingredients to dry.

7. Whisk until incorporated

8. Shred zucchini and drain excess moisture in pasta strainer

9. Fold zucchini into the wet mixture.

10. Fold in chocolate chips.

11. Pour batter into cooking sprayed 9 by 9 inch pan.

12. Bake on 350 for 30 to 32 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cake cool for at least 20 minutes on wire rack before frosting.

12. Take 1/3 cup chopped chocolate and place in a microwaveable small dish with 1 tsp of canola oil, and 1 tsp honey.

14. Pour mixture over cake and frost with spatula to spread glaze evenly.

With ice cream ..

Pink Pepper Sauce

Pink Pepper Sauce with Zucchini and Bowtie Pasta

For the love of a fine restaurant we dine at for special occasions, I tweaked my mom’s recipe for our favorite pasta. Now we can have it in just 20 minutes anytime instead of driving 45 minutes to a hour for this spicy filling pasta. Plus this is great way to use your garden’s endless supply of Zucchini!

Ingredients:
1/2 box of whole wheat farfalle pasta
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 small onion diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 package of Alfredo dry mix
1 small or medium Zucchini
1 TB Olive Oil
1 can of stewed tomatoes (drained)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 tsp of hot red pepper flake
1 cup of Hot Sicilian pasta sauce
Parmesan Reggiano cheese to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package and and set aside. Start sauce when you go to start your water for the pasta and the sauce will be ready when your timer goes off for the pasta.

2. Heat large sauté pan to medium high heat and oil. Once oil is heated add minced garlic.

3. Once garlic lightly browned add onion and sauté until golden. Add pepper flake

4. Add chopped Zucchini and stewed tomatoes

5. Once vegetables are tender add heavy cream, Alfredo mix, salt and pepper and pasta sauce.

6. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.

7. Add pasta and enjoy.

Best served with shrimp, or grilled chicken and a slice of garlic toast!

Next… I just have to tackle their chocolate cake with mile high peanut butter frosting …

Zucchini Whole Wheat Waffles

Whole Wheat Zucchini Waffles

We have zucchini growing like weeds in the garden! So I just added a entire category devoted to Zucchini! Stay tuned for more recipes to come! Here is a take on zucchini bread batter tweaked in to waffle batter.

Recipe yields: 4 waffles 6 ” in diameter

Ingredients:
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1 cup AP Flour
1/2 tsp Vietnamese Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Pinch of Allspice
2 TB Ground Flaxseed
2 TB Brown Sugar
2 TB of Canola Oil
1 tsp of Pure Vanilla
1/4 tsp Salt
2 egg whites
1 whole egg
1 cup skim milk
1 Cup Shredded Zucchini (squeeze and pat dry to remove moisture)

1. Sift all dry ingredients into medium bowl.

Set a side.

2. Place milk, oil, vanilla, egg whites, and eggs in separate bowl whisk until combined.

3. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and whisk until incorporated. Stir in shredded zucchini.

4. Let mixture set 5 minutes and preheat waffle iron.

5. Measure 3/4 to 1 cup of batter on to a cooking sprayed low heat waffle iron.
Spread evenly. Follow waffle iron instructions to cook waffle (my waffle iron did take a while longer because of the thicker batter).

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and Enjoy!

Zucchini and Kale Pancakes

My nephew loves zucchini pancakes. I’m home for the weekend and I thought I’d dish some up with my mom and dad’s homegrown supply of zucchini for him for breakfast this morning.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Finely Shredded Zucchini
1/4 cup shredded Part-skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup chopped Kale
Pinch of salt
1/2 Cup Bisquick (you can use the heart healthy one)
1 egg or 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1 TB Finely Chopped Onion

Recipe yields: 4 to 5 mini pancakes

Directions:
1. Place all dry ingredients in bowl.

2. Mix in lightly beaten egg

3. Add in zucchini, onion, kale

4. Mix until all ingredients incorporated.

5. Turn griddle on medium heat

6. Let each pancake heat throughout and flip (once you see air bubbles).

Enjoy!

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

Tag Archives: zucchini

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Brownie)

Grandma Harper’s Zucchini Bread

Secret ingredient peanut butter cookies

Zucchini & Raisin Whole Wheat Muffins

Caramel Frosted Zucchini Bars

Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies

Zucchini Dark Chocolate Cake!

Pink Pepper Sauce

Zucchini Whole Wheat Waffles

Zucchini and Kale Pancakes