So I realize the main picture I chose above looks like a hot mess, it’s the only one I had that showed the cake on the inside. I wanted a healthier version cake to make for my son’s first birthday. I really loved this recipe and how moist it came out. The only changes I made for him was using less sugar, less cinnamon and no nuts. I also used a sugar free icing for the cake. I used a food processor to grate the zucchini and then I did a quick chop just to make it not stand out so much in the cake.
I have the clean kid that doesn’t like to be dirty so he didn’t like his hands with icing all over it nor did he care for the idea of smashing cake on his face. I feel horrible for making him cry, but I got a good picture from it!
Since I made this a couple of times for parties for him and pictures I did a few designs so I’ll post each of those at the end.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
(Adapted from Cassie on Just A Pinch Recipes)
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Add the eggs and oil, mix well.
Fold in the nuts and zucchini until they are evenly distributed.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting.
For the mustache shape cake I traced out some pan circles on paper and then drew on the shape I wanted and cut out a pattern. I don’t trust myself free forming a cake!!
On this cake I used white sugar free icing and a sugar free chocolate mustache I made from a candy mold. The sides of the cake I used the back of a spoon to make swirl like motions.