The Big Harvest

by JenMarie

One of my favorite things about summer is being able to plant a vegetable garden. This always takes me back to my childhood and I find I plant some things just because that’s what I’ve always done and not because I necessarily like them! We tend to stay pretty traditional and try to plant a good variety of things to enjoy. This year we expanded our garden by almost 50% and created a separate strawberry patch (YUM). We planted peppers (regular and hot varieties), tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, corn, honeydew, watermelon, bush green beans and pumpkins. 

We have especially enjoyed involving the kids in the garden this year. Jack, at a couple months shy of two, loves to keep track of all of the garden tools while Sydney is having a blast determining if the food is ready to be picked and then helping carry it all to the house.  She does tend to get a little over zealous at times, but it’s a good opportunity to teach her how to tell if something is ready to be picked. 

What I have been struggling with is what to do with the bountiful harvest! In particular I am being overrun by zucchini. I honestly have never seen such enormous zucchini. We had a week period where it rained daily and we were not able to pick anything so they just grew and grew. Now I am staring at several zucchini that are bigger than a bowling pin. 

We have been baking the zucchini using any recipe that I can find, from bread to cookies, cake to fried slices. So far, the family favorite has (overwhelmingly) been the chocolate zucchini cake. How can you go wrong with ‘chocolate’ in the title? Unfortunately for me I didn’t even use ¼ of one zucchini to make this. Judging by the family reaction and that of our neighbors who were all given some to share, I will have plenty of opportunity to use up what’s left by making more! 

I would never rave about a recipe without including it, so for those in the same zucchini boat as I am here you go. This recipe was handed down to me by my favorite aunt who makes some of the best desserts ever. 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar (regular granulated sugar)
½ cup margarine
½ cup oil
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup buttermilk
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. cocoa
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325
Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips in a bowl.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan, top with chocolate chips.  Bake 45 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool.
Can frost with chocolate frosting or (as I do) sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Note: instead of a cake, we make cupcakes.  This will make approx 24 cupcakes.  Bake for approx 25-30 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. 

Comments

[Heidi]

Hello! I've had zucchini on the brain these days and was especially looking for a recipe for zucchini cake. I stumbled upon your blog to and low and behold...zucchini cake! Many thanks!