This time of year most of us with gardens have plenty of zucchini and summer squash. Even if you don’t garden, but have friends that do, you will have plenty of squash. Soon you run out of sneaky ideas on how to incorporate it into meals without someone noticing it is there. Children are pretty clever and can sniff it out, but not as clever as a husband! The old stand-by Zucchini bread usually will keep most people happy or steaming it and topping it with lots of melted cheese. My favorite way is to make a very moist chocolate cake that is loaded with zucchini. No one suspects it is there, the cake is so moist that you don’t need frosting, and no one complains about having to eat chocolate cake! I also have used shredded yellow squash in both of these recipes and no one was the wiser!
CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE
1/2 c. soft butter
1/2 c. oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup sour milk
2 1/4 cups flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
2-3 cups shredded zucchini.
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 c. nuts (optional)
Mix butter, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour milk. Add flour, cocoa, soda, cinnamon. Add shredded zucchini, half of the chocolate chips, and nuts. Pour in 9 x 13 inch pan and sprinkle rest of chocolate chips on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-55 minutes. The chocolate chips make it moist enough on top to not need frosting.
ZUCCHINI BREAD
2 cups shredded raw zucchini
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Beat eggs, sugar and oil together. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, walnuts and raisins. Mix together. Add zucchini. Mix well. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.





