Thursday 16 March 2017

Chocolate Zucchini Cake and Other Tales

Hallo Every-one and a warm welcome to new readers who, like me, are greatly saddened by the closing of the Down to Earth Forum this morning. We do have a facebook group which is not every-one's cup of tea but it's an opportunity to keep in touch with forum members.
We wish Rhonda and Hanno a long and happy retirement and are so grateful for Rhonda establishing and then maintaining our little home from home for so many years.

As our dear Rose would have said let's just get on with it!

Using seasonal produce is a great way to save money and eat better so in Autumn here that means lots of zucchini, eggplant and capsicum dishes as well as this lovely moist Choc and Zucchini Cake...


Recipe

2 cups(250gm) of self-raising flour(or use plain flour and add 1/2 t bicarb and a teaspoon of baking powder)
350 gms of sugar
60 gms cocoa powder
1 level teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg powders

Mix thoroughly and add and mix in well
3 beaten eggs and 350mls of vegetable oil

Add
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or sultanas
340 gms grated zucchini, lightly pressed to drain a little of the water, not too much as you need it's moisture

Pour batter into a greased or lined baking tin, 20cm x 30 cm
Bake at 180C for about 1 and 1/4 hours until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

I made a very basic icing with icing sugar, a heaped tablespoon of cream cheese and enough lemon juice to help it mix.
This cake freezes beautifully.

We've been eating ratatouille and lots of capsicum salads ~ yummy and thrifty.

I finished another string bag this week in red cotton...once again using that Diosma bush to model for me ;)...I prefer this handle as it doesn't roll under itself...



Around town Easter is on it's way ...well it has been in shops since February... I do like these bunnies though...


Well spotted Angela who commented on that huge spider in the last post...it has now built a second web high up in a neighbour's tree several metres away from our tree, it's threads are the strongest I have ever seen/felt.

See you next time,
Love from Sue
xxx

14 comments:

  1. Your cake looks so moist Sue. I've always wanted to give Chocolate Zucchini Cake a go. My zucchini is still growing however I do have enough to make this cake. I have also frozen grated zucchini.

    I am so happy to keep up to date with you via your blog since the forum closed xx

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    1. Hi Kylie, this is so heart-warming to see you here, glad we can keep in touch xxx

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  2. Well, that gives me an idea for the bags of courgettes that appear on my doorstep, courtesy of my veggie-growing friends. Mind you, when we get ours in next year (garden prep this year, so unlikely to be growing much), I'll need lots of ideas for them! :)
    Lovely to be able to keep in touch via the blogs, new forum and Facebook
    Pam (Menolly) xxx

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    1. Hiya Pam, yes it is good to keep in touch via the internet isn't it? Another zucchini favourite of mine is zucchini and cheese/feta fritters made with eggs and flour and shallow fried...yummy!

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  3. Sue, my zucchini didn't like the unusual for us 40C heat this year so I am giving up trying to grow it. The cake looks lovely and moist I must say. I rarely bake as we are all watching our weight for health reasons as DH has to have a heart op at some stage. I love the colour of your bag on the the Diosma. You are such a good knitter.

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    1. thank you Chel, I have been wondering how you are after seeing that photo of your infection, are you on the mend?
      I rarely bake these days but Dad and Joe deserve a treat now and then ;) xxx

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  4. OOO thank you so very much for sharing your recipe! I have some zucchini in the freezer that I have been wanting to do something with -this will be PERFECT!!!!!!!!! Get some veggies in me and be treated at the same time! Win-Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. yes! good thinking...about from the sugar everything else is nourishing and it's so cold at your place you need a warm treat xx

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  5. Thanks for the recipe and for the cup to grams conversion which is very helpful for those of us that struggle with cups. I will have to give this a try. I will be popping in to read your blog now that I've found it.

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  6. Hiya Sarah, it will be good to keep in touch with you now the forum has closed.

    I expect you could use carrot in place of zucchini which are out of season for you now xx

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  7. Hubby is bugging me to empty out some of the frozen zucchini from the freezer so this is a timely post! Chocolate cake should quiet him down little I'm thinking! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. my pleasure, it's so moist and yummy xx

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  8. What a great recipe! I've never made a cake like this before but I suspect my son will like it very much:) Meg

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    1. Hi Meg, best thing is the zucchini diappears so no-one notices it...would be nice warm with ice-cream or custard too

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