You ask. I deliver.

I love my friends. Rachel asked me for my Chocolate Zucchini Cake of Wonder and then daintily said "but only if you give out recipes." I will give it to you - with only one small diatribe you have to muddle through in order to get to the goods.

Of course I give out recipes! I believe it is one of the best compliments a chef could ever get to hear "Wow! That's amazing. Could I have the recipe?" If I owned a restaurant, I would give away all my recipes to anyone who asked . . . all of them. Why? Because it's not the recipe that makes it special!! I've had amazing meals that I know were only cooked with really good ingredients and seasoned with only salt and pepper. If I tried to recreate those dishes, it would be good - but still home cooked. I would go back to the restaurant to recreate the experience (and not have to wash dishes).

Giving out baking recipes is a little different - but only because it's a little more scientific. I've known really good bakers who will leave out an ingredient or change the volume on something, just so that yours won't turn out exactly right. I think that's rude. Just plain rude. If you don't want to give out your recipe, don't give out your recipe - don't make me think that I'm a bad baker! I respect people who don't give out their recipes, but I am simply not one of those people.

So, yes, I give out recipes. And, no, you never have to worry that yours won't turn out as good as mine. I am an honest recipe giver. Amen.

This Chocolate Zucchini Cake of Wonder is amazing. Truly, truly amazing. It's the best chocolate cake I've ever made - and it happens to have zucchini in it - which is kindof like saying "This is the best carrot cake I've ever had - too bad it has carrot's in it." It's the zucchini that makes it the Chocolate Zucchini Cake of Wonder. It's a great way to use up the zucchini that you were forced to take just because you also wanted the gorgeous tomatoes from Sister Smith's backyard garden. Just make sure to use really good cocoa. I've been using Hershey's Special Dark for a while (it's a combination of dutched and undutched) and it's great. I'm on the hunt for some exclusively dutched cocoa that doesn't cost a fortune - anyone have any favorites?

I serve this with cool whip. You could use real whipped cream, but sometimes things just call for cool whip. Some berries or peaches wouldn't be bad - but it really doesn't need much else.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake of Wonder
2 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 ½ tsp. Baking powder
1 ½ tsp. Baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon (I leave this out)
¾ cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
½ cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts (I leave this out, but you could substitute chocolate chips)

Sift dry ingredients together. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla, zucchini, milk and nuts. Alternate combining the zucchini mixture and dry ingredients with creamed mixture. Spread batter into 2 greased loaf pans or one 10X13 cake pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Cool completely before cutting.