Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
1 large zucchini (or about 1 lb.) or more
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup applesauce
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil and flour the bottom and sides of a nonstick angel food cake pan or a bundt pan [I used a springform cake pan]. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Grate the zucchini and set aside.

Beat sugar and eggs with an electric mixer, on medium high speed, for about two minutes, until light in color and thickened. Gradually add oil in a steady stream while mixing. Continue to mix until batter is yellow in color (with olive oil, it will be slightly green) and thick, about 90 seconds.

Melt the baking chocolate and add it to the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and mix. Add the grated zucchini and mix until incorporated. Add chocolate chips and stir again. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.

Place pan on a baking sheet and bake until a skewer comes out clean in the middle, about an hour.