Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Trish Rosenquist for Mom on Timeout

Here’s an idea we can rally behind: When life gives you zucchini, make a decadent chocolate cake.

Anyone who grows vegetables knows that this popular squash can be quite prolific during the late summer, and food blogger Trish Rosenquist of Mom on Timeout came up with a sweet solution when she found herself picking at least one (or two!) zucchini daily for several weeks.

“I’d love to call this bread and pretend it’s ‘healthier’ but I think once a bread has a dripping, decadent, chocolate glaze poured on it, well, why pretend?” she writes of her cake, which she makes in a bundt pan to better flaunt its glossy frosting. Speaking of which, Rosenquist saves herself time and extra dishwashing by making the glaze in a microwaveable Pyrex measuring cup, so when it’s finished cooking she can simply pour it over the cake.

Though it is an indulgence, you shouldn’t totally write off this treat’s nutritional value: Zucchini, which has a high water content that makes it an ideal baking ingredient, is full of nutrients like vitamin A and potassium. Just don’t tell your kids, who will likely gobble up this dessert with gusto.

“The zucchini isn’t overpowering, it’s most definitely a chocolate cake,” Rosenquist tells PEOPLE.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Serves 8

2 medium zucchini, grated (about 2 to 3 cups)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 ½ cups applesauce
5 tbsp. butter (2 tbsp. should be softened)
1 tbsp. plus ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ all purpose flour
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
7 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ cups wheat flour
¾ cup semisweet regular chocolate chips
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a bundt pan with butter.

2. Grate the zucchini and set on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.

3. Combine sugar, eggs, applesauce, zucchini, the two tbsp. of softened butter, and 1 tbsp. vanilla extract in a large bowl.

4. In a small bowl, combine the mini chocolate chips with the wheat flour (this will keep the chips from sinking to the bottom while the cake is baking).

5. Stir the white flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and mix of mini chocolate chips and wheat flour into the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined.

6. Pour the batter into bundt pan. Bake the cake for 60 to 70 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool for ten minutes before inverting onto a plate.

7. To make the glaze, combine 3 tbsp. butter, regular chocolate chips, ¼ tsp. vanilla extract and corn syrup in a microwaveable dish or Pyrex measuring cup.

8. Heat in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals at fifty percent power, stirring in between, until melted. Pour over cake.

—Lexi Dwyer

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.