Every time our friend Conor goes back to his hometown to visit his parents, his mom makes this awesome cake. One summer, Conor invited Eric and me to spend the weekend with him at his parents house, which overlooks one of the Finger Lakes in New York State. On the drive up, he was telling us that he couldn't wait to have a piece of this cake. Sure enough, when we arrived, there was a tall, dark and beautiful looking cake sitting on the counter. Mary Brady's version had a cream cheese frosting and a chocolate glaze that really put it over the top. At the end of the weekend I asked her if she would share the recipe and a few days later she sent me this. It is honestly one of the best cakes I have ever eaten.
Ingredients:
2 cups grated zucchini, unpeeled 2 cups flour
1 cup canola oil 1/2 cup cocoa
2/3 cup white sugar 1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup brown sugar 1 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs 1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped sweet cherries (original recipe calls for fresh or frozen, but every time I have made this I have used dried cherries and the cake is wonderful with them)
12 oz package semisweet chocolate chunks less 1/2 cup (reserved for glaze)
Preheat oven to 375 and prepare two 9 inch cake pans (or one 9 x 11 pan).
Beat eggs, sugars and oil.
Stir in zucchini, then dry ingredients.
Stir in cherries and chocolate
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes
Cool pans on cake rack
I have made this cake several times and have stopped at this step. This cake is incredibly delicious and rich without any additional frosting or glaze. If you want something really decadent, you can add the frosting and glaze; you won't regret it.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 8 oz. cream cheese and 1 pound confectioner’s sugar. Frost stacked layers and sides of cake.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Melt together 3 Tbs. light cream and 1/2 cup chocolate chunks.
Place glaze in plastic bag, seal, snip corner and drizzle in desired decorative pattern over top.
For better or worse, I didn't get any pictures of this! I shared slices with neighbors, two sets of friends, and my mom before polishing off the last of it myself. Sooo good!
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