Chocolate Zucchini Cake and Happy Conversations

Last night while rummaging through the fridge I came across 6 of the most sad looking zucchinis I have ever seen. I'm not one to waste food so I knew I had to cook them otherwise they were to be destined for the bin, and what was the first recipe you think jumped into my head? yes that's right, a sweet treat dammit! Never mind, at least the girls could take some to school over the next few days and even I could have a little bit especially since I shaved off a lot of the sugar, flour, and oil, viola!

But before I give you the recipe for this, I have to say, absolutely DIVINE cake, I shall tell you about my lovely day with my eldest daughter. Havana is 17 years old this year, it blows my mind that the time has flown by in a flash and before I know it, she'll be leaving home. I am so excited for her, but I am a little sad for me as I will miss her around the house. We will still be living in the same city as we will be moving to Wellington with her as the only reason I am living in this teeny town is because of her finishing high school. So we walked to town (4km's) and had a good chat about her career choices, universities she wanted to go to and after a few hours we had narrowed it down to a university in Wellington which has a brilliant photography programme (way better than the one I'm doing). Moving to Wellington will serve all of us as I will be able to start my photography business and re-ignite my career and my youngest daughter will be able to get into a decile 10 rating school (which is the highest rating), as she is very smart, she is only 6 years old and has to do her phonics class with 8 year old children! She got top for reading and maths last year and is one of those kids lucky enough to absorb information very easily, I am in awe of her sometimes! Moving also means I can easily let go of my soon to be 17 year old because we will still be in the same city so that I am there in a flash if she needs me, and if she wants to come home for some good home cooking, I'm right there!

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

Okay so this is not exactly "sugar free" but I have cut it down dramatically, I swear! This cake is soooooooooooo moist and chocolate-laden that I have to not look at it as I will get very tempted to wrap my lips around a piece and then suffer the remorse and guilt....... nah not really!

The cake stores well in the fridge and I could easily say that it's good for a few days, but I doubt it will sit in there that long :)





1 cup flour
1 cup almond meal
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cocoa
1 cups low GI sugar (or raw sugar if you cannot get low GI, or you can use an artifical sweetener)
3 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup low fat yoghurt (I used a natural un-sweetened yoghurt)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini (I made sure to stuff the cup with zucchini to the brim!)

Preheat your oven to 350F (180C)

Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl.

Beat the eggs and add the oil, yoghurt, and vanilla and mix to combine.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix in the zucchini.

Grease (spray) a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and pour in the cake batter. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick pricked into the centre comes out clean, alternatively you can do the spring back test by pressing lightly onto the cake, if it springs back, it's done.

Cool and serve with Greek yoghurt, low fat whipped cream or low fat icecream, enjoy!!!

NOTE: you can also cover the cake in chocolate or cream cheese frosting, but that's adding more calories! :)

Enjoy, Barbs xx