Chocolate Red Chili Zucchini Cake

In the beginning of October, my boyfriend and I travelled to Las Cruces, NM from Texas.  We fell in love with the area.  The beautiful buttes, the blue skies, the colorful sunsets, and the famous NM red and green chilis.

When I got home I found a great site called I am New Mexico.  I found this most excellent chocolate cake recipe and decided to give it a try.

  

You may want to make this for the upcoming holidays.  Thanksgiving and Christmas can be a fun time to experiment.  And a way to make new recipes become part of your cherished recipe traditions.

Chocolate Red Chili Zucchini Cake
Find Printable Recipe Here

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 inch cake pan with shortening or butter.  Also line with parchment paper if you are removing the cake from the pan.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sifted flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp NM red chili powder/or chili powder (add more to taste)

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cups grated zucchini

6 ounces chopped white bark

Putting it all together

Grate your zucchini and set aside.

Sift together, into a medium bowl, the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

In another bowl, cream the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar.  Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. 

Next, beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is mixed in well each time. 

Next, add the vanilla and the chili powder.  Stir until incorporated.

Mix in the dry ingredients, while alternating with the buttermilk.  Start with the dry and end with the dry.

Add your grated zucchini.  Gently stir just until mixed.

Pour into your 9 x 13 pan.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

Cool on wire rack.  Add chopped white bark to top of cake.  Let melt, then spread.

Recipe adapted from I am New Mexico.com