Just a couple of days ago I tore off yet another page from the big family calendar hanging on my kitchen wall to reveal a fresh, new month. There’s something cathartic about that process of tearing off the messy scribbles from a month finished, to reveal a pristine new one. That simple experience gives me unexpected pleasure. The first thing I always do to the clean new page is go through and mark significant days. Today, August 3rd, got a sparkly flash of glitter washi tape. I put it on there without even thinking because I’ve been doing that for 30-something years now. August 3rd is my Mom’s birthday. She would have turned 61 today.
As I spoke at her funeral last fall, I spotted my grandmother, her Mom, near the front of the chapel and I smiled at her while I recounted a vivid memory. I was probably 13 or so when my Grandma was in town for a visit. She had made her famous chocolate-chocolate-chocolate bundt cake the night before (the inspiration for this holiday version) and when I came down to the kitchen the next morning I found my Mom in her pajamas, digging into a big slice of cake. Because if there’s one thing she taught me, it’s that chocolate cake makes the best breakfast.
I followed right along and started serving myself a piece as she walked with her plate into the adjoining butlers pantry to do something. Right at that moment my grandma came down the stairs and in shock and horror, asked what on earth I was doing chowing down on cake at 9am.
“If your Mother only knew what you were doing right now, eating cake for breakfast?!”
Without saying a word I stealthily shifted my glance to the butlers pantry where my Mom was standing just out of sight from my grandma. I will never forget our eyes aligning as she stood frozen, like a toddler caught with her hand in the candy jar. She licked some stray frosting off her lips and with wide eyes and holding in laughter, shook her head in a desperate plea and slowly backed away as if I had never seen her.
I took one for the team that morning and ate a bowl of oatmeal for Grandma. Later we told her what had happened and we laughed hysterically for years afterwards about it. I guess mothers are always mothers!
My mom loved chocolate and any excuse to eat more of it. I’ve decided I’ll eat cake every August 3rd forever. And then for breakfast on August 4th. I was thinking about her when I made this cake because I know she would have loved this.
It’s packed with a generous amount of zucchini, which keeps it incredibly moist, even for days after (again, breakfast!)
Aside from having a rich cocoa flavor, it’s also studded with chunks of chocolate,
and then drizzled with the perfect amount of this fabulous glaze. This is actually the same glaze that goes with the original chocolate-chocolate-chocolate bundt cake my grandma always made.
This is one of my most favorite cakes. It’s great alone, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
And because it’s super rich, you can slice it thin and it feeds a lot of people!
I hope you make it. I hope you love it. And I hope you save a piece for breakfast.
Happy birthday, Mom.
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Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake
Description
The ultimate chocolate zucchini bundt cake. Moist, tender, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoons table salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 4 cups shredded zucchini
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- Glaze
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or hand mixer) combine oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix to combine and then stir in sour cream just until blended.
- Add zucchini until just combined. Add all but about 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until just incorporated. Add chocolate chips to the remaining tablespoon of dry ingredients and toss to coat them and then stir them into the batter.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake. Timing may vary based on your size and style of bundt pan, your oven, and the moisture content in your zucchini. Mine usually takes 70-75 minutes. Keep an eye on it and check doneness with a skewer- you want to see moist crumbs attached. I would set a timer and watch after about 50 minutes.
- Let cake cool on a rack for about 10 minutes and then invert to remove from bundt.
- To make Glaze: combine coconut oil/butter, corn syrup and water in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for about 30 seconds in the microwave and then beat in powdered sugar and cocoa powder with a hand mixer. Let cool for a minute or two until it’s a good glazing consistency and then drizzle over cake.
Notes
- This cake actually tastes best when it is all the way cool. And I think it’s even better the next day! Just keep it well covered to store overnight.
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Questions & Reviews
This looks amazing. Do you use semi sweet or milk chocolate chips?
I pretty much use semisweet or dark in all my baking.
looks delicious. i would want to have this every night for desert.
I’ve made your chocolate zucchini bread several times this summer, and this looks deliciously similar. I can’t wait to try that glaze! Thank you for sharing such a sweet story about your beloved mother.
This made me tear up!
Had to make it. Just pulled it out of the oven. Can’t wait to try it later!
Look great and I love the story! Quick question- since I never buy corn syrup (just not a common thing in my house that I bake with- not judging), is there a substitute ingredient that would work or a different glaze that doesn’t use it? Thanks! I try not to buy something I may not use regularly.
You could substitute honey.
Aw, I love this so much! I am always at a loss at what to do for my mom’s birthday in her memory. This is perfection and the story made me laugh out loud.
Sending you love and I’ll eat some cake in your mom’s honor.
What an amazing story. I loved every word. Your stories about your mom always inspire me to try harder and be better. Happy birthday to her!
Your mother would be SO happy!
Looks so good! Quick question – my grandmother used to make a chocolate prune cake that we never got a recipe for (every time she tried to measure the ingredients it never turned out right). Do you think I could substitute prunes for the zucchini in this recipe?
No idea. You’d have to experiment!
I actually think the pioneer woman has a recipe for prune cake so you could check there!
Happy Birthday to your mom! This story and post is a fun way to celebrate her! Love it!
Awwww! Reading your post with tears in my eyes! My dad would have been 66 this year. We always have cheesecake with hot fudge on his birthday and send up white balloons with our goals for the coming year written on them. I know it probably hurts a lot to have this be the first birthday with her celebrating on the other side, but it does get easier! Best wishes!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story and tribute AND recipe! I can’t wait to make it. My mom would have loved it too! 🙂
Made me laugh and made me cry. I guess I’ll have to pick up some zucchini! That looks yummy!
PS loving the newsletter recipes!
So glad you’re enjoying the newsletter recipes, too!
Thank you so much for this. Today is my mom’s birthday too – she would have been 65. And she would have loved this story and this cake. I’m crying tears for us both. I’m so very sorry for your loss.
What a beautiful, well written tribute to your mom on her special day. It made me cry. I am so sorry for your loss. What a wonderful idea to eat chocolate cake and remember her on her special day. Your memories are priceless. Thank you for a beautiful post and a delicious new chocolate cake recipe.
Love that story! Thanks for sharing!
This is a beautiful tribute to your mother, hugs to you! I am excited to add this beautiful cake to my zucchini repertoire. Thank you!
Thinking of you today! Happy birthday to your wonderful mom.
This cake looks amazing! I need to try this!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Oh, crying all the tears for you. This is such a beautiful tribute. My mom would have been 66 on July 16, and we have forever dubbed it “Double Dessert Day” in her honor. And we send her yellow balloons. 🙂 Love you.
This is a beautiful post. I’m sure today is a tough day. Sending a prayer.
Yummy! What a great excuse not to waste the excessive pile of zucchini accumulating on my kitchen table. This is a sweet story about your mom and a cherished memory of her. Thanks for sharing.
Great story! Beautiful cake! I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating your mom.
Looks fantastic! The picture looks like you greased the pan and dusted with cocoa?
ooh yes, sorry forgot that part. I’ll add it in!
Can’t wait to try it!! That was a hilarious story. Happy Birthday to your Mom. I hope you have a good day remembering her and her love for you.
Ahh! Thanks for sharing that sweet story! Happy Birthday to your mom! I always eat rocky road ice cream on what was my mom’s birthday because it was her favorite.
Your picture took my breath away. Stunning gorgeous magnificent glossy rich chocolate CAKE. Can’t wait to make it! Your memory brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my lips. I’m still smiling. Yes, I’ve always eaten that ‘night before’ cake for breakfast, and so do my girls. One of life’s true delights, and when it tastes BEST. Thank you, thank you for sharing. Happy birthday to your wonderful mom!
Such a sweet post! Plus, it looks delicious. How lucky to be part of a lineage of such chocolate-loving (and thus smart) women!
Your story actually gave me tears in my eyes. I’m so sorry for your loss, but what a great memories you must have! I think it’s a great idea to remember her by eating chocolate cake every year, I’m sure she would have loved the idea.