Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Butter Cream

There are some ingredients that just belong together, and others that you wouldn't even put in the same recipe. Brown sugar and zucchini, the September Improv Challenge ingredients, kind of fit between those two categories. Zucchini says savory and brown sugar says sweet treats. But there is a gray area where you can sneak some veggies into cookies or a cake and it is still delicious. With that in mind, I went back to an old favorite recipe- Chocolate Zucchini Cake. We usually make it as a coffee cake with a just few nuts sprinkled on top, but this time I turned it into cupcakes, because cupcakes need frosting, and brown sugar frosting is delicious! Sometimes its fun to create something new and unusual with the required ingredients, but sometimes, an old standby with a new twist is just what you need. 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
makes 12 cupcakes
 
1/4c. soft butter
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 c. Buttermilk
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
3 tablespoons Hershey’s cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 teaspoon  salt
1c. grated zucchini
1/2 c. chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners
In a small bowl mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt .
Cream together butter, oil and sugar.
Add egg, vanilla and buttermilk to butter and sugar mixture; blend well.
Add dry ingredients and mix to combine.
Add zucchini and chocolate chips, stir until incorporated.
Pour batter in prepared muffin tin.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Cool cupcakes on a wire rack, frost if desired
Brown Sugar Buttercream

2/3 cup butterscotch sauce (recipe below)
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup room temperature unsalted butter

In stand mixer with paddle attachment beat butterscotch sauce with powdered sugar and vanilla. Slowly add butter one tablespoon at a time and beat until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes.
If frosting is too soft refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before using. 

Butterscotch sauce

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a heavy bottom sauce pan melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar, cream and salt. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
printable recipe

links: Foodie Friday
Miss Information  I Freakin' Did It

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

In late summer you never know when zucchini might make an appearance in your meal. Zucchini is great in casseroles, pasta, or bread. It's delicious grilled and topped with olive oil, Italian parsley and garlic. You can even serve it stuffed with cracker crumbs and cheese. But the best way to use up your supply of zucchini is in this easy, moist chocolate cake.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
½ c. soft butter
½ c. vegetable oil
1 ¾ c. sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ c. Buttermilk or sour milk*
2 ½ c all purpose flour
4 tablespoons Hershey’s cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
½ teaspoon each clove, cinnamon and salt
2 c. grated zucchini
¾ c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. chopped nuts.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour or spray with cooking spray a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a small bowl mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and spices.
Cream together butter, oil and sugar.
Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk; blend well.
Add dry ingredients and mix to combine.
Add zucchini and stir until incorporated.
Pour batter in prepared baking pan, sprinkle with the chocolate chips and the chopped nuts.
Bake for 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan.
When cake is cool drizzle with icing.

Icing
1 tablespoon butter
1 ½ tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar

Combine butter and milk in a mixing bowl and heat in the microwave until butter melts, about 30 seconds. Stir in vanilla. Add enough powdered sugar to make a glaze that forms ribbons when dripped from the end of a spoon. Drizzle icing over the top of the cake.
*sour milk;1 teaspoon vinegar to ½ c milk let sit about ten minutes.

I have made this cake with both sour milk and buttermilk with no difference in the cake texture or flavor.

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