Google:” Zucchini is a versatile squash rich in vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. It may offer several health benefits, ranging from improved digestion to a lower risk of heart disease. Zucchini may aid your bones, thyroid, and prostate. Zucchini have a mild flavour, slightly sweet and slightly bitter, with a rich feel. The sweetness in zucchini becomes more evident when it is cooked. Cooking also serves to soften zucchini, although it is tender to bite into even raw.”
“A pumpkin seed, also known as a pepita, is the edible seed of a pumpkin or certain other cultivars of squash. The seeds are typically flat and asymmetrically oval, have a white outer husk, and are light green in colour after the husk is removed.”
With my last zucchini from my sister and adding some new, I turn it into cake as it is also my nephew birthday. It’s a great idea to hide vegetables in cake when kids loves cake. For healthy garnish birthday cake, I have added pepitas. I eat pepitas often for it has superb source of magnesium. Most people don’t know it involved in immune function and many other bodily activities as well. This cake is moist, healthy, delicious and beautiful. Let’s celebrate birthday with a healthy cake!!!!
Ingredients
350 g zucchini, shredded finely
300 g sour cream
200 g brown sugar
200 g white chocolate chips, divide
150 g plain flour
100 g self raising flour
50 g cocoa powder
100 ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 Tsp vanilla essence
1 1/4 Tsp baking soda
1 Tsp salt
Ganache
125 ml thickened cream
200 g white chocolate
1 tiny drop green colour
Method
Preheat oven 180 degrees C. Grease and line 23 cm round springform pan. Cut zucchini into half lengthwise, remove seeds and shred in food processor with thin shredded blade or mandolin and put on a paper towel to absorb water.
Mix together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a deep plate and set aside. In mixing bowl beat egg, sugar, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until combined. Then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well with a big metal spoon. Squeezed dry zucchini and fold well into batter.
Spoon some batter onto prepared pan. Gently push 100 g chocolate chips all around the batter. Then spoon some more batter on top, followed by more chocolate chips, gently press into batter. Gives a couple of gentle knocks on the benchtop.
Bake for 45-60 minutes until skewer comes out clean. Switch off oven leave cake in for 1 hour with door close. Remove and put on wire rack to cool completely about 45 minutes. Then flip cake over to cake base. Set aside.
To make ganache: Heat a pot with water about 4 inches. In another metal bowl that sit tightly on top of pot, put white chocolate in and stir from the middle, circling out frequently until melted with a metal spoon. Add cream and mix well until combined. Remove from the water pot. Switch off the hob. Checking no lumps. Let it cool at room temperature for about 5 minutes then transfer to fridge to cool further 30-35 minutes.
Just before serving cake about 1 hour, bring out ganache, beat it again with a tiny drop of green colour like cream until thickened, double in size. Spoon a big dollop of ganache in the middle and spread out all around the top of cake with a butter knife and make some design. Scatter some pepitas around the ganache and place a candle in the middle as this is a birthday cake for my nephew. Cut and serve on its own or with more pepitas or tea or coffee or dessert wine. Enjoy!!!!!
https://helenscchin.com/2022/03/28/zucchini-chocolate-cake-with-pepitas/
#helenscchinrecipes
#awesomedessertsandentrees
#cookingforthefun
#foodiesplus
helenscchin's Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.