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.”

Since my last zucchini chocolate cake with pepitas were successful, moist and all my family enjoyed it. I decided to do it with white chocolate, and strawberries. On top of it I am still exploring the tempering and making white chocolate in different mould and adding raspberries and sprinkle chocolate in. Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zone into unknown place like stepping out of the box and take the challenge that come along.

This is a birthday cake for my dad. So, I have also added flower strawberry and cut pieces of strawberries to it. I am glad I have added zucchini as it sure gives some deep flavour, moist, delicious and healthy to eat. In addition, I have added raspberry jam. Let’s be courageous and bake a birthday cake with love!!!!

Ingredients

Star and oval shapes white chocolate

280 g white chocolate melting or chips
100 ml thickened cream
chocolate sprinkle
2 raspberries

Cake ingredients

350 g zucchini, shredded finely
300 g plain flour
1 Tsp bicarb soda
170 g white chocolate, chopped
125 g strawberries, stems removed, cut into bite size
1 1/4 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp salt
1/8 c hot water in pot to melt chocolate
250 g butter, softened
300 g white sugar
3 eggs
300 g sour cream

Garnish

1 flower strawberry
2 strawberries, cut into bite size
3 strawberries, stems removed
raspberry jam

Method

One day in advance

Melt chocolate in a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water, stir from middle out; white chocolate can become harden, remove from pot onto a towel, stir to loosen it and place back onto pot and stir until melted completely. Add in thickened cream, stir to mix well and set to cool slightly then pour into a jar so easy to pour into mould.  Pour into 3 oval shapes mould. For star shapes pour half and put each raspberry into 2 moulds, the other sprinkle chocolate and pour the melted white chocolate to cover raspberries and sprinkle chocolate. Place in freezer 4-6 hours or overnight to set. Then remove to fridge for about 1 hour, so to easy to unmould and transfer to a container and put back in freezer until needed.

The next day

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. Set aside.

Sift together flour, bicarb soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In medium bowl, add white chocolate and place in pot with 1/8 c water. Use spatula stir from the centre out, keep stirring mixing around until chocolate melted. Stir until smooth then allow to cool to room temperature. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Stir in flour mixture alternately with sour cream using a big metal spoon. Next mix in melted white chocolate. Stir to mix well.

Squeezed really dry zucchini and fold well into batter. Spoon batter onto prepared pan. Smooth the top and gently push in strawberries all around the batter in a circle. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes 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.

Just before serving, spread jam on top of cake, then alternate 3 strawberries with star shapes white chocolate: the first star shape at the top has raspberry inside, the second star shape has sprinkled chocolate inside layers and the third star shape has raspberry inside. Next place the oval shapes white chocolate next to the three strawberries. Then place flower strawberry in the middle of the cake followed by cut strawberries on top and bottom of flower strawberry. Then candle next to flower strawberry as this is my dad’s birthday cake. Serve the cake with strawberry and white chocolates. Enjoy it with a hot cup of coffee or a glass of dessert wine.

Note: Google: “Just make sure to melt it at low heat and stir continuously so it doesn’t overheat if you’re using a double boiler. And if you’re using a microwave, heat in 20-second increments, stirring each time. Take it out just before it’s completely melted and stir to melt.

What to do if white chocolate isn’t melting?

If your white chocolate isn’t melting, it means that it has either seized or overheated. To fix seizing, add 1 Tsp of boiling water at a time and stir thoroughly. This should combine it and let it melt. If overheated, try to cool it down by moving it to another bowl and stirring in more white chocolate chunks. This should cool down the temperature and allow it to melt.”

https://helenscchin.com/2022/05/24/zucchini-strawberry-white-chocolate-cake/

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