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.”
“Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium. Vaccinium also includes cranberries, bilberries, huckleberries and Madeira blueberries. Blueberries can help heart health, bone strength, skin health, blood pressure, diabetes management, cancer prevention, and mental health. One cup of blueberries provides 24 percent of a person recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Blueberries contain moderate amounts of sugar — or 15 grams per cup (148 grams). However, they don’t have adverse effects on blood sugar levels, which may be due to their high content of bioactive compounds.”
Since my last Zucchini strawberry chocolate cake with strawberry chocolate were successful, moist and all my family enjoyed it. I decided to do it with dark chocolate, and blueberries. On top of it I am still exploring the tempering dark and white chocolate in different mould and coating strawberries in chocolate.
This is a birthday cake for my nephew. So, I have also added blueberries, and garnish with dark, white and strawberries chocolate and fresh 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 glazed it with blackberry jam my sister friend gave it to her and she gave it to me. Let’s be courageous and bake a birthday cake with love!!!!
Ingredients
Dark chocolate, white chocolate and coating strawberries
200 g dark chocolate chips
1 Tsp oil
150 g white chocolate chips
1 Tsp oil
strawberries
Cake ingredients
350 g zucchini, cut into half lengthwise, remove seeds and cut into bite pieces
300 g plain flour
1 Tsp bicarb soda
170 g dark chocolate, chopped
175 g blueberries
1 1/4 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 c hot water in pot to melt chocolate
250 g butter, softened
230 g castor sugar
3 eggs
300 g sour cream
Garnish
1 star dark chocolate
2 dark heart shapes chocolate
2 white heart shapes chocolate
1 strawberry chocolate
4 fresh strawberries
blackberry jam
Method
One day in advance
Melt dark chocolate: Place chocolate in a metal bowl over a pot of 1-2 inches water on stove medium heat, stir from middle out until melted completely. Set to cool slightly then pour into a jug so easy to pour into mould. Pour into 1 star shape mould and 2 heart shapes. Use the remaining melted chocolate to coat about 8 strawberries to serve with cake. Place star and heart shapes mould in freezer 4-6 hours or overnight to set. The strawberries chocolate on a line tray in fridge, until needed. When you want to unmould, remove star and heart shapes mould to fridge for about 1 hour, for easy to unmould and transfer to a container and put back in freezer until needed.
Melting white chocolate: Place a saucepan on the stove and add 1-2 inches of water to the saucepan. Place a clean heat-proof bowl over the saucepan and white chocolate. The bowl should fit over the saucepan so that the outer edge of the bowl touches the upper edges of the saucepan (to create a “seal” that will trap steam within the saucepan). Add chocolate in to bowl.
Turn on the stove to medium heat. As the water begins to simmer and release steam, the steam will heat the chocolate and it will begin to melt. As the chocolate melts, keep stirring with a heat-safe rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Set to cool slightly then pour into a jug into the heart shape moulds about 4-6, then place in freezer 4-6 hours or overnight to set. When you want to unmould, remove heart shapes mould to fridge for about 1 hour, for 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. Scatter half blueberries on to the bottom of pan. Cut zucchini into half lengthwise, remove seeds and cut into bite pieces, then puree it. Set aside.
Sift together flour, bicarb soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In medium bowl, add dark chocolate and place in pot with 1/4 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, beat 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 dark chocolate. Stir to mix well.
Pour the zucchini puree in to batter and fold to mix well. Spoon batter onto prepared pan. Smooth the top and gently push in remaining half blueberries 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 arrange 1 star chocolate space out and add 2 dark heart shapes chocolate, in between put 2 fresh strawberries; followed by 2 white heart shapes chocolate opposite each other on the second heart shape chocolate, then 2 fresh strawberries opposite the second fresh strawberry in between dark chocolate and a strawberry chocolate next to the first dark heart shape on top of cake. Serve the cake with extra fresh strawberries and dark, white, and strawberries 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.”
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