I’m back in the kitchen! It only took me seven weeks to find the motivation and the desire to strap the baby on and get back to cooking. Granted it took me another week and a half to sit down and write this post, but baby steps! I’m getting back in the saddle, slowly and with a baby very close by at all times.
In what is probably not a surprise to anyone who has ever been a nursing mother, this recipe comes to you courtesy of a craving. My pregnancy cravings were real (hello pickled okra and watermelon), but my nursing cravings? They are out of control. After a few weeks of thinking about chocolate zucchini bread, I realized I had found the motivation I needed to get back to my kitchen.
Life right now is amazing. And hard. And beautiful. And messy. And frequently unwashed. I’m taking it one moment at a time, surviving with the help of coffee and baby smiles. And snuggles! God, the snuggles and smiles make it all more than worth it. Hopefully it won’t be another 8 weeks before I get something made and ready for you, but I’ll be back!
Chocolate Cayenne Zucchini Bundt Cake
adapted from The American Cookbook by Elena Rosemond-Hoerr
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
2 zucchini (400g), grated
1/2 cup powdered sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 325F. In a mixer combine butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well.
Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Add to the butter mixture a little at a time until well combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold the grated zucchini into the batter, stirring well so that the zucchini is well coated.
Transfer into a greased bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes before transferring onto a rack. When the cake has cooled completely, transfer to a plate and use a sieve to top with powdered sugar.
Make this Gluten Free
Add 1 zucchini
Substitute all purpose flour for all purpose gluten free (I used Krusteaz brand for this cake but also have had success with King Arthur’s blend)
Bake 1 hour, 15 minutes