Dark Chocolate, Zucchini & Orange Cake

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 8-12

FOR THE CAKE

2 cups sugar

¾ cup oil

3 eggs

2 tsp. orange flavored extract

2½ cups flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

1½ tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. salt

Zest of one large orange

½ cup milk

2¼ cups grated zucchini

FOR CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick soft butter (1/2 cup)

⅔ cup cocoa

3 cups powder sugar

⅓ cup milk

1 tsp. orange flavored extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, oil, and eggs together until creamy. Add in orange flavoring and mix until well combined.

In a smaller bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, nutmeg and salt together with a small whisk just to blend everything together. Add flour mixture with wet ingredients mixture. Mix well. Slowly mix in the milk.

After everything is well combined, stir in the zucchini.

Pour into Bundt pan and bake for approximately 60 minutes.

Cake will be done when tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Check cake at 50-55 minutes. Cool completely before applying the chocolate frosting.

In a medium size mixing bowl, add soft butter. Mix in cocoa and orange flavored extract.

Next add in some powder sugar and then milk, then some powder sugar then milk. Repeat until all is well mixed. Mix on low speed. After frosting is well smooth and shiny, frost the cooled cake. Serve alone, with heavy cream or icecream.

Note: It is a great fun breakfast food also, sooo yummy with a coffee.