Chocolate-Zucchini Cake Dessert and Drywall

I am pleased to announce that the framing of our downstairs build-out is 99.9% complete now!  My husband contractor has been diligently wiring everything we need to power up downstairs.  We also added our surround sound speaker wiring for the full movie weekends and Friday night dance off experience.

Once the final electrical and plumbing is complete, then we will save up for the insulation.  However, we had to take advantage of drywall pricing before the rates shot up again.  This meant having about 100 sheets of drywalled delivered to our house, way before we were ready for it.

It is amazing how far the construction industry has come since I first started in the business.  They now bring the drywall, complete with a crane and remote control.  They literally had each bundle come straight to the front door.  Very cool to watch how they orchestrated the delivery.

We have dear friends in California that I used to work for.  They told me a story once about when they built one of their buildings.  Their story really stuck with me and I will never forget it.

Before the flooring was installed in their new building, every employee wrote on the concrete floor.  They all wrote something special or meaningful, a Prayer, Proverb, or Psalm.  I love how their building was blessed by all of the people that would be there everyday.

Before one box was moved into our home, two years ago, we said a Prayer and gave our new home a Blessing (which we do whenever one of our daughters move into a new place as well).

I remembered our friends' story and also wanted to give our downstairs a special Blessing...Before our insulation and drywall goes up, I found relevant Prayers and wrote them on the headboard walls of each guest bedroom (for our guests to have peaceful sleep) and one in the new dining room, (to Bless our meals).

Of course our superintendent, Kylo Zen is watching over all the drywall and construction progress each day.  In the meantime, I need to keep my husband contractor happy with sweet treats to motivate and energize him for our project.

Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

Courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg or allspice

1-1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 medium zucchini, grated and squeezed dry

1 tsp honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x9 inch square cake pan.  Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

Toss 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 Tbl flour in a small bowl.  Whisk the remaining flour, the cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.  

Beat the sugar, 1/2 cup olive oil, the eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and pale, about 3 minutes.  Add the flour-cocoa mixture; beat on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes (the batter will be thick).  Add the zucchini and beat until combined, about 2 more minutes.  fold in the flour-coated chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.  Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

Make the glaze: Combine the remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 1 tsp olive oil and the honey in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on medium-high power in 30-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate is melted.  Spread over the cake, then cut into pieces.

Enjoy with a dollop of French vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

One Year Ago: Spinach-Artichoke Dip and Spoopy Season

Two Years Ago:  Home * Sweet * Home

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago:  Pluot Crostada (Galette) and Getting Our Fall On

Five Years Ago:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie and the Lodge Room

Six Years Ago:  Spaetzle with Gruyere and Carmelized Onions

Seven Years Ago:  Greek Salsa Chicken and Greek Movie Afternoon

This is what happens when I leave the house for craft night while the cake cools, 

before I had a chance to frost.