FOOD
Chocolate Zucchini Poke Cake
Cake should be fun to make and to eat — this zucchini cake covered in chocolate sauce fits the bill.
FOOD
Chocolate Zucchini Poke Cake
Cake should be fun to make and to eat — this zucchini cake covered in chocolate sauce fits the bill.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Pudding
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk, divided
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Curls
- 1 cup dark chocolate, melted
Steps
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line 2, 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light and foamy.
- Add in the flour mixture, then add the sugar, oil, zucchini and vanilla, and mix until just combined.
- Evenly divide the mixture between the prepared pans, then bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool slightly in pan, then transfer to a rack to cool for 30 minutes.
- Once cakes are cool, use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes into one layer of the cakes.
- Pour cooled pudding over this layer and then cover with the second layer.
- Poke holes in the second later and repeat the pudding step. Cover with chocolate curls to serve.
Pudding
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks for about 60 seconds until light yellow and doubled in volume, then whisk in the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the milk. Once smooth and incorporated, set aside.
- In a saucepan, place the sugar, cocoa, salt and remaining milk, and bring to a scald over medium-high heat, which is when the liquid is about 180 to 190 degrees F. (This is before the mixture comes to a boil, and in this stage you will see little bubbles start forming on the sides of the pan.)
- Remove the pan from the heat and, while whisking constantly, gradually dribble the hot cocoa into the egg mixture.
- Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue whisking for a couple minutes until the pudding has thickened.
- Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Chocolate Curls
- In a medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate.
- Once melted, pour on a sheet pan and place in the refrigerator to set up, about 25 minutes.
- Once hard, form curls by scraping a knife towards you.
- Repeat until 20 to 25 curls have formed. Store in the refrigerator until cake is complete.