Hummingbirds. Keens for kids. Mary Lou Retton.
Small, impressive things.
The Mini Cooper would win a spot in my garage over a mini-van any day. It has a 6-Speed Getrag Dual Synchs manual transmission (Ya, I don’t know what that means either, but it sounds cool.)
What about the iPod? Holy moly is that thing small, yet impressive. Imagine if we still had to run with a Walkman strapped to us.
And my mom, at barely five feet, is adorable. See…
There’s a lot of wisdom, kindness, and sheer awesomeness packed into that tiny frame, lemme tell ya.
And I got to spend Mother’s Day with her. In person. Not on the phone. Nope. In the flesh.
Jen hosted a brunch (with quite the spread) and all that was asked of me was to show up and supply the dessert. Twist. My. Arm.
Which brings me back to small, impressive things.
Mini Chocolate Zucchini Cakes. Mm hm. Small, but with a substantial punch.
Chocolatey, moist, rich, dense. Take a few bites, or shove the entire thing into your mouth at once. Like we did.
Mini Chocolate Zucchini Cakes
Makes 24 mini cakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 24 walnuts (or pecans)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, salt, and egg. Mix in the vanilla, zucchini, and sour cream until incorporated. Sift the flower and cocoa powder into the bowl and stir until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spray one mini muffin pan (with 24 slots) or two pans (with 12 each) with cooking spray. Fill each slot with 2 tablespoons batter and top with a walnut or pecan, or a combination.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool slightly on a wire rack before eating. (You can store these in a an airtight container up to 3 days.)
Print this recipe (original from Everyday Food)
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Debbi – Yea! I’m so glad. I’ve already made them a few times. Thanks for stopping by!
These look excellent, I just printed the recipe! I love to put veggies in my kids desserts, thanks!
Elaine – I, personally, wouldn’t have a problem tasting the zucchini. I make a great zucchini bread that is excellent. But this is good to know for anyone else looking to try these. You are terrific for writing in after making them and I truly appreciate it!
Hi Amy. Yes, the zucchini tasted more evident but it’s just fine. No one thought that they were made of zucchini until I revealed it later. And the group were requesting for that on our next get-together next weekend. Thanks again, Amy!
Daphne – Hee hee. Ya, healthy. That’s it.
Diana – It’s hard to mix anything with chocolate and not have a winner. At least, that’s my philosophy. So glad you made them and stopped by to tell me!
wow. Who would have thought to mix chocolate and zucchini together? I love it. I tried the recipes yesterday and it is yummy and so moist. Just the way I like it. :) THanks!
awww. how sweet!! Your mum looks really endearing and approachable.
and anything with veges in it is healthy right? =)
Hey Amy! I found your blog via foodgawker and I just love it! Your recipes look (and sound) delicious and your posts literally make me “lol.” I’ll be a frequent visitor, and I can’t wait to try some of your recipes!
Elaine – Hi Elaine! Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m thrilled these turned out good for you…hard to each just one, huh? By adding more zucchini, were you able to taste it more, or did it just add to the moistness?
These are delicious! I made a double batch to take to a picnic. I added a bit more of zucchini and it turned out very moist and everyone loved it. I topped them with chocolate cream cheese frosting with chopped walnuts. It’s my first time to make zucchini cakes and I’m definitely making it again. Thanks!
Jude – Well, you know…I need to be around people who laugh at my jokes.
Good things may come in small packages, but here in the upper midwest, we double the recipe so as to get twice the goods! Nothing tiny for us.
Speaking of small, Hummingbird, I sense your excitement to be home amongst your flock. Just a little. This makes me happy. Big time.
Dad – Ya, Trevor. Not only does he look like you, but he’s sworn off veggies like you, too. If he wouldn’t even eat these, I’m truly in for it.
Jen – I could have devoted an entire post to what YOU made. Still enjoying the leftovers.
Mom – Hehehe. Haley and Trevor are delicious. And if I can look even half as good as you when my kids are grown, I’ll be happy.
These mini zucchini cakes do qualify for small, impressive things. For all to know, these were served with Amy’s strawberry, rhubarb pie. Speaking of small things, nothing beats her creation of my two delicious grandchildren! shots, Thanks to your readers for their kind words.
I’m still doubtful that there truly is zucchini in these scrumptious things. They are fully of yummy goodness, you won’t be able to stop eating them! I’m drooling just thinking about them. Oh, and Amy swore it was 15 minutes prep and 15 minutes bake.
It was great to have the family over…and a sister who loves to bake! (Oh, and she also brought TWO, yes TWO, Strawberry Rhubarb pies that were TO DIE FOR. Also posted on her blog.) I’m so lucky.
Your mother is as adorable today as when I met her under her toadstool lo those 50 years ago. THEN she was almost 5 feet, and when she climbed into that ’53 Ford in the college parking lot, I says to myself I says, “She looks as good as those Mini Zucchini Chocolate Cakes I saw in ‘Gentleman’s Quarterly’!” which actually didn’t come out until 10 years later, six years after we got married. (I can hear the wheels grinding now.)
Who knew that it would take all this time to collect two great kids, two great sons-in-law, two adorable grandchildren (and an Ark)? As for the two great great kids, they can both cook, but you didn’t mention, Amy, that these little zucchini bombs each weighed four pounds and contain eggs, chocolate, sugar, atomic milk, cream, more chocolate, a couple of nuts, butter, sour cream, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, flour, and you couldn’t even taste the zucchini. Only Trevor, with his super-duper vegetable detector could find it.
It was a great day, and the first time in 5 years to have the nucleus of the family together. Ah, nuclear fusion. And to top it off, these delicious little bombs.
Sandra – LOL. You flatter me. I’m really just a tiny fish in a gigantic bowl. I’m so glad you stopped by!!
Lora – I totally thought about you when I was making these (as is with any concoction involving hidden veggies.) I swear you couldn’t even taste the zucchini…or so it seemed to us less discerning adults. Trevor, of course, spit it out. Ggrrr.
Mmm, must make this today. But there will be evidence of zuccini. What to tell the kids… they are beetle legs? They would be willing to try beetle leg muffins over zuccini muffins. Maybe I should use puree instead? We’ll see, I must try them out now.
O…M…G!!!!! Amy, you’re like a superstar of the cluinary blogosphere, you modest thing! Fun to check this out and show my organic-foodie better half! We had a blast in music class today but all I want to sing about now is Zuccini! Yum! Smiles–Sandra (Harper’s Mommy)
Natasha – Thanks!
Joanne – I thought about jewels…after I posted. Can you believe Trevor didn’t like these? That little stinker could detect the zucchini, even with the chocolate and sugar surrounding it. Oh, he’s a challenge.
Paul – Three? I think I counted more than three…
Dani – I’ve already requested that my mom laminate her apple pie recipe. And I’ve watched her make it. I should probably video tape her making it. Then I’ll have all my bases covered. Good to see you here, Dani! I hope those computer hackers are laying off.
Greg – I think most veggies in dessert recipes lend more to the moistness than to the taste, although I make a zucchini bread (mentioned earlier) that is the bomb…and you can definitely taste the zucchini. It’s cake, though. How bad can it be? PW made a cake with tomato soup that I’m dying to try. Sounds too weird too pass up. And I’m intrigued by your beets.
I have tried something similar with beets, which makes sense tome. Zucchini is harder to get my head around, but then again I love carrot cake! Nice tribute to your mom. I am doing a week of recipes from my Mom’s collection (7 days in a row). Today is day 2 Chicken Kiev! GREG
Belated Happy Mother’s Day, Amy! I’m so happy you got to actually spend it with your mother! She is beautiful! One of my mother’s BEST recipes was for her chocolate zucchini cake. We thought that she used the recipe from an old cookbook that she had bookmarked to the recipe. Sadly, when my daughter made the cake after my mother had passed, we discovered it was nothing like the cake she made. I’ve been on the search for something similar ever since, so will definitely try this recipe soon. {Hers was such a deep dark brown that we think she may actually have used a devil’s food cake mix as the base.} THE moistest cake I’ve ever had. Take care, sweetheart. “Talk” soon. *hugs*
Mmmmfrph huphmppff three cuggphhmmmfrrph
(Translated: Daddy can eat three at a time.)
Well, you know what they say. Good things come in small packages. Well. Some good things come in small packages. (Diamond rings. For example.) Some good things come in big packages.
Moving on.
These look delicious! I made a chocolate zucchini cake last summer for the family. My brother hates zucchini. But I didn’t tell him it was in the cake until after he ate it and loved it. He was only marginally upset with me.
Such delicious little cakes! I love the walnuts on top!
Astrid – Massachusetts. Ugh. Like the other end of the world. I am so sorry. Being able to celebrate Mother’s Day with my family in person was the absolute best present I could have gotten. The mini cakes didn’t hurt, either ;-)
Cheryl – The one disappointing thing (just saying that is a stretch, since these were great) about these mini cakes was, unlike my zucchini bread, you couldn’t even taste the zucchini. Booo. But it certainly lended to the moistness. When I make them again, I’ll probably add more or decrease the amount of cocoa powder, which is strong.
Velva – Priceless, indeed. Way too many holidays shared over the phone.
Maryann – Paul took the kids out all morning, so I could bake without being interrupted. It was heaven. And my mom… she doesn’t age. Let’s hope I inherit her great genes.
Those mini cakes look terrific and your mother is so young and beautiful! Must be wonderful to be back with your family. No expensive airline tickets or the headache of packing. Mother’s Day was about you, too – hope you had a good one with your kids.
There is nothing more priceless than to be able to spend time with your mom-made even better by your delightful chocolate zucchini muffins.
Sweet little tribute to your mom. She is adorable. I’ve made your zucchini bread so I don’t doubt I would enjoy these mini cakes, although I bet the bite size servings trick into eating a ton of them!
I have never actually eaten a chocolate zucchini anything! I need to work on that at some point in the near future. Those cakes look adorable and delicious. And your mom is adorale, too! I’m jealous that you got to see your mom in the flesh. Mine is in Massachusetts, so I haven’t seen her since last August!
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