Here’s the scenario: You’re embellishing your favorite chocolate zucchini cake with white chocolate, pecans and coconut, and decide to add a baked on topping so it will be complete as soon as it’s baked. Once in the oven, there is an earthquake which causes the white chocolate, pecans, and coconut to sink to the bottom and the baked on topping to crack. Is it possible to still serve this cake and save face? Chocolate Zucchini Earthquake Cake is moist, delicious, decadent, and ugly! While your cake will appear as one that has gone through an earthquake, it won’t last long enough to worry about it. You’ll sit on top of the rubble with friends and family and devour what might be the best chocolate cake you’ve ever had. Besides that, this cake uses up the zucchini that is piling up quickly around the kitchen.

Chocolate Zucchini Earthquake Cake can be made a day or two ahead and will stay moist. It needs no frosting or other embellishment, and since the topping isn’t sticky, it’s a good choice for a picnic or potluck. Plan to receive several requests for the recipe, and also plan on no leftovers.

24 Servings

1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped white chocolate

Cake :
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 orange

1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 pound zucchini, finely grated (about 2 cups packed)


Topping:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray a 9 x 13" baking pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment.
3. Sprinkle the coconut, pecans, and white chocolate evenly over the bottom of the pan.
4. Cake: Cream the sugar, butter, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
5. Measure the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a fine strainer over the creamed mixture.
6. Shake the ingredients through into the sugar mixture.
7. Grate the rind from the orange into the mixture.
8. Cut the orange in half and squeeze 1/4 cup of the juice into a measuring cup; add the buttermilk to the orange juice.
9. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix, adding the orange/buttermilk mixture gradually.
10. Stir in the zucchini and mix well.
11. Pour the batter evenly over the white chocolate/coconut/pecan mixture.
12. Topping: Mix topping ingredients until smooth; drop onto the top of the cake batter and spread a little to even it out; do not stir.
13. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
14. Remove from the oven and let cool thoroughly before cutting.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 420 Calories from Fat 193
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 46% Protein 4% Carb. 50%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 21 g
Saturated Fat 9 g
Cholesterol 49 mg
Sodium 222 mg
Total Carbohydrate 53 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 15 g
Protein 4 g

Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 6% Calcium 0% Iron 4%