Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Custard Sauce

Total Time Prep: 20 min. Bake: 55 min. + cooling

Yield 16 servings

The minute I can get my hands on zucchini, I start making this light and luscious cake. For years it was an often-ordered dessert at my sister's deli. —Peggy Linton, Cobourg, Ontario

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups finely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds
CUSTARD SAUCE:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups whole milk
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10-in. plain or fluted tube pan. In another bowl, beat sugar, oil and butter until well blended. Gradually beat in buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.
In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in zucchini, chocolate chips and almonds.
Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool.
For sauce, in a large saucepan, mix sugar, flour and cornstarch. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Gently stir in butter and extract. Serve warm with cake. Cover and refrigerate leftover sauce.

The minute I can get my hands on zucchini, I start making this light and luscious cake. For years it was an often-ordered dessert at my sister's deli. —Peggy Linton, Cobourg, Ontario

Recipe Creator