Chocolate-Zucchini Cake with Chocolate-Kalua Glaze

This recipe came from Kerry’s Grandmother’s huge collection of recipes. She is now 97, and not baking much anymore, so I made this in her honor. I am working through my 20 pound garden zucchini, so am looking for creative ways to incorporate the shredded squash. It gives this cake a very moist texture, without a lot of fat. I bought a vintage Bundt pan that I am always looking for reasons to use, but you could make this cake in a 9 x 13 baking dish. The glaze is very simple and has a very subtle coffee-liquor taste from the Kalua.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate-Kalua Glaze
1 cup turbinado sugar
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup butter, unsalted
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or butter)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 ½ cups shredded zucchini (about 1 large)
6 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
4 ounces pecans, chopped (about 1 cup)

Glaze
3.5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons Kalua
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bundt pan or 9 x 13 baking dish
2. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, vanilla, and eggs until blended. Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce speed to low and add flour, buttermilk, cocoa, baking soda and salt and beat until blended, constantly scraping sides of bowl.
4. Fold in zucchini, nuts and chips until well incorporated.
5. Pour into greased pan and tap down so its even in the pan.
6. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes and invert onto a platter.
7. Melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring often. Stir in the Kalua (or coffee liquor) and powder sugar.
8. While hot, pour the icing along the top of the bundt cake so it pours down the sides evenly.