Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Frosting

My summer garden is slowly petering out this month, and I'm trying to get in any recipes that I've been dying to try since the hot weather made turning an oven on impossible. Chocolate and zucchini may seem like a CRAZY combination, but it is one of my favorites (so much so that it was one of my wedding cake layers.) I was curious to see if Charlie Ann, Cooper and Nellie would become fans of this concoction, so I set out on a google search and quickly found my recipe: an adaption from Better Homes & Gardens- Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting. The zucchini magically melts into the chocolate and keeps the cake super moist. If Peanut Butter isn't one of you favorites, or is an allergy, Cream Cheese frosting would be a really good substitute. Charlie and I baked these and made cupcake deliveries to all of our 'friends'. Charlie enjoyed her cupcakes and from what I heard so did Cooper and Nellie.

Makes about 2 dozen (medium) cupcakes

2 cups shredded zucchini
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease (spray oil) or line cupcake pans.

2- Mix zucchini, eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Add dry ingredients- flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, baking powder, chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.

3- Fill cups about 1/2 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until they pass the 'toothpick test'.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth- your choice)
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Little easier if you warm up peanut butter in microwave (approx. 30 secs). Combine peanut butter, milk and vanilla. Once combined, add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time. If too stiff add more milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until it's at the consistency you like.

Frost cooled cupcakes.

Jaime McRed
mom to Charlie Ann and Nellie and Cooper's Aunt