Double Chocolate Fudge Squares
Growing up, do you recall the days you’d come home from school and couldn’t wait to dig into a yummy piece of chocolate cake? If you thought those times were long gone, I have a big surprise for you! These chocolaty cake squares have all the wonderful flavor and texture you loved, but with a few healthier tweaks so you can satisfy your chocolate urges without guilt!
Recipe adapted from: Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Food Network Magazine July/August 2013)
Yield: 9 squares (or cut smaller if you like)
Recipe adapted from: Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Food Network Magazine July/August 2013)
Yield: 9 squares (or cut smaller if you like)
Author: Linda Shapiro, © Meal Planning Maven
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
Batter
- 1 medium zucchini, trimmed
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sifted (see MPM Mini-Bites)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch process)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups coconut palm sugar (see MPM Mini-Bites)
- 1/2 cup almond oil or olive oil (I like almond oil in baking)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon almond oil or olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with olive oil spray. Dust with flour; shake out excess.
- Using a box grater or food processor, grate zucchini. Place zucchini in a clean dish towel; roll up tightly and wring out as much water as possible. (use a 2nd towel if needed)
Cake:
- In a small bowl, toss 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of the sifted flour. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together remaining flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.
- With an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat together coconut palm sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- On low speed, beat in sifted dry ingredients for about 2 minutes or until smooth.
- Mix in zucchini. Fold in the flour-dusted chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted onto the center comes clean. (Do not over-bake or cake will be dry.) Place on a rack; allow to completely cool. (about 1 hour)
Glaze:
- While cake is baking, melt together 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon almond or olive oil in a small saucepan set over low heat. Allow to cool.
- When cake is completely cooled, spread glaze evenly over cake.
To Serve:
- Refrigerate cake for about 15 minutes to allow glaze to set. Cut into squares.
MPM Mini-Bites
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: may be stored, covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 4 months.
Coconut Palm Sugar: read more about this healthier sweetener here. If you like, you may replace with an equal amount of cane sugar.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: although it takes a bit of extra effort, sifting whole wheat pastry flour is important as it helps create a light texture for your baked goods. Additional tips for using whole wheat pastry flour can be found here.
Coconut Palm Sugar: read more about this healthier sweetener here. If you like, you may replace with an equal amount of cane sugar.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: although it takes a bit of extra effort, sifting whole wheat pastry flour is important as it helps create a light texture for your baked goods. Additional tips for using whole wheat pastry flour can be found here.
15 Responses