Chocolate Zucchini Cake

First to address a couple of questions: Favorite cookbooks in no particular order: Ivory Family Favorites* (can be purchased at the Make A Wish Foundation in Fort Union area), Keeping Up (by some of the Ivory family and can be purchased online. Just click on the cookbook and you pay for it by pay pal) and my mom's family cookbook which is really a great compilation over the years of recipes from great cooks we know and some we wish we did - like the cooks at Cooks Illustrated, Ina Garten, Martha Stewart and Lion House (to name a few). We keep dreaming of making it a real cookbook but it hasn't happened yet.

Second, why no pictures? I know it is totally lame. Who wants to make food without pictures? It makes a total difference and I actually think it is the major flaw of all three of my favorite cookbooks. The answer - I STINK at taking pictures - especially at food pictures. I need a class on that. I try to arrange it well. I have good lighting - I think. It just doesn't look as appealing as I want it to. So there you have it. No pictures of these recipes.

It is kind of scary how much zucchini we have been consuming. Sad news - something is wrong with my zucchini plants and they are dying. And it doesn't appear to be squash bugs. What am I doing wrong?

Anyway - I have had some requests for recipes lately so that is why all the recipe posts. I took this one to a 24th of July BBQ and it was gobbled up. So I made it the next day for my family in town.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake - A super moist, delicious cake. And non one will ever know if you don't tell them.
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup oil (but I do half applesauce and half canola oil)
2 cups grated zucchini
3 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa

Grease jelly roll pan (big cookie sheet with sides). Preheat oven to 350. Beat sugar, eggs, and oil then add zucchini. Add milk and vanilla. Stir the dry ingredients together and add to batter. Pour in pan and bake 25 minutes.

Frosting (it is nearly identical to the frosting on the Hershey's cocoa container but the directions are slightly different).
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts (optional)

Melt butter and milk. Stir in cocoa and bring to a boil. Then pour over powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Add vanilla and optional nuts. Pour over brownies.

* And yes the Ivory Family Favorites has a Jane Metcalf but it isn't my sister Jane although she is a good cook.