A few years ago, I experimented with adding zucchini to a peanut butter bar I had created, and this time, I wanted to try it in a cake. The zucchini adds incredible moisture without interfering with the rich chocolate and peanut butter flavors.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round baking pan.
- In a large bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups of flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually mix this into the creamed mixture until it forms a sandy texture. Remove 1/2 cup of this mixture for the topping.
- To the remaining mixture, add the remaining flour, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk. Stir until just combined, then fold in the shredded zucchini.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Stir cinnamon into the reserved topping mixture and sprinkle over the batter. Top with chocolate chips.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack before serving.
NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING)
- Calories: 297
- Fat: 12g (6g saturated fat)
- Cholesterol: 31mg
- Sodium: 281mg
- Carbohydrates: 44g (28g sugars, 2g fiber)
- Protein: 5g
