Today is the first day I have the house to myself in two months. The kids started school this morning and everyone was a little emotional. The kids were excited and nervous and I had the end of summer melancholy that goes with sending the little ones off on the bus and returning to an empty and quiet house.
More than anything it’s the silence that I always have to get used to. I’ve been used to hearing footsteps up and down stairs, kid’s conversations and giggles, lego being poured onto the floor and doors being opened and closed. And now….nothing.
So to fill this empty and quiet house I decided to make some muffins for the kids to celebrate their first day back at school. Just the sound of the mixer running and the oven on was enough to make me feel a little less alone this morning.
These little cakes (or muffins…I’m not sure what they would be classified as) are really delicious and moist. And FULL of vegetables. Seriously, there are 2 cups of grated zucchini in them! The zucchini gives them a rich, dense consistency and leaves absolutely no zucchini taste at all. I’m curious as to whether my kids will notice the little green bits that you can see every now and then in the cakes. Continue reading for recipe.
Double Chocolate Zucchini Cakes
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup chocolate chips
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1. In a bowl sift together flour, cocoa and baking soda.
2. In mixer cream together sugar, butter and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla, buttermilk, zucchini and chocolate chips.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently stir by hand. Do not overmix.
4. Fill cupcake papers (approx 24) with batter and bake at 180/350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and let cakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to wire cooling rack.
Enjoy!
Jillian In Italy 
OMgosh Jillina, those look incredible. I have never tried chocolate with Zucchini! Can you please mail me some? 😉 I’ll try it. I bypassed the fresh zucchini at the fruit vendor yesterday morning.
If I trusted the Italian Post to get them to you in Sicily in one piece (or even at all) I would send you some!
These look wonderful!! I’m going to print your recipe for future use. Tomorrow my kids are back in school and my daughter is going to daycare/school for the day. I need a day of uninterrupted cleaning and food shopping. My house looks like “who did it and ran!!” : ) Enjoy your time to yourself. I’m sure you’ll be used to that quiet house in no time. It’s the feeling guilty part of enjoying it that might take a little longer. A little alone time is always well deserved when you’re a Mama!!
~ Wendy
I should have had a day of uninterrupted cleaning but it just didn’t happen. My house looks like a bomb went off. But I can live with it like that for another day or two…
These look great. And I spent my kids’ first day back at school cooking as well. Nothing filled up my lonely, blue day more. We’re already a week in and it’s settling down, but it’s funny how it’s still hard every year. Hope you guys have a great first week.
Thank you. I find the first week always the hardest. Our routines should be kicking in again soon and there won’t be any time to be melancholy…better like that.
I know that melancholy feeling all too well.
You however, did something delicious with your time. Those look amazing!
They were a hit with all the neighborhood kids. And none of them believed me that the’re full of zucchini. Ha!
Have enough zucchinis to open a veggie stand out front so I was glad these cakes took 2 cups of grated zucchini. Grated the rest of one of my “zucchini logs” and will freeze it so I can have them throughout the year.