I am in avoidance mode... I have so much to do on my "day off" today in preparation for tomorrow's group arriving etc (I have to teach two classes at the kindergarten before going to pick them up at 1pm), but I just can't be bothered. As usual I can see that I will be doing the cleaning etc. after the kids go to bed tonight or getting up early tomorrow rather than just getting on with it today.When each group of junior high school students come we are expected to do three main things (I quote from the information we are given).
- Give them an agricultural experience in which they will sweat and appreciate the difficult, harsh, fun nature of farming.
- Show them some things which are unique to the countryside, such as mountains and rivers.
- Do some cooking using ingredients that they have harvested in order for them to fully appreciate the value of food....
This season is a little difficult to do number 3, but as I wrote yesterday we made a cake using the zucchinis that are now starting to take over the garden - and the girls definitely appreciated it! Of course at first the girls weren't too sure about it, but after tasting it they changed their mind - if you have never tried zucchini chocolate cake then you really should! You can't even tell that there are zucchinis in it and it is very moist etc. (perhaps I should become a food writer!). Anyway, yesterday "Anchan" asked if I would share the recipe and I will gladly do so as it will help me avoid my preparations for a little longer! It is a recipe from a New Zealand cook, Alison Holst, and uses New Zealand measurements (1 cup = 250cc). It makes quite a big cake so if you have a small oven you may want to halve it....
125g butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups (350g) grated zucchini
1/2 - 1 cup small pieces of chocolate (optional)
Beat butter and sugars until light and creamy (don't rush this stage!). Add eggs one at a time, with a spoonful of the measured flour to prevent curdling - beat after each addition. Add the vanilla and yoghurt and mix well. Sift the dry ingredients together. Stir in with the grated zucchini. Turn into a lined and greased 25cm square pan (or whatever shape you want to use!). Sprinkle the top with chocolate pieces if desired. Bake at 170 degrees Celsius for approximately 45 minutes. Eat!
125g butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups (350g) grated zucchini
1/2 - 1 cup small pieces of chocolate (optional)
Beat butter and sugars until light and creamy (don't rush this stage!). Add eggs one at a time, with a spoonful of the measured flour to prevent curdling - beat after each addition. Add the vanilla and yoghurt and mix well. Sift the dry ingredients together. Stir in with the grated zucchini. Turn into a lined and greased 25cm square pan (or whatever shape you want to use!). Sprinkle the top with chocolate pieces if desired. Bake at 170 degrees Celsius for approximately 45 minutes. Eat!
This sounds great! Now all I have to do it find some zucchini. I`ll make DH go search for some on his day off on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteHurrah! Thank you for this, I've everything I need to make this right now!
ReplyDelete*heads for the garden to pick some zucchini*
PS I have a recipe for beetroot chocolate cake to try out later in the week - I'll let you know how it goes!
Right on! Thanks for posting this. : ) And I think I am in avoidance of work too. I just got back from the yochien, I have 30 minutes to tidy up and here I sit making a copy of your lovely zucchini cake instead. : )
ReplyDeleteDelish!!! You brought back some fun memories for me, I had a girlfriend that would make zucchini bread (cake) all the time, and after taking dips in the pool we would munch and munch and munch!
ReplyDeleteThe bunt pan you used looks fabo... what a delectable, lip-smacking cake you made, I can almost smell it from here.
JO, has Anchan converted you to DB yet? Hope you'll join us = )
Yum. We make banana and zuchinni cake here and I've eaten chocolate zucchini but never made it. Now if only my little finger sized zucchini would grow!
ReplyDeleteOh and I love that one of the requirements is to make the kids sweat- Agriculture is hard yakka. So Japanese!!