I dropped in to a local coffeehouse on Friday just in time to catch the barista serving up an assortment of ‘balance and clarity’ (his words) with complimentary pieces of orange-infused dark chocolate. Delighted patrons mingled arms and exchanged smiles as they politely jockeyed for their share of splendor. I was tempted to push my way through the crowd but I was having too much fun observing. A generous cross-breeze was blowing through the open doors of the historic stone building with the white light of afternoon washing over the interior.
Another lousy day in paradise.
I love experiencing slices of life like that. Even though afternoon coffee is not generally my thing (I like to reserve my afternoon sip for a cuppa of matcha), I do enjoy a good java and the image and ambiance at Red Rock stayed with me through the weekend.
The cool thing about this recipe – apart from the taste – is its versatility. You can pack it up in a lunchbox, fancy it up with a dollop of crème fraîche for a dinner party or serve it, as I did here, with a delightful afternoon tea or coffee.
Chocolate Zucchini Pudding Cake (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Chocolate Zucchini Pudding Cake
- 1 cup (250 mL) zucchini, coarsely grated + more for topping
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) pure maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) apple sauce, I like to use unsweetened
- 3 ounces quality dark chocolate, chopped into pieces and melted
- 1/2 scant cup (125 mL) almond flour or ground almonds
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch)
- 1/4 cup (62.5 mL) sliced natural almonds
Makes approximately 6 half cup servings
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F.
- Place grated zucchini in a colander over the sink or a bowl to drain excess water (you can assist in this process by using the back of a spoon or spatula to gently press down on zucchini to release the water or dab with a paper towel).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine: egg, vanilla, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, and apple sauce, whisking to combine.
- In a separate smaller bowl, combine: almond flour and tapioca flour.
- Meanwhile, using a small sturdy pot set to the lowest temperature on the stove, melt the chocolate. This will only take a few minutes but if you raise the heat to accelerate the process, the chocolate will seize and it will ruin the recipe (aka: not worth it). Also take care to prevent liquids/water from contacting the chocolate.
- Add grated and drained zucchini to the wet ingredients, mixing to combine.
- Add dry ingredients (almond/tapioca) to wet ingredients and drizzle in the melted chocolate (using a spatula to get every last bit!). Mix all ingredients together just until combined.
- Pour the chocolate zucchini mixture into a loaf pan that has been lined with parchment paper that is long enough to hang over both sides (I like to gently coat the paper with olive oil). The parchment paper is not necessary but it prevents sticking and scraping and makes clean up a breeze. The loaf pan dimensions I used were: 9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 inches.
- Sprinkle the center of the loaf with additional zucchini pieces and a sprinkle of sliced almonds.
- Place chocolate zucchini loaf in the oven and bake for approximately 45-55 minutes or until the surface layer of the pudding cake has solidified. The surface should feel solid when you tap on it but there should be some give beneath (the soft pudding layer) a bit like a ripe avocado.
- Remove the chocolate zucchini pudding cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before spooning out into individual serving bowls/cups. Top with a few more pieces of zucchini and almonds as desired. You can also serve with a dollop of fresh cream if you wish.
© Inspired Edibles
You will end up with a dark chewy exterior layer
and a soft, lighter-colored, molten interior
your pudding cake will have darker chewy pieces from the exterior
combined with a soft lighter-colored pudding beneath
A must try! Healthy ingredients and a delicious treat! You did it again with your simplicity. Love it Kelly.
Thanks so much for your nice words Sandra! So lovely to receive. Yes, we are surrounded by beauty and there is so much to learn, explore, discover. A wonderful start for us :). Hugs – xo.
Haha!! Politeness to a point right and then, when you’re interfering with my universe-given piece, move the bleep out of my way!!!!!!!! :) (I’m sure if I had stayed long enough, human nature would have surfaced ;-). I’ve noticed that as a general rule, people tend to lose it most around the holidays (ever been to a post office in December — good gracious, wear some armour). The biggest chuckle for me though was the ‘balance and clarity’ descriptors :).
Ah, I know… it’s a beautiful part of the world which I think you just recently traveled young lady! Just saw a note yesterday from someone in Toronto talking about 11 degree early morning temps… oy! that’s one thing I will not miss in all honesty :).
You’re so right Kristy. We are surrounded by growth and breathtaking beauty. So much to explore and discover. xo
I love pudding cake! This one is slightly less conventional ;-) but still lovely. I hope you enjoy if you give it a try Angie. Thanks for stopping in.
It’s fun to observe, isn’t it? I love that too (particularly on mellow days when I permit myself the time, I could hang and watch for hours :).
Thanks so much Elizabeth — I do hope you get a chance to try it. The sweetness is mild but the flavour nevertheless give it some boldness. We really enjoyed it and I hope you do to! (I still want to steal a piece of orange-infused chocolate from Red Rock though – heehee!).
It is fun to catch moments like that isn’t it and feel like you are part of something larger than yourself. Cheers Sally, have a beautiful day.
This sound amazing. I don’t think I have ever made a pudding cake before. I always love your ingredient lists…so wholesome and all natural :) Zucchini and chocolate are just one of those winning combinations, right!!! Seems like you are enjoying your new views around the coast. Keep posting all those beautiful pictures. XOXOX
“politely jockeyed for their share”… lol, if that happened here I think people would be shovelling half of the tray into their bags and taking it away with them. Some people act so crudely in public! Nice that people were acting civilized!
Lovely looking pudding cake – I love the colour… it’s so dark and rich!
This looks…SO good. Like I said, I need to use up A LOT of zucchini, and would love to try this out.
PS Kelly, that bottom picture? NOT FAIR. SOOOO gorgeous!!!!
The kids would love this! I’m thinking of you often. Look at that gorgeous view!! You have so much to explore. :) xoxo
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A very creative pudding cake, Kelly. I don’t think I ever had one before…Chewy exterior and molten interior…I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing, Kelly.
I can certainly see why observing was high on your list over sampling the chocolate! That is exactly why I enjoy a cuppa java in the middle of the afternoon, just sitting back and people watching.
This pudding cake sounds and looks delightful Kelly.
Eva http://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/
You sure have a way of painting an image for us Kelly and this recipe is so clever — I love how you use the ingredients to bulk up the pudding cake without the usual refined flours and sugars. I bet the flavor is amazing too, I can’t wait to try this one. I have a feeling it’s even better than the Red Rock’s orange-infused dark chocolate ;-).
“Another lousy day in paradise” – hehe – glad you’re enjoying your new hood!).
This post echoes really deep – I think you know that I tend to collect these “precious moments” and images and little things that make my mind explode inside in a silent awe. Nothing compares to witnessing life like that.
I could not read the recipe yet, the urge to comment was too strong… but I’ll get there ;-)