Chocolate Raspberry Zucchini Bundt Cake #BundtaMonth

Fun news from the kitchen, y’all!

I am joining Anuradha of Baker Street and Lora of Cake Duchess for their new baking series #BundtaMonth!  I have been talking about baking a little more, so I decided to challenge myself to go for it! The details of #BundtaMonth: Anuradha and Lora will pick an ingredient and announce it the first week of every month. Then we all use the ingredient to inspire our own mini or large Bundt, and link up all our blogs throughout the month.

I was pretty sure my hectic schedule could handle baking a bundt cake once a month, and I was excited to jump in with the first featured ingredient ZUCCHINI! I have never made anything with zucchini.  I know…the horror!

I decided to go for the timeless chocolate zucchini bundt, and got a little carried away with my extra additions.  I was super happy when my creation baked perfectly and ended up delicious.  So now, I present to you, my first ever…

Chocolate Raspberry Zucchini Bundt!

Yes, I realize the description is a mouthful, but trust me, you will not be disappointed in this cake.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 cups grated zucchini
3 teaspoons raspberry extract
1 10 oz bag of chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour Bundt pan.
2. In a medium bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, raspberry extract, and milk to the butter mixture.
4. Add in dry ingredients and mix until well blended.
5. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
6. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt cake pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

I cut down some of the sugar in the original recipe to make up for the chocolate chips I was adding. The original recipe called for 2 cups and I thought that was a lot. The cake was dense and super moist. The raspberry extract added a faint fruity note to the rich chocolate flavor. Personally, I was hoping for a more pronounced raspberry flavor, so next time I would proabably add more, but my taste testing co-workers said it was enough. I’m not sure if theyhumouring me, or just being nice so I continue to bring them more samples in the future. I likes it, so that may be all that counts, right? 🙂

If my raspberry, chocolate, zucchini creation doesn’t float your boat, then be sure to check out all the other #BundtaMonth recipes!  They ALL look pretty amazing to me, so I am sure you will find one to call your favorite.

Anuradha from Baker Street baked Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake
Deb from Knitsmatic baked Healthy Wanna-Be Bundt Cake
Kate from Food Babbles baked Chocolate Coconut Zucchini Bundt Cake
Kate from Diet Hood baked Zucchini and Banana Bundt Cake w/ Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Lizzie from Food and Thrift  baked Banana Zucchini Bundt
Renee from Magnolia Days baked  Zucchini Spice Bundt Cake
And Lora from Cake Duchess baked Chocolate Zucchini Swirl Bundt Cake

What’s your favorite zucchini flavor combination?

If you are also interested in joining the #BundtaMonth Bakers:
Bake your September #BundtaMonth Zucchini Bundt.
Post it before September 30, 2012
Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title should read – #BundtaMonth: Chocolate Zucchini Bundt)
Join the Bundt baking party by linking back to both Auradha and Lora’s announcement posts.

If you are looking for a chocolate, orange, and zucchini combination, check out the original recipe that inspired my first bundt from allrecipes.com HERE.