Chocolate Zucchini Cake

CAKE
2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 2 medium)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

If you like you could also make an icing for your cake or just serve it as is.

ICING
6 oz heavy cream
9 oz chocolate chips

DIRECTION FOR THE CAKE
Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda & salt into a medium bowl.
Beat the sugar, butter and oil in a large bowl until well blended. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.
Mix in the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk in 3 additions. Mix in grated zucchini.
Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts (if using).
Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan.

DIRECTION FOR THE ICING
Heat the heavy cream in a sauce pan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Wait 3-5 minutes then stir to combine. It may take a few
minutes of stirring before the ganache together...but it will. When warm and not hot pour the ganache over cake.