Chocolate Zucchini Cupcake Recipe

We have an abundance of zucchini in our garden, and so have been using them in just about every way possible...but these little beauties of pure delight and decadence are by far my favorite way to use zucchini!

There's nothing healthy about this recipe...but, I assure you, once you take one bite you won't be able to stop yourself! They are moist, sweet and the perfect amount of chocolate; so delicious they don't need frosting! I'm not a chocolate person, but these take the...well...cake! As the recipe on the 101 cookbooks blog site said, "on a scale of chocolatiness...these are an 8 out of 10!" They are rich, but not so rich you can't enjoy them.

Give em' a try and let me know what you think!

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

1 1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. melted butter
3/4 C. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. buttermilk
2 C. grated zucchini
1C. Chocolate chips (I do half milk chocolate, half semi-sweet)
2C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (don't skip this...you won't be sorry)
1 C. cocoa

Directions: Preheat oven to 35o. In large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, butter and oil. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, zucchini and chocolate chips.

In separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and add to the wet ingredients. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for about 35 minutes (or less...you'll want to watch these. It's better to be slightly under baked so the cupcakes stay moist. I pulled mine after about 20 minutes and they were completely done, yet still moist. My oven runs a bit hot.) Let cool on a wire rack and then enjoy!