Name: Zucchini cake – the juiciest cup-measured recipe that disappears from the tray
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 small zucchini finely grated (approx. 1 cup, 250 ml); 2 eggs; 1 cup granulated sugar; ½ cup milk; ⅓ cup oil; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons cocoa; 1 gingerbread spice mix (or 1 baking powder + 1 packet vanilla sugar); 1 packet cinnamon sugar (optional); 80–100 g dark chocolate coarsely chopped; a pinch of salt; 3–4 tablespoons tart jam (currant, apricot); 200 ml whipping cream; 200 g dark chocolate; a knob of butter (optional, for shine)

Preparation procedure

Preparing the zucchini: Peel the zucchini (you can leave the peel on young ones), finely grate it and lightly squeeze out the excess juice.
Batter base: Whisk the eggs with the sugar until frothy. Pour in the milk and oil and mix briefly.
Dry ingredients: Sift the flour, cocoa, and gingerbread spice mix (or baking powder + vanilla sugar) into a bowl, add the cinnamon sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir into the wet mixture just until combined.
Zucchini and chocolate: Fold in the grated zucchini and chopped chocolate. The batter should be rather thick but moist.
Baking: Grease a 25 × 35 cm baking sheet with butter and dust with flour. Spread and smooth the batter and bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C for 20–25 minutes. Check with a skewer – do not over-dry; the cake should remain moist.
Jam and glaze: Spread a thin layer of jam over the hot cake. Heat the cream just below boiling, remove from heat, stir in the broken chocolate (optionally a piece of butter) and mix until smooth. Immediately pour the glaze over the cake and spread.
Serving: Let it set briefly. It tastes best while still slightly warm, but it will remain soft and moist even the next day.

Total preparation time:

15 minutes preparation + 20–25 minutes baking + 10 minutes glaze
Total: approx. 45–50 minutes

Number of servings:

12–16 slices (25 × 35 cm sheet)

Conclusion:

Zucchini gingerbread is an ideal dessert for weekends and unexpected guests – quick, fluffy and, thanks to the zucchini, stays moist for a long time. The jam adds a fresh tart contrast, and the chocolate glaze “rounds” the dessert to perfection. You can easily vary the recipe: replace part of the flour with ground nuts, add a handful of chopped almonds, or swap the jam for plum preserves.