IT is one of many fields where bringing food to work is often an important social ritual. One of the concerns I always have when I need to bring food is wanting to bring something healthier that people will still consider yummy. When it comes to desserts, I usually go for a recipe I got from an old neighbor, chocolate zucchini cake. While it may not sound appetizing, it is deliciously rich, adds some extra veggies to your diet and you'd never know it had zucchini in it if you weren't there when it was being made.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Makes a 10" Bundt cake or a 9"x12" rectangular cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Start with the dry ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

If you have a sifter, putting the dry ingredients through a sifter onto a piece of wax paper or into a medium sized bowl is the easiest way to get the cocoa mixed in, but if you don't just mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl mix together:

3/4 cup soft butter and
2 cups sugar

Then add in:

3 eggs and
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Next add:

2 cups of grated zucchini
My neighbor used to also add 2 teaspoons of orange zest with the zucchini, but I never do.

Measure out:

1/2 cup milk

Alternate adding the mixed dry ingredients and the milk to the zucchini batter and mix well.

Add:

1 cup chopped pecans.

Pour into a greased cake pan. Bake a bundt cake for 1 hour, a 9 x 12 pan takes 45 minutes.

Because this cake is so rich and moist, I usually serve it plain or with just a little powdered sugar, but it is good with pretty much any chocolate icing or glaze.

If you need a Bundt pan, they are readily available at Amazon.com.