Ibti's Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake

A surprisingly healthy, moist, decadent treat. (Well, the frosting isn't particularly "healthy" in the traditional sense, but it's good for the soul.)

Ingredients

2 cups flour (1 cup all-purpose + 1 cup whole wheat flour), sifted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBSP maple syrup

4 eggs

3/4 cup olive oil

1 ½ cups applesauce

6-7 oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled

3 cups grated zucchini (you can use a mix of yellow squash and zucchini, if needed)

Directions
Butter and flour 2 round (8"-9") cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, cocoa, coffee, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the maple syrup, eggs, oil, applesauce, and melted chocolate. Mix well. Fold zucchini into the batter until evenly incorporated.

Pour half of the batter into each of the baking pans. Lick the spoon. Bake cakes for about 50 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Cool cakes completely before frosting and devouring.

Chocolate frosting
Combine equal parts softened butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa. You may want to splash in a bit of cream (whipping, but not whipped) to make it creamy. Slather it on each of the cakes and/or make a 2-layer cake. So good.