Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Dear Sis,

Aunt Angel recently brought chocolate zucchini cake during a sewing overnight with cousin Charity. William, Charlotte, and I enjoyed it so much we used our garden zucchini to make one of our own.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Cream together 1/2 c soft salted butter, 1/2 c avocado oil, and 1 3/4 c granulated sugar. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time. Stir in 1/2 c plain yogurt, 1/4 c whole milk, and 1 t vanilla until smooth. Mix in 1/2 t each baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves, 1 t baking soda, 1/4 c cocoa powder, and 2 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour. Fold in 2 c grated zucchini. Pour into a greased and floured 9×13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with 1 c milk chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Serves 12.

This recipe includes my personal substitutions, but the original recipe from Aunt Angel is from The Hoosier Cookbook on page 194.

Love,

Zucchini Bread Palooza

Dear Sis,

Papa Jeff stopped by Tuesday evening on his way to pick up a work truck. He brought us a bunch of overgrown zucchini.

When zucchini is overgrown, it tends to get spongy in the middle, so we scooped that out, using only optimal zucchini for our baking.

We responded by baking 113 mini loaves of bread in 5 different flavors.

Our family ranked this recipe 3rd.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

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Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 c dark brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
2/3 c canola oil
1/2 c yogurt, plain or vanilla
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
2 1/2 c flour, divided
2 c blueberries, tossed in 1/2 c flour
2 c zucchini, shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans or a 9x13 pan, set aside.
Whisk together, sugars, oil, and yogurt. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Whisk together 2 c flour and remaining dry ingredients. Stir into liquid mixture.
Fold in zucchini and berries. Pour into prepared baking pans.
Bake 20-30 minutes, varying by pan size. Cool in pans 15 minutes before turning out on cool racks.

Notes

I slice a 9x13 inch loaf 5x2 to create 10 mini loaves. Store at room temperature for a few days or several months in the freezer.

Our number ONE ranked recipe of the day!

Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread

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Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 c dark brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
2/3 c canola oil
1/2 c yogurt, vanilla or plain
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
4 t cinnamon
2 c flour
2 c carrot, grated
2 c zucchini, grated
1/2 c golden raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans or a 9x13 inch baking pan, set aside.
Whisk together sugar, oil, and yogurt. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
Whisk together dry ingredients and stir into wet mixture.
Fold in grated vegetables and raisins. Pour into prepared pan/s.
Bake 20-30 minutes, varying by pan size.

Notes

I slice a 9x13 inch loaf 5x2 to create 10 mini loaves. Bread will keep a few days at room temperature or for several months in the freezer.

Our family ranked this recipe 4th.

Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Bread

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Ingredients

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/4 c sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c yogurt, vanilla or plain
2 eggs
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3 c flour, divided
2 c zucchini, shredded
1 c milk chocolate chips, tossed in 1/4 c flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans or a 9x13 inch baking pan, set aside.
Whisk together banana, sugar, oil, and yogurt. Beat in eggs.
Whisk together 2 3/4 c flour and other dry ingredients. Stir into wet mixture.
Fold in zucchini and flour coated chocolate chips. Pour into prepared baking pans.
Bake 20-30 minutes, varying by pan size.

Notes

I slice a 9x13 inch loaf 5x2 to make 10 mini loaves. Store a few days at room temperature or several months in the freezer.

Our family ranked this recipe last.

Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 1/2 c dark brown sugar
1/2 c unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c yogurt, vanilla or plain
4 eggs
1 T vanilla extract
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3/4 c cocoa powder
2 c flour
3 c zucchini, shredded
1 1/2 c milk chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans or a 9x13 inch baking pan, set aside.
Whisk together sugar, butter, and yogurt. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Whisk together dry ingredients. Mix into wet ingredients.
Fold in zucchni and 1 c chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pans. Top with remaining chips.
Bake 20-30 minutes, varying by pan size.

Notes

I slice a 9x13 inch loaf 5x2 to create 10 mini loaves. Store at room temperature a few days or in the freezer several months.

This was our runner up recipe of the day!

Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c yogurt, vanilla or plain
3 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
2 c flour
2 c zucchini, grated

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

1/2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans or a 9x13 inch pan, set aside.
Whisk together sugar, oil, and yogut. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Whisk together dry ingredients. Stir into wet mixture.
Fold in zucchini. Prepare topping. Pour half of batter into prepared pan/s. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with half topping. Pour remaining batter into prepared pans/. Spread evenly. Top with remaining cinnamon sugar.
Bake 20-30 minutes, varying by pan size.

Notes

I slice a 9x13 inch loaf 5x2 to create 10 mini loaves. Store at room temperature for a few days or for several months in the freezer.

We bagged our mini loaves and headed out to distribute them around the neighborhood.

We spent two hours with a dozen of our neighbors. It was worth all the time baking and packing!

Love,

Annual Egg Hunt

Dear Sis,

An egg hunt has become an annual event with William’s best friend Carter’s family. This year, we prepared a special brunch and did some crafts first.

Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Muffins

Dear Sis,

William is hooked on making muffins, so we are making some for book club tomorrow, although it was not part of the original menu plan:)

Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Muffins

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast

Servings 24

Ingredients

1 box white cake mix
1 c whole milk
1/2 c unsalted butter soft
1/4 c sour cream
3 eggs
1 c mini semi sweet chocolate chips
2 T unbleached flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 24 muffins cups with parchment liners or grease and flour.
Toss together chocolate chips and flour in a sandwich bag. Set aside.
Beat milk, butter, sour cream, and eggs into cake mix until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake 12-14 minutes.

Love,

Muffins to Share

Dear Sis,

This morning, Jenn came over with her kiddos. We assembled muffin plates while the littles played. We each contributed five different kinds of cake mix muffins to share with family, friends, and neighbors for Valentine’s Day.

William really enjoys making Cake Mix Cookies, because he is able to most of the measuring, egg cracking, and mixing himself! I like them because, any short cut is appreciated in my season on life:)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love,

Cake Mix Muffins Part 2

Dear Sis,

Today we made two more kinds of muffins for our Valentine’s Day Muffin Trays for family and friends.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Muffins

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast

Servings 24

Ingredients

1 box spice cake mix
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/4 c milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 24 muffin cups with parchment liners or grease and flour.
Beat together all ingredients until smooth. Spoon into prepared cups.
Bake 14 minutes. Remove from pans to cool.

Oatmeal Raisin Cake Mix Muffins

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Course Breakfast

Servings 24

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix
1 1/4 c milk
1 c old fashion oats
1/2 c butter soft
3 eggs
2 t cinnamon
1 c raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 24 muffin cups with parchment liners or grease and flour.
Combine milk and oats; set aside.
Combine cake mix, butter, eggs, and cinnamon. Stir as well as possible. Beat in oat mixture. Fold in raisins. Spoon into prepared cups.
Bake 14 minutes. Remove from pans to cool.

Love,

Cake Mix Muffins

Dear Sis,

Mama Jenn found hundreds of Valentine’s Day cupcake liners during her home declutter. We decided to do a muffin give away with our family and friends to use them up! We are making five recipes each… all with cake mix as a base! Busy Mama’s like short cuts:)

Lemon Poppyseed Cake Mix Muffins

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Course Breakfast

Servings 24

Ingredients

1 box lemon cake mix
3 eggs
1 lemon zest & juice
1/2 c butter soft
1/3 c milk
1/4 c sour cream
2 t poppyseeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 24 muffins cups with parchment liners or grease and flour.
Beat together all ingredients until smooth. Spoon into prepared cups.
Bake 14 minutes. Remove from pans to cool.

Both the kids like these! I’ll have to try making them when Josh is home to see if he enjoys them too:)

Cranberry Orange Cake Mix Muffins

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast

Servings 24

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 orange zest & juice
1/2 c butter soft
1/3 c milk
1/4 c sour cream
1 c dry cranberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 24 muffin cups with parchment liners or grease and flour.
Beat ingredients together until smooth. Fold in berries. Spoon into prepared cups.
Bake 14 minutes. Remove from pans to cool.

Love,

Seventh Night of Hanukkah 2020

Dear Sis,

Today Mama Jen and I had our final baking day and we did a gift exchange with our little people.

After nap, Charlotte opened her new tea set from Jon and Susan, our synagogue friends, from when we were teens. It was one of several very thoughtful gifts they sent the kids:)

Our baking day continued into the evening. We baked 16 mini loaves of pumpkin bread and 10 of banana nut bread as holiday gifts for teachers, neighbors, and family. I didn’t realize until tonight that I never added Great Grandma’s Banana Nut Bread recipe to the blog before. I don’t make it as often as I used to because Josh is nut-free:)

Banana Nut Bread

Just like Great Grandma used to make!

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Ingredients

3 bananas pureed
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c canola oil
3 eggs beaten
1 t baking soda dissolved in milk
3 T whole milk
1 t vanilla extract
1 t salt
1 1/2 c unbleached flour
1 c walnuts (opt) crushed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour baking pans unless using single use pans.
Beat together pureed fruit, sugar, oil, eggs, soda dissolved in milk, and vanilla.
Stir in salt and flour. Fold in nuts. Pour into prepared pans, filling only about halfway.
Bake 35-45 minutes. Baking times vary depending on the size of the pans used.

Book of the Night

Shelf the Hanukkah Elf by Greg Wolfe

William knows Santa is pretend, but he enjoys the story. This book works to add Hanukkah to the Santa story. William enjoyed it. As a mom, I wasn’t impressed. I can see how adults who engage in the more imaginative side of the season would enjoy it better:)

Happy Hanukkah!

Love,