This is absolutely one of my favorite cakes. The “Choco-Zucchini” recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, though plagued with an unfortunate name, is very tasty.
But the best part about it is the peanut butter frosting. The first time I tasted it, I thought it was too rich and sweet. It grew on me, however, as we worked our way through that first cake, and now it is one of my favorite frostings.
This time around, I didn't use the cake recipe, but made up my own. I had a chocolate cake mix that was nearing its expiration date. I combined it with the called-for three eggs, two cups of shredded zucchini, and two cups of shredded carrots. I added a tablespoon of oil—because I've ruined cakes before by cutting the oil completely—but I really think it would have worked without the oil. It did need a tablespoon or two of water to get it to the right consistency, but that would vary depending on the water content of your vegetables.
I divided the cake batter into two 8" square pans. After baking and cooling, I covered one with the peanut butter frosting (the full amount in the recipe—shh!). I covered the other with cream cheese frosting, and called Little Mister in to help me decorate it. Having full reign over the sprinkles was quite a power trip for him! :)
The cakes disappeared entirely too fast. Looking at these pictures makes me want to bake another one.
