Gluten-free Goodie of the Week: Devilish Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

Some spice with your sweets

What's the magic behind this tasty, gluten-free treat? Ground cayenne! Chocolate and cayenne make a great pairing and with zucchini in abundance this season, the three make a delightful, slightly different, dessert. Fortunately, when you don't have a lot of time (or even if you do!) there are prepackaged, gluten-free dessert mixes like this devil’s food cake mix from Betty Crocker®. Get going with this easy, fun dessert.

Gluten can be found in many different foods and products, from ketchup to soy sauce to candy and seasonings. While SheKnows.com tries to ensure these recipes are gluten-free, carefully read the ingredient labels of all food and food products you use for these recipes to ensure they are also gluten-free.

Devilish chocolate-zucchini cake

Recipe adapted from Gluten Freely

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 (15 ounce) box of Betty Crocker® Gluten-Free devil's food cake mix
• 1 cup shredded unpeeled zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne (red pepper)
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 eggs
• Nonstick cooking spray

For the streusel:

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a 9-inch square pan.
2. Reserve 1/4 cup cake mix to make a streusel topping.
3. Use a large bowl to combine the rest of the cake mix, 1/2 cup butter, zucchini, cinnamon, cayenne, water and eggs. Beat the mixture on low speed for just 30 seconds, then continue on medium speed for a few minutes. Add the mix to the pan and set aside.
4. Use a small bowl to combine the reserved cake mix, brown sugar, two tablespoons of butter and the hazelnuts, and sprinkle this over the batter.
5. Bake for about 38 to 43 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

This dessert has a bit of an added kick, but it's definitely, devilishly delicious!

More gluten-free goodies to try

Chocolate mousse with raspberries and cream
Banana honey and cream cheese Monte Cristo sandwich
Gluten-free peanut butter cookies