Friday Friend Cookbook Recipe #23 -- Zucchini Cake

Friday Friend cookbook:   I have about 50 of my closest friends and family on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends.  At first, most of them didn't know each other, (they knew me) but over the past 15 years, we've answered and shared silly--and serious---questions,  exchanged Secret Santa Christmas gifts,  had a dieting contest in which we paid a $1 a week and that money went to a scholarship fund for a Friday Friends son's memorial scholarship, and we went on a great vacation for my 52 birthday.

AND,  we contributed recipes for a cookbook.

Which brings me to this... recipe #23:

Zucchini Chocolate Cake.

You might not think you see much chocolate in these photos, BUT there is a tablespoon of it in the cake and some chocolate chips too!

It's a great summer time snack cake that my mom used to make. 

I can really only remember my mom making a chocolate cake from scratch and this zucchini cake.  (she baked many things, but cakes?  Not so much)

We would take them on picnics.

This zucchini cake is moist and sweet --kind of like a carrot cake, but not THAT moist because  you can really pretty much eat it by hand like a brownie or bar--perfect for picnics!  See?  My mom was smart!

If you like zucchini bread, you'll like this snack cake.

None of these recipes in the FF cookbook are going to be new, and exciting and cutting edge trendy, but they are going to be ones filled with family and friends and memories and love.

Click here for all recipes from my mom.

And here for all Friday Friend Cookbook Recipes.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

my mother, Bev Hambelton

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup oil

1  3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sour milk

2 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbsp cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 cups grated zucchini

Cream butter, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk.  Mix dry stuff and add to creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini.  Spread in  9x13 greased and floured pan.  Sprinkle chips over top and bake at 325F for 45-50 minutes.

And now...

Friday Friend Bev!  My mom!

She is the one holding the dog. (the dog who is now mine)

This is my mom and dad and their best friends Betty and Jim at their combined  50  year anniversary party, 6 years ago.

My grandma and Jim's mom were best friends  (Irene and Vera)

So... my mom has been friends with Jim, since they were babies (we have bathtub pictures from 1939--seriously) and she has been best friends with Betty since they were in the 6th grade.

My dad and Jim have been best friends since kindergarten.

They all  graduated from high school together in 1957.  30 in their graduating class.  Those 30 people have remained very close.

My dad        My mom        Betty          Jim

And these are those same exact people!

Betty, my mom, my dad and Jim, at my parents wedding in 1958.

Betty and Jim were the 'best' people.  Best Man and Matron (Betty was an old married lady of 3 weeks by then) of Honor.

I love these people.

I'm going to link up today with

Weekend Cooking
at 
Beth Fish Reads
Some really fun and interesting posts!
She says:
Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. I


and

See ya in the Gumbo 

at

Ms. enPlace

Be sure and stop by  to check out what it's all about!

She says:

To "make a gumbo" means much more than cooking.  When someone says "I'm making a gumbo," it means family and friends are invited