Double Chocolate Chip Squash Cake

This cake may sound weird - who puts summer squash in baked goods?  It's always zucchini, but actually yellow squash and zucchini are both summer squash.  So what's the deal with poor squash being designated to savory dishes?  It's time yellow squash had a go at making desserts marginally healthier.  Plus, with cocoa and chocolate chips, it's already a winner.

Double Chocolate Chip Squash Cake

Time: 20 minutes hands-on

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

4 eggs

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (can use butter)

3 summer squash, seeded and shredded (about 1 1/2 cups shredded)

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt + up to 1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Spray a 9x12 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Alternatively, if you don't own that size pan, use an 8x8 or 9x9 square and make the extra batter into muffins.  You need chocolate for breakfast, obviously.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs, coconut oil, squash, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth.  

4. Gradually add flour mixture to squash mixture.  This batter is extremely thick, so add up to 1/2 cup of milk as needed to thin it out.  It should still be thick, slightly thicker than a quick bread batter.  Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s) and spread evenly with a spatula.  Bake for 35-40 minutes for the cake and 22-25 minutes for muffins, or until a toothpick/knife comes out clean.  Cool completely.  

To make this cake even better suited for dessert, it would probably taste delicious with cream cheese frosting.  Or chocolate frosting.  Too much chocolate is not a real thing, in case you weren't aware.