My Gram, and her Chocolate Zucchini Cake

There are some events in our lives, that alter our destiny.  We may not recognize the magnitude of a single decision in the moment in which it's made, however it has the potential to change everything... 

I'll explain.

All my life I had been close with my grandparents. As a child, my Grandparents home in rural Maine, was a true haven for me. We called it "The Valley," one hundred acres tucked in between two mountains.  There were times when it was sensory overload; the sun so bright it hurt your eyes... more wild flowers in the summer, and snow in the winter, than you ever saw anywhere else... the woodsy smell that always clung to Grampy tighter then we did... and the kitchen that sometimes smelled like heaven, and other times stunk of Gramp's "special soup concoctions," that only he would eat.

Such bittersweet memories... to this day, the smell of onions cooking in butter, takes me back to that cozy orange kitchen - ahhh... forgive me, for I'm getting sidetracked...

When I was a freshman in college, my beloved Grandfather had a massive coronary, and was gone in less then ten minutes, at the age of seventy.  Our whole family was devastated.  

At the time, I was going to college in upstate New York at the time, and my Grandparents were living in Florida.  Everyone in our extended family was concerned with how my Grandmother would, "carry on" as they say, since all of her family was still living in New England.  I knew right then what I wanted to do and decided to transfer in the fall to a college only a few miles away from my Grandmother's home.  It seemed foolish to me, to live on campus, when my Gram was only a few miles away, now living alone.  So that is how it came to be, that  I lived with my Gram while I finished my 2 1/2 years of college (I graduated early - what can I say? Gram taught me to be an overachiever!) 

Most people would think that would be a real drag for a college student, but honestly, I loved it. I learned so much from her in those college years - perhaps more than in any class I took.  When we had time, she'd share special things with me - old photos,  little trinkets,  stories of her youth, we'd watch old movies, and when the heroine fell in love with the hero, she'd tell me the story of how she met my Grampy.  Sometimes, we'd cook her favorite recipes together.  

 

She's been gone for  3 1/2 years and not a day goes by that I don't think of her... miss her... wonder what she'd think of Ethan now (she met him only once at about 5 months old)... wonder what she'd think of my spunky little girl...

SNIFF!

Ah, I can't help but tear up as I type... truth be told, I've been working on this post for well over two weeks... some emotions stay raw for so long - even after we think we're "ok."

Ok, down to business!

Today I'm sharing with you one of my all-time favorite recipes from my Gram. I enjoy making it for my family now.  It's become one of Ethan's favorites as well, and I think she would get a kick out of that!

Gram use to say that it was perfect because it 'frosted itself'.  You'll see what she meant...

'Always remember to use pure vanilla, it makes a difference!'... maybe it's "pure emotion," not "pure vanilla," flavoring my love for this cake... yes Gram, it's still perfection!

Gram's Tips:  If you're a little light on the zucchini, grate up some carrot to get to the full 2 cups.  If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute... just add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to the milk and let is stand five minutes before adding it to your cake mixture.

Gram's Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1¾ cups sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups zucchini, grated
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits, if desired

Instructions:

Grease and flour a 9x12 pan, then preheat oven to 325-degrees.  Soften butter in the microwave.

Crack and gently whisk eggs into a separate bowl. Do not beat. Mix together all the other ingredients, except for the chocolate bits. 

Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.  This is Ethan's favorite part, and he always sneaks some of the bits as he sprinkles!

Bake 45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  And just as Gram said, this is a perfect snack cake that requires  no frosting because of the chocolate bits (Gram would sometimes add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, too), it is delicious with a little whipped cream.

I hope you can share this with the special people in your lives soon. And friends, take a moment to tell those you love how much they mean to you.  Time is fleeting.

The two most important women in my life: My Mom and My Gram

Linking up today with Sugar and Dots, Mom Always Finds Out, The DIY Dreamer, Turning the Clock Back, Eloping Stehoscope