Zucchini Chip Cupcakes

​Back when I taught Family and Consumer Science, I used to have my students make this recipe to expose them to zucchini and show them that it was actually delicious.  I know it's not the same as eating zucchini as a vegetable, but it was a start.  Many of them had never eaten zucchini and thought it was really strange, but when they tried the finished product they always liked it.  

Now my boys enjoy these for a healthy snack.  Well, healthy except that they do have a lot of sugar.  I have been experimenting with alternative sugars and made this batch with coconut sugar instead of using granulated white sugar.  Honestly, I think they taste just as good with coconut sugar as they do with granulated sugar. 

These really are delicious and stand alone without any added frosting.  They never last long around our house.  

Ingredients:
​1/2 cup real butter softened (1 stick)
1/2 cup oil (I use melted coconut oil)
1 3/4 cups coconut sugar, sugar, or sucanat
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup ground flax (optional)
2 cups shredded zucchini 
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (regular size works too)

1.  In a mixing bowl cream butter, oil and sugar.
2.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla, mixing well.
3.  Combine flour, ground flax (optional), cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Then add to the creamed mixture.
4.  Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
5.  Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups two-thirds full.  
6.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.  

Home Economics Classroom Recipe
In a Home Economics classroom with 5 or more kitchens of students making this recipe, I used a 1/2 recipe for each kitchen.  Halving recipes insured that food was never wasted and that our food budget went further.  The kids gained more hands on experience because we could afford to cook more often. 

Here is a half recipe for use in the classroom.  

1/4 cup butter softened (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup oil (I use melted coconut oil)
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup shredded zucchini 
2 Tbsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.  In a mixing bowl cream butter, oil and sugar.
2.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla, mixing well.
3.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Then add to the creamed mixture.
4.  Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
5.  Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups two-thirds full.  
6.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.

Makes about 1 dozen cupcakes.  

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