Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Apricot Jam Filling and Apricot-Sour Cream Frosting

Huzzah for summertime! Berries, stone fruits, tomatoes, fresh corn, basil...and zucchini coming at you from just about everywhere! All right, I don't really care for zucchini. I think it's mushy. My teeny-tiny-I-live-in-an-apartment container garden boasts only tomatoes and a few herbs this year, but even had I the space, I'd not grow zucchini. Why? Who needs to? There's bound to be someone nearby who has a pile of gigantic, out-of-control zucchini...you know the ones...the ones that look like troll clubs. I am told that these do not work well for cooking (too watery? I have no idea. I avoid zucchini in savory applications). They do, however, work wonderfully in baked goods, such as zucchini bread and, most definitely, chocolate zucchini cake.

I mean, look at those photos. Do you see any vegetables? Well, there are three cups of zucchini shoehorned into these cupcakes. The addition of the zucchini makes the cupcakes surprisingly light and very, very moist. This works well for summer, when chocolate can get a little heavy. In keeping with the summer theme I filled the cupcakes with apricot jam (I used homemade but by all means open a jar of store bought) and then topped them with an apricot-sour cream frosting). Light, easy, summery, and delicious, and the recipe uses an entire monster zucchini (or about 3 cups, grated). I'm sure you only have a few dozen left to get through.

Have you considered pickling?

This recipe makes 24 cupcakes, exactly, so be ready to share with your friends.

~Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes~

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups shredded zucchini (use a box grater or your food processor - this will take one giant zucchini or three medium zucchini)
• (2 cups apricot jam)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the oil, sugars, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and zucchini. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix until all is well-combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the 24 cupcake liners. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cakes are done (test for this by inserting a skewer into the middle of a cupcake - if it comes out clean, it is done). Let the cupcakes cool for five minutes in the pan before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, cut out a cone-shaped portion out of the top of each cake. Slice off the excess cake from the cone (leaving the flat cap) and reserve the top. Fill the resulting hole in the cupcake with apricot jam (again, use homemade if you have it or storebought if you don't. Either is fine). Replace the cap. Repeat the process with the remaining cupcakes. You will probably need about a jar and a half of apricot jam to fill all the cupcakes.

~Apricot-Sour Cream Frosting~

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup apricot jam
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 7-8 cups powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and jam on medium speed until fluffy and combined. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt.

Working with about one cup of sugar at a time, add in the sugar and beat on low until each cup is incorporated. Once all the sugar is in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat the frosting for about 3 minutes or until fluffy.

Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe on frosting on top of each cupcake and then garnish with edible glitter (or use a butter knife and just swoop it on). It is best if you store these cupcakes in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.