Zucchini Dessert
Every summer I reach the point where I’m hiding zucchini from myself. It starts out so innocent. Somebody gives me a few from their garden, I buy a couple more at the store because they look good, and suddenly my kitchen counter looks like a mini Zucchini farm. I make stir-fries, casseroles, grilled zucchini, zucchini bread…and then I’m out of ideas, totally.
This is how this dessert came about. One afternoon I stood in my kitchen staring at four giant zucchinis and honestly annoyed at them. I didn’t want soup. I didn’t want another vegetable. I wanted something sweet. I saw a spice cake mix in the pantry and shrugged and decided to experiment, mostly out of desperation.
I figured I’d get mediocre results, end of story. But after about two hours of cooking, the smell coming from the slow cooker totally changed my attitude. The kitchen smelt like an old bakery, warm cinnamon, butter, and cake. The zucchini melted into these tender little bites that almost reminded me of baked apples.
No one guessed there was zucchini in it. Not a single person. Everyone kept shoveling warm spoonfuls into bowls, topping them with melting vanilla ice cream, and pretending they only wanted “a little taste.”
Now I make this recipe every summer because it takes care of two problems at once: too much zucchini and a dessert craving. It also barely makes dishes, which honestly is more important to me these days than complicated recipes will ever be.
Components
- 4 cups zucchini, peeled and diced
- 1 box cake spice mix
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
How to use
Step 1: Prepare the courgettes
- The zucchini was peeled and cut into small pieces.
- Smaller pieces melt better and blend into the dessert more naturally.
Step 2: Pile it all up
- Spread the zucchini out in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle the dry spice cake mix over the zucchini.
- Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top.
- Don’t mix anything.
- At first it looks strange. Believe in the process.
Step 3: Cooking
- Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 2½ to 3 hours.
- The top should be golden on the edges and the zucchini underneath should be soft and tender.
- Halfway through cooking and the entire kitchen smells like cinnamon cake.
Little Notes From Kitchen
- This is stupid good with vanilla ice cream.
- Chopped pecans are nice for crunch if you have some on hand.
- Sometimes I add extra cinnamon because I guess I never measure spices responsibly.
- In my house, the edges by the sides of the slow cooker normally go first.
Conclusion
- This recipe feels like one of those old handwritten church cookbook desserts someone stumbled onto years ago and kept making forever after that.
- Basic Ingredients. Very little effort. Serve with warm pudding.
