Chocolate Zucchini Cake with baked ricotta filling

This cake was sliced and eaten as soon as we took it out of the oven because we wanted our audience to see the result. If you let it cool down, the middle layer will set and the cake will cut very nicely.

You will need:

250g self raising flour
2 tablespoons chocolate powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon oats
1 teaspoon cornflour
1/2 vanilla pod
1 tablespoon organic apple vinegar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
200g zucchini, grated
250g golden raisins soaked overnight and blended to a puree

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add all the dry ingredients and mix. Add the grated zucchini and mix gently until they are covered with flour.

Place all the liquids in another bowl and blend using a hand held electric blender.
Fold the liquids into the dry ingredients, very gently and do not overmix.

The middle ricotta layer
250g sheep’s ricotta
2 eggs
1 tablespoon cornflour
a pinch of cinnamon
1/2 vanilla pod
Mix together and keep aside

Grease a 23 cm cake tin with baking spray.

Pour half the chocolate cake batter and smooth the top.
Then the ricotta mix
On top of that the rest of the chocolate batter.
Bake in a preheated oven at 160C for 35 minutes.
Allow to cool before serving.