Chocolate Zucchini Mini Muffins

Makes approx. 5 dozen mini muffins
Recipe from http://bentolunch.blogspot.com/ and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

If you are looking for a not-so-sweet,-but-still-a-treat to put in your child’s lunchbox (or yours), try these mini muffins. From the original recipe, I’ve reduced the amount of sugar, added some walnuts and made them mini muffins. The author of the bento lunch blog reduced the oil and used applesauce to help make these extra moist. I like her thinking. For an optional topping use any, all or a combination of the following: equal parts brown sugar, chopped nuts and mini chocolate chips. Sprinkle tops of muffins just prior to baking. If you want to sweeten them up just a bit more, sprinkle them with powdered sugar before serving.
For other ways to use up all that summer zucchini, try Zucchini Spice Bread and Confetti Veggie Pancakes (recipes on this blog.)

3 large eggs
1 cup sugar (The original recipe called for 2 cups, but I used 1 cup and the muffins were plenty sweet for us. If you like your muffins sweeter, just add a bit more sugar.)
1/2 cup oil (I used sunflower oil.)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 large zucchini)
¾ cup walnut pieces (Walnuts were not in the original recipe, but a reviewer suggested using them, so I added them. So, walnuts are optional.)
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease muffin tins or line two 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners. (I tested these using non stick mini muffin tins for some and then paper liners for others.)
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, applesauce and oil. Add the cocoa, vanilla and zucchini and mix well.
Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, maybe 2/3 full.
***If using regular size muffin cups, bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (***The mini muffins took between 12 to 15 minutes to finish.)