Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Easy Recipe)
If you’ve got a pile of zucchini and a chocolate craving, this Chocolate Zucchini Cake solves both problems at once! Grated zucchini disappears right into a rich, moist chocolate cake studded with mini chocolate chips, then gets topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting. Nobody will guess there’s a vegetable hiding in there, and that’s exactly the point!
Vegetables deserve more credit in baking than they get! The moisture and texture the shredded zucchini brings to this cake is the same reason I love using grated carrots in my layered carrot cake with cream cheese frosting or roasted sweet potatoes in brownies and sweet loafs. Both vegetables quietly do all the work of keeping the cake soft without ever announcing themselves in the flavor.
Chocolate desserts are a constant in my house, and this cake has become one of my favorite ways to use up an abundance of zucchini from the garden or farmers market. Everyone who tastes this chocolate zucchini cake loves it and has no idea what the secret ingredient actually is (until I tell them). My kids are not picky eaters, but they were quite surprised when they found out.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe
- It’s incredibly moist. Grated zucchini keeps this cake soft and tender in a way that’s hard to achieve with a standard chocolate cake recipe.
- It’s a sneaky way to use up zucchini. If you always end up with more zucchini than you know what to do with, this is a delicious way to put it to good use.
- The chocolate flavor is rich and deep. Between the cocoa powder in the batter, the mini chocolate chips, and the chocolate frosting, this cake is a true chocolate lover’s dream.
- It’s easy to make in one pan. No layering or stacking required, just bake, cool, and frost right in the same 9×13 pan.
- Kids and picky eaters won’t notice the zucchini. The zucchini blends completely into the batter, so this is a great way to sneak some veggies into dessert.
Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini: Grated and blotted dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, this adds tenderness to the cake without weighing it down.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base structure of the cake.
- Cocoa powder: Used in both the cake and frosting for a deep, rich chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Together, these help the cake rise properly.
- Mini chocolate chips: Adds extra pockets of chocolate throughout the cake.
- Neutral oil: Keeps the cake moist. A neutral flavor like canola or vegetable oil won’t compete with the chocolate.
- Applesauce: Adds moisture while helping cut back slightly on the amount of oil needed.
- Granulated and brown sugar: Together, these sweeten the cake and add a touch of extra moisture.
- Greek yogurt: Adds richness and tang, helping keep the crumb soft; sour cream can be used in its place.
- Eggs: Bind the batter together and give the cake structure.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavor in both the cake and frosting.
- Butter: The base of the frosting, giving it a rich, creamy texture.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps it hold its shape.
- Heavy cream: Keeps the chocolate frosting at the right consistency for spreading.
Variations & Substitutions
- Dairy swap: Sour cream can be used in place of Greek yogurt in the cake batter with very similar results.
- Add-ins: Fold in chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch alongside the chocolate chips.
- Different frosting: A simple cream cheese frosting, similar to the one used on carrot cake, also pairs beautifully with this cake if you want a tangier contrast to the chocolate.
- Mini cupcakes: This batter can be baked as cupcakes instead of a sheet cake; just reduce the baking time and check for doneness around 18-20 minutes.
- Extra chocolate: Stir in a handful of regular-sized chocolate chunks along with the mini chips for an even more decadent bite.
- Gluten-free version: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend; just double check that your chocolate chips are certified gluten-free too, since some brands process them in facilities with wheat.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Blot the zucchini before adding it to the batter. Pressing it between paper towels removes excess moisture, which keeps the cake from turning out too wet or dense.
- Don’t pack the zucchini too tightly when measuring. Aim for a medium-packed cup instead of pressing it down firmly, or you’ll end up with more zucchini than the recipe intends.
- Avoid overmixing once the dry ingredients are added. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can make the cake tough instead of tender.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting. Frosting a warm cake will cause the frosting to melt and slide right off instead of setting nicely on top.
Serving Suggestions
Chocolate zucchini cake is rich enough to stand on its own, but a scoop of homemade dulce de leche ice cream on the side takes it to a whole new level, especially if the cake is served slightly warm.
It’s also a great addition to a dessert table alongside other chocolate favorites like chocolate tres leches cake, giving guests a couple of different chocolate options to choose from.
Storage Suggestions
Store the frosted chocolate zucchini cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, since the cream-based frosting is best kept chilled. Let slices sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving so the cake and frosting soften back up.
To freeze, wrap unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake FAQs
What is special about zucchini chocolate cake?
The zucchini adds moisture and a tender crumb without changing the flavor, so you get an extra-rich, fudgy chocolate cake that also happens to have a vegetable hiding in it. It’s a fun way to turn an abundance of zucchini into a dessert nobody will suspect.
What makes zucchini cake so moist?
Zucchini has a high water content, and that moisture gets released into the batter as it bakes, keeping the crumb soft and tender. Ingredients like oil, applesauce, and Greek yogurt add even more moisture on top of that, which is why this cake stays so rich and fudgy.
Do I need to peel the zucchini before grating it?
No, there’s no need to peel the zucchini since the skin is soft and blends right into the batter once baked. Just wash it well before grating. If the zucchini is one of those extra large late summer ones with thicker skin, then you can and should peel the skin.
Can I use frozen grated zucchini?
Yes, frozen zucchini works well as long as it’s thawed and thoroughly blotted dry before using, since frozen zucchini tends to release even more moisture than fresh. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can to avoid a soggy cake.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups grated zucchini *see note below 300 grams
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 270 grams
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 60 grams
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup neutral flavored oil like avocado, canola or sunflower oil
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce 60 ml
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
- ¾ cup brown sugar 165 g
- ½ cup full fat Greek yogurt 120 ml
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 6 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar 375 grams
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 42.5 grams
- ½ cup heavy cream 120 ml
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and spray a 9x13inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Measure your zucchini and spread it out on a few paper towels. Press it with a few more paper towels to get some of the moisture out of it. Let it sit until you need it later in the recipe.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips together until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the oil, applesauce, sugar, and brown sugar together until well combined.
- Add the Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix again until well combined.
- Add the grated and blotted dry zucchini and the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Don’t overmix.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but mostly dry.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack until the cake is completely cooled.
- Once the cake has cooled down you can frost it directly in the baking pan or tip the cake out and frost it on a platter.
To make the frosting:
- Using a hand mixer, whip the butter for a minute or two, until it is light and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and heavy cream.
- Mix on low until incorporated and then on high for a couple minutes until you have a light and fluffy frosting. If it’s too thick, you can add a bit more cream.
- Frost the cake with the chocolate frosting (once the cake has completely cooled). You can sprinkle some chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles on top to decorate.
Notes
- Don’t pack your zucchini into the measuring cups super tight or you’ll have too much. Aim for it being a medium packed cup.
- If you don’t use salted butter in the frosting, add a pinch of salt.
- If you plan to frost the cake out of the pan, line it with parchment paper so it comes out easier.
- If you over mix the batter after adding the dry ingredients your cake won’t be as tender.
- You can use also sour cream instead of Greek yogurt. This recipe was made using full fat yogurt or sour cream.
Photos of the step by step preparation process for Chocolate Zucchini Cake:
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