Chocolate Zucchini Cake - an incredibly moist chocolate cake topped with a cloud of chocolate cream cheese frosting. No one will ever guess the secret ingredient is green!
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The BEST Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe
This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is so soft and tender. You can’t see or taste the zucchini, but it adds tons of moisture. The chocolate cream cheese frosting is light, fluffy, and decadent without being heavy like a buttercream frosting.
Why Put Zucchini in Chocolate Cake
Zucchini makes cakes and baked goods incredibly moist. It adds tons of moisture without adding any flavor. If you shred it fine enough, you won’t even see it in the baked cake. (My kids won’t eat cake if they see green in it!)
Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
The most incredible frosting for Chocolate Zucchini Cake is this velvety smooth Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. It’s light and fluffy with the perfect hint of tanginess.
Ingredients
Flour: All-purpose flour is used in this cake. Cake flour would not be sturdy enough to hold this quantity of zucchini.
Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder: This cake is made with natural cocoa powder, not Dutch processed. Natural cocoa is acidic and reacts with the baking soda to allow the cake to rise. Sift the cocoa powder to remove any lumps.
Baking Soda and Baking Powder: This recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder for lift.
Salt: Salt brings out the flavors and sweetness in baked goods. Without it, they would taste flat.
Butter and Oil: This recipe uses both butter and oil – butter for flavor and oil for moistness.
Sugar: White granulated sugar is used for simplicity of flavor.
Eggs: Use room temperature eggs so they incorporate properly.
Buttermilk: Adds moisture and acidity to react with the baking soda.
Vanilla: For flavor.
Zucchini: I finely shred the zucchini so that it disappears inside the baked cake. There's no need to peel it first.
When zucchini is finely shredded it releases a lot of moisture. I set it in a strainer to get rid of the excess liquid and lightly press it if necessary. You don’t want to squeeze all the moisture out though. If you shred the zucchini on the larger holes of a box grater, there’s no need to drain it.
Optional: Chocolate Chips – for extra chocolate flavor.
How to make
- Whisk together the dry ingredients
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, mix together the butter, oil, and sugar until combined. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing for 20 seconds after each addition.
- Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Stir in the grated zucchini with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Cool cake, then frost with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
How to make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth.
- Add the vanilla, cocoa, confectioners’ sugar, and pinch of salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
With Chocolate Chips
For an extra chocolatey cake, add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.
Chocolate Orange Zucchini Cake Recipe
For a delicious flavor variation, add 1 tablespoon of finely grated orange zest to the cake batter.
How to store
Store cake in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to freeze
Whole frosted cake or individually wrapped slices can be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap well with plastic wrap then put inside a freezer bag.
Thaw whole cake in refrigerator overnight, then on the counter until room temperature, if desired.
Individual slices can be thawed on the counter.
Recipe
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Zucchini Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 283g
- ¾ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder 75g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 113g
- ½ cup vegetable oil 112g
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar 347g
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk 113g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ½ cups finely shredded zucchini 330g
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature 113g
- 8 oz cream cheese, at a cool room temperature 226g
- 3 cups powdered sugar 375g
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder 36g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
For the Chocolate Zucchini Cake:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix together the butter, oil, and sugar until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the eggs, one at time, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
- Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Stir in the grated zucchini with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake on the middle rack until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Cool completely before frosting.
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla, cocoa, confectioners’ sugar, and pinch of salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Spread on cooled cake.
Notes
- Whole frosted cake or individually wrapped slices can be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap well with plastic wrap then put inside a freezer bag.
- Thaw whole cake in refrigerator overnight, then on the counter until room temperature, if desired.
- Individual slices can be thawed on the counter.
Nutrition
Enjoy, friends!
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Jenny Pink says
Wow a zucchini cake! I've never tried this and now I'm super curious how it tastes. Will definitely try and find some time and zucchini to try this out!
Kelly says
The zucchini adds tons of moisture and no flavor. Thanks so much, Jenny!
sherry says
the good thing with zucchini is that it has little flavour so just adds moisture and texture to the cake. Delish!
Kelly says
It's a magic ingredient! Thanks so much, Sherry!
Ron says
Kelly, I'm betting you call your Chocolate Zucchini Cake just plain chocolate cake when the kids are around. Your cake looks lovely and the frosting is so inviting. I've made zuccini muffins and bread, but never a cake. I'm tucking this one away for when we can once agan entertain...
Kelly says
You bet, Ron! The looks on their faces when they hear it has a green veggie inside! Thanks so much!
Rahul says
I love basically anything with zucchini in it. Kelly, the cake looks super moist and chocolatey. Frosting is definitely drool worthy
Kelly says
The zucchini makes it so moist! Thanks so much, Rahul!
Susan Strasburg says
I think every one who commented is drawn not only to the delicious moist cake but that fluffy chocolate frosting 🙂 What a delightful combination!
Kelly says
The frosting is soooo dreamy! Thanks so much, Susan!
David @ Spiced says
This cake sounds absolutely delicious, Kelly! Like your kids, I suspect Robbie would raise an eyebrow or two if he could actually see green flakes in his cake. This version? I can assure you there wouldn't be anything left on the plate...his plate or my plate! 🙂 Pinning!
Kelly says
I once made it without shredding the zucchini finely enough. I got to eat the whole thing by myself! Thanks so much, David!
All That I'm Eating says
I have made a courgette cake before, but never one with chocolate! This looks great and I love how thick and smooth the chocolate icing is.
Kelly says
It's dreamy! Thanks so much, Caroline!
Raymund says
If my mom haven't done something similar to this when I was young then I would be surprised with the use of zucchini. She makes this wonderful zucchini bread that I really love, that veg give a nice moisture to the dish, I bet this chocolate cake would be the same
Kelly says
The zucchini makes it so moist! Thanks so much, Raymund!
Laura says
I also love baking with zucchini! And this chocolate zucchini cake looks so moist and chocolatey, not sure I can resist, especially with Chcocolate cream cheese frosting! Love this recipe!
Kelly says
It gives incredible moisture! Thanks so much, Laura!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Mmmm, this looks great. Fantastic texture in the cake. And the icing looks incredibly luscious. Dibs on licking the bowl! 🙂
Kelly says
I'm always careful to not scrape the frosting bowl out too cleanly! Thanks so much, John!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
Your chocolate cake is swoon-worthy!! It looks like my zucchini plants are slowing down but I do have a bit of a surplus. I would love to make them into this cake! Such a delicious cake!!
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Katherine!
David Scott Allen says
I cannot decide whether I am drawn more ot the cake or the icing, Kelly! I suppose there is no need to decide, right? The only zucchini I have never used in a sweet was in my mother's zucchini bread/cake and I loved it. Love this, too. 🙂
Kelly says
I love them both, David! The cake is surprisingly moist and tender and the frosting is a dream! Thanks so much!
Sreeraj M Ajay says
This cake looks amazing! I’m pretty excited that I have all of the ingredients to make this one.
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Sreeraj!
Valentina says
Wow, this cake is amazing! Love how finely the zucchini is shredded to sort of melt right in. What I really want though is a giant spoon and that bowl of frosting! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kelly says
I knowwww! The frosting is so dreamy! Thanks so much, Valentina!
angiesrecipes says
wow that chocolate cream cheese frosting looks so GOOD! This cake proofs it again that chocolate and zucchini are a super team.
Kelly says
Zucchini is such a magical ingredient! I love the moisture it adds to baked goods! Thanks so much, Angie!