Tremendous moist and indulgent chocolate zucchini cake is studded with chocolate chips and topped with chocolate fudge frosting. Made with 3 cups of shredded zucchini (you’ll be able to’t style it!), that is probably the most decadent method to eat your greens.
I initially printed this recipe in 2017 and have since added new images, a video tutorial, and extra success suggestions.
Right now, we’ve a triple dose of chocolate within the type of luxuriously wealthy chocolate zucchini cake. No, you’ll be able to’t style the zucchini. No, you’ll be able to’t see the zucchini. Sure, it’s unbelievably scrumptious and I’m exhibiting you precisely the right way to make it! Zucchini recipes have by no means been extra decadent than this one. 🙂
Are you able to simply have a look at how wealthy and moist this cake is? It tastes even higher than it appears, I swear. The actual secret behind it’s the hidden vegetable inside. Should you’re one who believes these veggies ought to solely be in zucchini casserole, zucchini fritters, or zucchini biscuits and don’t have anything to do with dessert, hold an open thoughts. Carrot cake, anybody?!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Simply as cherished as my chocolate cake
- Tremendous moist and wealthy with mega chocolate taste
- Simple to make
- A scrumptious approach to make use of up a bumper crop of summer time zucchini
- 3 cups of greens hiding inside—and also you don’t even style it
- Coated in fudge-like chocolate buttercream
Overview: Chocolate Zucchini Cake Elements
This decadent cake is made with contemporary zucchini and pantry fundamentals. Do you know that cocoa powder can dry out baked items way more than flour? To compensate for this, we guarantee there’s loads of added moisture within the cake batter.
Let’s evaluation a number of key components:
- Unsweetened Pure Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder takes the place of some flour. Simply as in my common chocolate cake recipe, ensure you’re utilizing pure unsweetened cocoa powder as an alternative of Dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Espresso Powder: Espresso powder accentuates the chocolate taste. Whereas non-compulsory, I extremely advocate utilizing it. The chocolate zucchini cake received’t style like espresso. Slightly, the espresso powder helps carry out the extraordinary chocolate taste. We use it in chocolate zucchini bread and on this chocolate cake roll, too. You’ll find espresso powder within the espresso aisle on the grocery retailer or on-line.
- Oil: Oil provides moisture. You possibly can attempt changing *some* of the oil with unsweetened applesauce. I’ve achieved this with chocolate muffins and muffins and the result’s fantastic, however I don’t advocate changing all of it. Regardless of the zucchini inside, this isn’t well being meals, it’s dessert. Don’t attempt to make it into one thing it’s not!
- Eggs: 4 eggs bind all the pieces collectively and add moisture. Keep in mind that room-temperature components are necessary.
- Bitter Cream: Identical to in chocolate peanut butter cake, you should utilize bitter cream or plain yogurt. Both add moisture.
- Zucchini: Use a whopping 3 cups of shredded zucchini on this recipe. Testing how a lot we are able to get away with… with out really tasting it! Zucchini is pure magic in muffins—nothing however flavorless moisture. Identical goes with my zucchini bread and zucchini muffins, too!
Non-compulsory Chocolate Chips: For mega chocolate taste, add chocolate chips to the batter. They’re key to these melty pockets of chocolate in every slice. I take advantage of semi-sweet chocolate chips (identical to in my peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini bread), however mini chocolate chips and even darkish chocolate chips pair splendidly, too.
Let Me Present You The right way to Make It:
This chocolate zucchini cake comes collectively shortly and simply, identical to my common zucchini cake. Merely whisk the dry components in a single bowl and beat the moist components collectively in one other bowl. Mix the moist and dry components, then add the chocolate chips. The cake batter will probably be barely thick because of all the zucchini! Divide the batter between two 9-inch cake pans; or you can also make 1 / 4 sheet cake utilizing a 9×13-inch cake pan. See the recipe Notes part for particulars.
- Want cupcakes as an alternative? This recipe yields about 24–30 cupcakes. See recipe Notes.
Chocolate Frosting
We’re topping and filling this chocolate zucchini cake with clean, silky, and creamy chocolate buttercream. You’ll use my favourite chocolate buttercream recipe, however improve the amount as directed within the recipe card beneath.
The right way to Assemble a Layer Cake
Should you’re new to assembling and layering muffins, or in case you simply want a refresher, see my The right way to Assemble a Layer Cake video tutorial. The fast video information will stroll you thru the right way to stack and embellish it.
Should you would slightly prime this cake with vanilla frosting, use the vanilla frosting included in my white cake recipe. No matter which you select, you’ll have sufficient frosting to frost all the layer cake AND somewhat leftover for some enjoyable piping on prime. Embellish nevertheless you’d like! I used Wilton 1M for the pictured piping:
Deep, darkish, luxuriously wealthy, loopy moist, and weirdly loaded with greens that you simply completely can’t style. After one chew you’ll be satisfied that is one of the best ways to eat your veggies! You’ll love my zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, too.
Extra Chocolate Recipes
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Description
This tremendous wealthy and moist chocolate zucchini cake is topped with the most effective chocolate frosting—you received’t even style the greens!
Cake
Chocolate Buttercream
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch spherical cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the muffins seamlessly launch from the pans. (If it’s useful, see this parchment paper rounds for muffins video & submit.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder (if utilizing), and salt collectively in a big bowl. In one other massive bowl utilizing a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, bitter cream, and vanilla collectively till mixed. Add the zucchini and blend to include. Add the dry components to the batter and beat on medium velocity till utterly mixed. Fold within the chocolate chips. Batter will probably be barely thick.
- Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for round 28–32 minutes or till the muffins are baked by. To check for doneness, frivolously poke the highest of the cake along with your finger—if it bounces again as an alternative of leaving , the cake is completed. Or you’ll be able to insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake—if it comes out clear, it’s achieved.
- Set the muffins on a cooling rack and let cool within the pans for 1 hour. After 1 hour, take away the muffins from the pans, discard the parchment rounds, and let the muffins end cooling instantly on the rack. The muffins should be utterly cool earlier than frosting and assembling.
- Make the buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium velocity till creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons of cream, salt, and vanilla. Beat on low velocity for 30 seconds, then steadily improve to excessive velocity and beat till it’s clean and creamy. Don’t over-whip. Add 1/4 cup extra confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is just too skinny or 1–2 extra Tablespoons of cream if frosting is just too thick. (I normally add 1 extra.) Style. Add one other pinch of salt if desired.
- Assemble and frost: First, utilizing a big serrated knife, slice a skinny layer off the tops of the muffins to create a flat floor. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer in your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cowl the highest with a heaping cup of frosting. High with 2nd cake layer and unfold the remaining frosting all around the prime and sides. Pipe any leftover frosting on prime. (I used Wilton 1M tip.) Embellish with chocolate sprinkles or chocolate chips if desired. Slice and serve.
- Cowl leftover cake and retailer at room temperature for as much as 2 days or within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
Notes
- Make Forward Directions: Put together muffins and frosting 1 day upfront. Preserve muffins at room temperature, lined tightly. Refrigerate ready frosting in an hermetic container, then carry to room temperature when prepared to make use of. Frosted or unfrosted muffins could also be frozen as much as 2 months, thaw in a single day within the fridge and produce to room temperature, if desired, earlier than serving.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Field Grater | Glass Mixing Bowls | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | 9-inch Spherical Cake Pan | Cake Turntable | Wilton 1M Piping Tip | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Cake Service (for storage)
- Blot the Zucchini: Give the shredded zucchini a really mild blotting with a towel. Don’t squeeze an excessive amount of moisture out, just a bit blot earlier than including to the moist components. I personal and love this field grater—works shortly!
- 9×13-inch Cake: Fascinated with making a sheet cake as an alternative? This batter will match right into a 9×13-inch pan. The bake time is lengthy—at the least 45 minutes to make sure the thick cake is baked by. Identical oven temperature.
- Non-Chocolate Zucchini Cake: In search of zucchini cake with out chocolate? Right here is my common zucchini cake topped with brown butter cream cheese frosting.
- Cupcakes: This recipe yields 24–30 cupcakes. Bake for 18–22 minutes or till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out *principally* clear with no moist batter. Identical oven temperature.
As an alternative of cake, attempt these as cupcakes! Instructions within the recipe Notes above.
