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    Home » Recipes » Uncategorized

    Chocolate Zucchini Cake

    Published: Aug 8, 2019 · Modified: Sep 18, 2019 by Modern Honey · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    4475 shares
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    Chocolate Zucchini Cake Moist chocolate cake with grated zucchini with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. You can't even taste the zucchini so this is definitely the best way to eat your vegetables! The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe. www.modernhoney.com #zucchinicake #chocolatezucchinicake

    Chocolate Zucchini Cake

    Moist chocolate cake with grated zucchini with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. You can't even taste the zucchini so this is definitely the best way to eat your vegetables!

    It is summertime and zucchini is growing in gardens everywhere. I have a very small garden filled mostly with herbs and peppers but I dream of a garden full of plentiful zucchini. While I wait for my zucchini to grow, I head over to the grocery store and load up my cart with so much zucchini. I recently found it for 33 cents per lb which is an unbelievable steal so I stocked up.

    Chocolate Zucchini Cake Moist chocolate cake with grated zucchini with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. You can't even taste the zucchini so this is definitely the best way to eat your vegetables! The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe. www.modernhoney.com #zucchinicake #chocolatezucchinicake

    The first recipe I wanted to create was definitely a chocolate cake. The beauty of zucchini is that it can be disguised so well in recipes. You don't even taste it! Since I already have a killer chocolate cake recipe and a chocolate zucchini bread recipe, I thought I would combine the two recipes and make the perfect chocolate zucchini cake recipe!

    I added 3 cups of grated zucchini to this cake and I am telling you that you can't even taste it at all! It is seriously a magical chocolate cake with hidden zucchini. The zucchini just makes the chocolate cake extra moist which is a win-win.

    Chocolate Zucchini Cake Moist chocolate cake with grated zucchini with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. You can't even taste the zucchini so this is definitely the best way to eat your vegetables! The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe. www.modernhoney.com #zucchinicake #chocolatezucchinicake

    After some experimentation with cakes, I found that oil creates the moistest cake texture.  Sour cream is also a game changer in this chocolate zucchini cake as it adds the right amount of fat to keep it extra tender. Once you frost this zucchini cake with chocolate frosting, it becomes a show-stopping dessert.

    How to make the Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake:

    1. Start by grating the zucchini. Once the zucchini is grated, I spread it out on paper towels to let them soak up some of the liquid from the zucchini.
    2. Mix together the oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until creamed together. I usually reach for canola oil in my cakes.
    3. Stir in the grated zucchini and sour cream. I prefer to use full-fat sour cream in my cake recipes.
    4. Add dry ingredients and mix only until combined. You want to avoid over-mixing as it will create too much gluten in the cake.
    5. Bake only until a toothpick comes out clean when placed in the center of the cake.
    6. Cool completely and then frost with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.

    Chocolate Zucchini Cake Moist chocolate cake with grated zucchini with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. You can't even taste the zucchini so this is definitely the best way to eat your vegetables! The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe. www.modernhoney.com #zucchinicake #chocolatezucchinicake

    Here are some popular chocolate recipes on Modern Honey:

    5-Star Rated Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake 
    Chocolate Zucchini Bread

    Here are some of my favorite baking tools:

    USA 9 x 13 baking pan
    Kitchenaid Mixer
    Offset spatula

    I love to hear from you! If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating. Sign up for my newsletter below so you never miss a recipe. Thank you for following along! I truly do have the greatest readers. FOLLOW ME ON:   INSTAGRAM — FACEBOOK— PINTEREST

    Chocolate Zucchini Cake Moist chocolate cake with grated zucchini with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. You can't even taste the zucchini so this is definitely the best way to eat your vegetables! The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe. www.modernhoney.com #zucchinicake #chocolatezucchinicake

    Chocolate Zucchini Cake Moist chocolate cake with grated zucchini with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. You can't even taste the zucchini so this is definitely the best way to eat your vegetables! The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe. www.modernhoney.com #zucchinicake #chocolatezucchinicake

    Chocolate Zucchini Cake

    Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com
    Chocolate Zucchini Cake Moist chocolate cake with grated zucchini with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. You can't even taste the zucchini so this is definitely the best way to eat your vegetables! The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe. 
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16

    Ingredients
      

    • ¾ cup Oil (such as canola)
    • 1 cup Sugar
    • ¾ cup Brown Sugar
    • 3 large Eggs
    • 1-2 teaspoons Vanilla
    • ½ cup Sour Cream (preferably full-fat)
    • 3 cups Grated Zucchini
    • ⅔ cup Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)
    • 2 cups Flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
    • ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

    Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

    • 1 cup Butter (softened)
    • ⅔ cup Cocoa Powder
    • 3 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
    • 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream or Milk

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by grating the zucchini. Once the zucchini is grated, spread it out on paper towels to let them soak up some of the liquid from the zucchini.
    • In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until creamed together. Stir in the grated zucchini and sour cream.
    • Add cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix only until combined. You want to avoid over-mixing as it will create too much gluten in the cake. Fold in chocolate chips.
    • Pour batter into a 9 x 13 pan (you may lightly spray it with non-stick cooking spray). Bake for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when placed in the center of the cake.
    • Cool completely and then frost with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.

    Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

    • In a large bowl, cream together butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and heavy cream until light and fluffy. May add more heavy cream depending on desired consistency.  Spread over cooled cake. 
    Keyword chocolate zucchini cake
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tlee

      August 08, 2019 at 8:10 pm

      You have a great website. I can’t wait to make the chocolate zucchini cake. Do you need to peel the zucchini before grating?
      Thank you in advance.

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        August 08, 2019 at 10:29 pm

        Thank you so much for following along! That is a great question. I don't peel the zucchini before grating it. You are welcome to do that though. -- Melissa

        Reply
    2. Tlee

      August 10, 2019 at 6:56 am

      5 stars
      Thank you! Your chocolate zucchini cake is fantastic!

      Reply
    3. Alisha

      August 22, 2019 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      To be completely honest, I did not think the chocolate zucchini cake was going to be very good. I mean zucchini. . . in cake. I didn't get my hopes up, but there are zucchinis all over my house because my mom got a great deal so now everything we make must contain zucchini. Anyways (sorry for blabbering on about zucchinis), I made them as cupcakes and used my favorite chocolate frosting and oh my god they are soo good. You can't even taste the zucchini. They are moist and delicious and just yum (for lack of better words). Thank you for this recipe, I will definitely be using it again.

      Reply
    4. Nobia

      September 03, 2019 at 6:52 pm

      Hi, is it 2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda?

      Reply
    5. Tawnya Burton

      September 08, 2019 at 9:33 pm

      4 stars
      We're chocolate cake snobs at our house and I made this despite much whining over the thought of putting a vegetable in chocolate cake. Our assessment: zucchini was totally absorbed and couldn't really be tasted. However I thought the base recipe had too much baking soda, it was the first thing I smelled coming out of the oven and could be tasted in the cake. Also, while oil makes the cake very moist and rich, I did miss the flavor of butter that I am used to in my traditional chocolate cake recipe. It was still very good though, especially considering it incorporated zucchini.

      Reply
    6. Lee Ann

      August 14, 2020 at 4:19 pm

      5 stars
      Superb! I am no baker, and it came out delish! Got rave reviews. So easy to make. Never imagined I'd make my own buttercream frosting. It tasted like a professional baked it! Although I had to bake it for about twice as long.

      Reply
      • Jen

        August 26, 2020 at 5:18 pm

        I am finding I have to bake this cake twice as long as well. First put it in for 25 minutes, recipe states 23-28 minutes. Then I put it in for another 15 minutes, still not done, Now going 5 minutes more and will continue adding 5 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Hopefully will not be overbaked.

        Reply
        • Nikki Jos4efson

          September 16, 2022 at 5:16 pm

          I also had to bake my cake twice as long.

          Reply
    7. Andie

      September 06, 2020 at 11:11 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delightful!! Made it for a family BBQ and it was a huge it.

      Reply
    8. Janet

      July 16, 2021 at 9:28 am

      Just checking before I make this cake = is it 1-2 tspns. vanilla, or 1/2 tspn,? Thank you! Can't wait to try!

      Reply
    9. Kim

      July 31, 2022 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing!!!!!!!

      Reply

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    Melissa Stadler Modern Honey

    Hi, I'm Melissa Stadler! I am an Award-Winning Recipe Creator. Cover of Food Network Magazine. Two-Time Pillsbury Bake-Off Finalist. I am passionate about sharing the best recipes so you have success in the kitchen!

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