Tremendous moist and indulgent chocolate zucchini cake is studded with chocolate chips and topped with chocolate fudge frosting. Made with three cups of shredded zucchini (you’ll be able to’t style it!), that is probably the most decadent technique to eat your greens.
I initially revealed this recipe in 2017 and have since added new images, a video tutorial, and extra success ideas.
Right this moment, now we have 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 displaying you precisely how you can 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 true secret behind it are the hidden greens inside. If you happen to’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, maintain an open thoughts. Carrot cake, anybody?!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Simply as liked as my chocolate cake
- Tremendous moist and wealthy with mega chocolate taste
- Simple to make
- Makes use of up summer season 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 Substances
This decadent cake is made with contemporary summer season zucchini and pantry fundamentals. Do you know that cocoa powder can dry out baked items rather more than flour? To compensate for this, we guarantee there’s loads of added moisture within the cake batter.
Let’s evaluate a couple of key substances:
- Unsweetened Pure Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder takes the place of some flour. Simply as in my common chocolate cake recipe, be sure to’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 gained’t style like espresso. Moderately, the espresso powder helps carry out the extreme chocolate taste. We use it in chocolate zucchini bread and on this chocolate cake roll, too. You will discover espresso powder within the espresso aisle on the grocery retailer or on-line.
- Oil: Oil provides moisture. You may strive changing *some* of the oil with unsweetened applesauce. I’ve performed this with chocolate muffins and muffins and the result’s fantastic, however I don’t advocate changing all of it. Whatever the zucchini inside, this isn’t well being meals, it’s dessert. Don’t make it one thing it’s not!
- Eggs: 4 eggs bind all the pieces collectively and add moisture. Keep in mind that room temperature substances are necessary.
- Bitter Cream: Identical to in chocolate peanut butter cake, you should use 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 truly tasting it! Zucchini is pure magic in muffins—nothing however flavorless moisture. Identical goes with my zucchini bread and zucchini muffins, too!
Optionally available 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 (similar 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 Learn how to Make It:
This chocolate zucchini cake comes collectively shortly and simply, similar to my common zucchini cake. Merely whisk the dry substances in a single bowl and beat the moist substances collectively in one other bowl. Mix the moist and dry substances, then add the chocolate chips. The cake batter might 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 my recipe notes for particulars.
- Want cupcakes as an alternative? This recipe yields about 24-30 cupcakes. See recipe be aware.
Chocolate Frosting
We’re topping and filling this chocolate zucchini cake with easy, silky, and creamy chocolate buttercream. You’ll use my favourite chocolate buttercream recipe, however enhance the amount as directed within the recipe card under.
Learn how to Assemble a Layer Cake
If you happen to’re new to assembling and layering muffins, or when you simply want a refresher, see my Learn how to Assemble a Layer Cake video tutorial. The short video information will stroll you thru how you can stack and embellish it.
If you happen to would somewhat high 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 your complete layer cake AND slightly leftover for some enjoyable piping on high. Adorn nonetheless 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
Description
This tremendous wealthy and moist chocolate zucchini cake is topped with one of the best chocolate frosting—you gained’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 giant 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 substances to the batter and beat on medium velocity till utterly mixed. Fold within the chocolate chips. Batter might be barely thick.
- Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for round 28–32 minutes or till the muffins are baked by means of. To check for doneness, calmly poke the highest of the cake along with your finger—if it bounces again as an alternative of leaving , the cake is finished. Or you’ll be able to insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake—if it comes out clear, it’s performed.
- 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 regularly enhance to excessive velocity and beat till it’s easy 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 often 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 high and sides. Pipe any leftover frosting on high. (I used Wilton 1M tip.) Adorn 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 prematurely. Hold 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 Provider (for storage)
- Blot the Zucchini: Give the shredded zucchini a really gentle blotting with a towel. Don’t squeeze an excessive amount of moisture out, just a bit blot earlier than including to the moist substances. I personal and love this field grater—works shortly!
- 9×13-inch Cake: Involved in 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 very least 45 minutes to make sure the thick cake is baked by means of. 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 middle comes out *principally* clear with no moist batter. Identical oven temperature.
As a substitute of cake, strive these as cupcakes! Instructions within the recipe notes above.
