This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is probably the healthiest, most fudgy and super moist chocolate cake that you’ll ever taste!

Ssshhhh, for those who don’t know, don’t tell them there is veggie in it! Watch the recipe video here.

I must admit…..when I first heard of chocolate zucchini cake, I was really really skeptical.  I mean, I can handle zucchini in a salad or a roast, even in a cheese bake but come on, who puts zucchini in a cake??? Isn’t that stretching vegan too far!?!

Chocolate and Zucchini…REALLY?

Life is full of surprises, especially when it comes to food experiment. As I researched more, I was intrigued. In Asia, my part of the world, Chocolate Zucchini Cake is almost unheard of; but it is a regular favorite in the vegan world and other parts of the continent.

After trying and testing out this recipe, I must say I’m now fully converted. It is the zucchini that is the SECRET ingredient!

Because zucchini is so full of moisture, it makes the cake super moist, luxuriously fudgy and yet not heavy at all. And it keeps the moisture well even when the cake is stored for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. And one can’t taste the zucchini at all, all that vegetable goodness just bakes and disappears into the cake, making it wonderfully fudgy and soft.

I did two separate taste tests on Beautiful (moniker for teenage Daughter No. 2) and her classmate, daughter of a good family friend. These two girls would NEVER touch zucchini on its own…..least of all, eat it. Well,……..Never Say Never*

*Newly discovered trivia – did you know Never say Never is a Charles Dickens quote? This expression was first recorded in his Pickwick Papers (1837)….but I digress….

The taste test was an overwhelming success. Having taken a first slice, even after they were told that there is ZUCCHINI in the cake, both girls went back for seconds and asked for more. In fact, when I told Beautiful I was writing my post on the chocolate zucchini cake, she asked if we could have it for dessert. Her words to me after dinner, eyes widening as she had her first mouthful of chocolate zucchini cake dessert, “Mom, you have struck gold!”. There – Proof in the Pudding 🙂

MOIST, MOIST, MOIST!

And the Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe is easy. I can sum it up in 4 simple steps.

• Mix the dry ingredients

• Mix the wet ingredients and zucchini

• Combine the dry and the wet ingredients

• Bake, cool and enjoy! Check out the video and full recipe below to see how easy.

If you like this recipe tutorial and like to see more, subscribe to my YouTube channel here! 

Tips:

• This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is rich and delicious on its own even without frosting. When I make it naked without frosting, I like to add ½ cup of semi sweet dark chocolate chips to the batter to get those little pockets of melty chocolate surprise in each bite. If baking as cupcakes or in a brownie pan, reduce cooking time to 15-20 minutes.

Freshly baked in a brownie pan

• I find that the cake is a little denser if I use sour cream and a bit lighter with buttermilk so depending on the texture preference, you can interchange these two ingredients (I have set out the quantities in the recipe below)

• I usually don’t make this ahead as this is an easy to do cake. If you do want to make ahead, do it the day before; refrigerate it overnight and frost the next day before serving. This cake stores well for 4-5 days, refrigerated.

I made this Chocolate Zucchini Cake for Sean, my little cute handsome nephew who just turned 1 and decided to top it off this time with chocolate ganache & chocolate whipped frosting, decorated with raspberries in his initial (yes that cake in the video is his!).

Healthy birthday cake, dark, delicious and weirdly loaded with vegetables for our healthy 1 year old! Starting him young to love zucchini! So perhaps he will always identify zucchini as moist, so chocolatey and so yummy : )

Try it and hope you will be a convert just like us! 

Print Recipe

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

The healthiest, super fudgy and super moist chocolate cake you'll ever taste. And you'd never guess it is weirdly loaded with vegetables!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Servings: 2 x 6 inch round cake pan

Author: Kai

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp espresso powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 40 g sour cream or 50ml buttermilk (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (~ 1 large zucchini, skin off)
• 1/2 cup semi sweet dark chocolate chips (optional)

Chocolate ganache

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup semi sweet dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) . Grease two round 6 inch cake pans. Set aside.
• Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• In another large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until well mixed. Add in the zucchini and combine.
• Add the dry ingredients in 2-3 parts and beat on medium speed until well mixed. Batter will be slightly thick. (See batter texture in video)
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 30-35minutes or until the cakes are baked through when a wooden skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• Bring the heavy cream to a gentle boil. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1-2 minutes.
• Combine and stir until the chocolate chips are completely melted and the ganache is creamy and smooth.
• Set side to cool to room temperature before frosting. (We want a thick pouring texture so best to cool at room temperature and not to refrigerate.)
• Take half of the cooked chocolate ganache and whisk on high until stiff peaks to make the chocolate frosting. Keep the remaining chocolate ganache for pouring over the TOP of the cake.

Assembly and frosting

• Use a serrated knife, and level any uneven tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. (Cake scraps for the baker's snack, Yay!)
• Place the first cake layer gently on a plate or cake board and pipe on a nice thick layer of chocolate frosting.
• Layer on the 2nd cake tier and gently pour over the ganache until it just covers the top of the cake.
• Using an offset spatula, gently spread the ganache and push it slightly over the edge of the cake so that it forms a nice drip down the sides.
• Pipe the leftover chocolate frosting on top (I used a Wilton 2D) and decorate with raspberries (optional).

Video

Notes

If you like this recipe tutorial and like to see more, subscribe to my YouTube channel here! 

 

1. This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is rich and delicious on its own even without frosting. When I make it naked without frosting, I like to add ½ cup of semi dark chocolate chips to the batter to get those little pockets of melty chocolate surprise in each bite. If baking as cupcakes or in a 12 square brownie tin, reduce bake time to 15-20 minutes

 

1. I find that the cake is a little denser if I use sour cream and a bit lighter with buttermilk so depending on the texture preference, you can interchange these two ingredients (I have set out the quantities in the recipe above).
2. I usually don’t make this ahead as this is an easy to do cake. If you do want to make ahead, do it the day before, refrigerate it overnight and frost the next day before serving. This cake stores well for 4-5 days, refrigerated.