Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This super moist and fudge-like chocolate zucchini cake is made with 2 cups of shredded zucchini—that you can't even taste! Truly the most decadent way to eat your greens and on the menu all summer long.

If you’ve been craving something extra chocolatey, you’re in for a treat. This chocolate zucchini cake is everything you want in a fudgy, rich dessert—moist and completely irresistible. And before you ask, no, you won’t taste the zucchini. It melts into the batter, leaving you with a cake that feels almost too good to be true. 🙂

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Zucchini Cake

• Just as loved as my double chocolate chip cookies
• Super moist with tons of chocolate flavor
• Batter comes together quickly and easily—1 bowl recipe!
• Another delicious way to use excess summer zucchini
• 2 cups of vegetables hiding inside and you don’t even taste it

Overview: Chocolate Zucchini Cake Ingredients

• Zucchini: We use 2 cups of shredded zucchini in this recipe. Zucchini can vary in size, but 2-3 medium zucchini is plenty. Make sure you shred it finely so it incorporates nicely into the cake batter.
• Cocoa Powder: The cocoa powder takes the place of some flour, just like in my homemade brownies recipe.
• Flour: It doesn't seem like much flour, and it's not because of the cocoa powder. Most of the volume is from the zucchini!
• Butter: Using butter in this recipe not only adds moisture but also flavor. Make sure you use unsalted butter and allow it to slightly cool before stirring with other ingredients.
• Oil: Oil adds additional moisture. You can replace it with unsweetened applesauce.
• Sour Cream: Similar to homemade zucchini bread, add sour cream helps create a tender cake and adds moisture while also creating the reaction with the baking soda to help the cake rise. You can also use low-fat or full-fat Greek yogurt, or regular yogurt.
• Eggs: 3 eggs bind everything together and help create the structure needed.
• Chocolate: While cocoa powder adds chocolate to the cake, melted chocolate creates more of a fudge cake texture.
• Brown Sugar: Using brown sugar helps keeps the cake moist and adds flavor from the molasses.
• Milk: Use skim, 1%, 2% or whole milk, even dairy-free works here!

Success Tip: Shredding Zucchini

As you can see, today's recipe comes together easily. The most difficult part is shredding the zucchini—I recommend using this box grater. It's what I use for zucchini fritters, carrot cake, and whole wheat apple cinnamon muffins.

Let Me Show You How to Make It

Start by whisking together all the wet ingredients, then whisking in the dry ingredients.

Once it comes together, you'll add in the shredded zucchini until combined.

Bake until cooked through and allow to cool completely before frosting.