Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is moist with a perfect crumb and a rich chocolate flavor. It's easy to make (no mixer required) and topped with the most delicious chocolate ganache! It's the best zucchini cake recipe you'll ever eat!

Baking with zucchini is my favorite! I love sneaking a little bit of nutrition into our favorite treats, like this zucchini bread, these paleo zucchini muffins, and this chocolate zucchini cake! This zucchini cake is so delicious no one will even guess it's packed with a nutritious vegetable!

This chocolate zucchini cake recipe is easy to make, doesn't require a mixer, and will become one of your favorite summertime treats. It's moist and fluffy with a perfect crumb and deep, rich chocolate flavor. Plus the 3-ingredient chocolate ganache is irresistibly fudgy and the perfect way to top to this zucchini cake! 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Butter/canola oil. This recipes calls for ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup canola oil. I think this is the best ratio/combination for a moist texture and buttery flavor. You can use only butter or only canola oil if you prefer (½ cup of each). Coconut oil and ghee are also possible substitutions. 
• Sour Cream. Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream if desired. 
• Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar or brown sugar can be used instead of white sugar. 
• All-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. All-purpose gluten-free baking flour also works well. 
• Espresso Powder. I highly recommend buying a container of espresso powder if you want to make the best chocolate cakes. However, instant coffee can be substituted in a pinch! 
• Mini chocolate chips. For the best texture and dispersion of little pockets of chocolate, use mini chips. You can use regular sized chocolate chips but they will be more noticeable in the cake. 

How to make Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This is a very simple recipe, but as always we'll walk through the process step-by-step, and don't forget to watch the video.

Mix together dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and espresso powder. Then set the dry ingredients aside to use later. This ensures they are evenly combined in the final chocolate zucchini cake batter. 

Combine wet ingredients & sugar

In a large bowl, add melted butter, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and whisk to combine.

Add sugar and whisk until combined and there are no lumps. I like to add sugar separately from the dry ingredients to ensure it dissolves. 

Combine wet & Dry Ingredients

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk or stir with a spatula until the batter is smooth.

Add chocolate chips & zucchini

Use a spatula to fold zucchini and chocolate chips into the batter until evenly distributed.

Pour into pan and bake

Spread batter into a greased pan. Bake 25-30 minutes until the sides are set and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Different types of pans.

You can bake this in a 9x9" or 8x8" square baking dish. You can also use a 9" round cake pan, or two 6" round cake pans. 

Cool

Let the cake cool on a cooling rack to room temperature, or in the refrigerator.

Make the Ganache:

Warm 1 cup heavy cream over medium heat, whisking every 30 seconds until it just barely starts to boil. The sides will bubble and boil, but you should turn off the heat before the middle comes to a rolling boil.

Turn off heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken. Remove from the warm burner and let the ganache cool slightly while whisking.

Pour ganache onto cake

Pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled cake and spread it evenly over the surface.

Chill

Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or until the ganache has set.  If you use a different frosting recipe, like a chocolate buttercream frosting, that doesn't need chill time to set up, you can serve the cake immediately. 

Serve

Cut into 9-16 slices and serve. I think this chocolate zucchini cake recipe is best served slightly cold. Feel free to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream to the top of your slice for an extra special treat!

Alternately, you can freeze individual slices by spreading the chilled zucchini cake pieces apart on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and freezing. Once they are frozen (about 3-4 hours), wrap the individual pieces in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Store

Store any chocolate zucchini cake leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

To Freeze:

You can freeze the entire cake by making the recipe and chilling it until it's completely cooled, then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap and foil (or bake in a pan with a lid) and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

FAQS about this Zucchini Cake Recipe

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions I get about this zucchini cake recipe. 

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Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Laura

This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is moist with a perfect crumb and a rich chocolate flavor. It's easy to make (no mixer required) and topped with the most delicious chocolate ganache! It's the best zucchini cake recipe you'll ever eat!

5 from 12 votes

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Chilling 4 hrs

Total Time 4 hrs 50 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 284 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  measuring spoons
• ▢
  measuring cups
• ▢
  spatula
• ▢
  glass batter bowl
• ▢
  9x9" baking pan
• ▢
  cake tester
• ▢
  box grater

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Cake:

• ▢ 1 cup zucchini shredded
• ▢ ¼ cup butter melted
• ▢ ¼ cup canola oil
• ▢ ¼ cup sour cream
• ▢ 2 eggs beaten
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla
• ▢ ¾ cup sugar
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ ¼ tsp baking powder
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ ½ tsp espresso powder
• ▢ ½ cup mini chocolate chips

Chocolate Ganache:

• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
• ▢ ¼ tsp vanilla extract optional

Instructions

 

Make the chocolate zucchini cake:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease an 8x8” or 9x9” baking dish, or a 9” round cake plate, set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and espresso powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, add melted butter, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
• Add sugar and whisk until combined.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until batter is smooth.
• Use a spatula to fold zucchini and chocolate chips into the batter until evenly distributed.
• Spread batter into prepared pan.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until the sides are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool on a cooling rack to room temperature, or in the refrigerator.

Make the chocolate ganache:

• Warm 1 cup heavy cream over medium heat, whisking every 30 seconds until it just barely starts to boil. The sides will bubble and boil, but you should turn off the heat before the middle comes to a rolling boil.
• Turn off heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken.
• Remove from the warm burner and let the ganache cool slightly while whisking.

Putting it together.

• Pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled cake and spread it evenly over the surface.
• Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or until the ganache has set up.
• Serve!

Video

Notes

• *Nutrition facts calculated for this recipe making 16 servings. 
• If you use a different frosting recipe, like a chocolate buttercream frosting, that doesn't need chill time to set up, you can serve the cake immediately. 

Double the recipe

You can double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13" pan. 

Ingredient Substitutions

• Butter/canola oil. This recipes calls for ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup canola oil. I think this is the best ratio/combination for a moist texture and buttery flavor. You can use only butter or only canola oil if you prefer (a ½ cup of each). Coconut oil and ghee are also possible substitutions. 
• Sour Cream. Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream if desired. 
• Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar or brown sugar can be used instead of white sugar. 
• All-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. All-purpose gluten-free baking flour also works well. 
• Espresso Powder. I highly recommend buying a container of espresso powder if you want to make the best chocolate cakes. However, instant coffee can be substituted in a pinch! 
• Mini chocolate chips. For the best texture and dispersion of little pockets of chocolate, use mini chips. You can use regular sized chocolate chips but they will be more noticeable in the cake. 

Pan size/type

You can bake this zucchini cake in a 9x9" or 8x8" square baking dish - the 8x8" will just take slightly longer to bake. You can also use a 9" round cake pan, or two 6" round cake pans to make a double layer cake. 

Store

Store any chocolate zucchini cake leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

To Freeze:

You can freeze the entire cake by making the recipe and chilling it until it's completely cooled, then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap and foil (or bake in a pan with a lid) and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Alternately, you can freeze individual slices by spreading the chilled zucchini cake pieces apart on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and freezing. Once they are frozen (about 3-4 hours), wrap the individual pieces in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 199mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 393IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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