Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This chocolate zucchini cake is so rich and delicious, you would never guess there is over two cups of zucchini inside. The perfect way to use up all that summer zucchini!

Oh, boy, this cake. You wouldn’t think that chocolate zucchini cake could be life-changingly good, but here we are. I know I say a lot of cakes are my favorite, but I think this one might actually be my favorite. I like chocolate cake, but it has to satisfy a lot of requirements… it has to be rich (but not so rich that I can’t make it through a piece), it has to be moist but not soggy, it has to hold together well and not crumble. This chocolate zucchini cake passes all my requirements with flying colors! I’m prepared to say that it is the best chocolate cake I make, better than the cakes that use butter and aren’t full of vegetables. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true! If you didn’t know, you honestly would never guess that this cake has zucchini in it. There’s no zucchini taste, and no change to the texture, except that the cake is extra tender and moist because of it. This really is chocolate cake perfection!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup oil I used canola
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 heaping cups peeled shredded zucchini
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-4 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

For the cake:

• Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish by spraying with cooking spray. In a large bowl whisk together oil, sugar, vanilla, egg, and milk. Fold in zucchini. In a small bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Pour into prepared pan, and bake 25-28 minutes, or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

• In a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and milk, then add cocoa and powdered sugar. Whip until the mixture lightens and is smooth and creamy. Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with lemon zest (if desired).