Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Whoever said that chocolate cake is not a balanced food has never tried a piece of Chocolate Zucchini Cake. Is it cake? Is it vegetable? This devilishly rich one-layer chocolate cake is so soft and moist, you'd never guess it's packed with zucchini. Same applies to my Zucchini Brownies.

If you have tons of zucchini and a strong chocolate craving, what could be better than a moist chocolate cake loaded with zucchini and topped with silky smooth ganache? Who knew Zucchini recipes could be this indulgent?

As a bonus, this luscious zucchini cake is covered with shaved chocolate for the best texture in every bite. It's supremely chocolatey, luxuriously shiny and unbelievably moist. It's a little slice of heaven - deliciously chocolatey and loaded with fiber and protein.

Why you'll love this chocolate zucchini cake

This is a great chocolate cake - not too sweet, loaded with dark kind of chocolate and has a dense moist texture. It both melts in your mouth and definitely has some substance to it - I blame the shredded zucchini! Chocolatey, but not overly so. Despite the zucchini inside, this isn't a health food, it's a dessert and for that reason it's creamy, delicious and luscious.

Easy Chocolate Zucchini Cake

• Flavor: This cake is decadent and rich with divine chocolate flavor, especially when you pair it with deep dark chocolate ganache.
• Time: Set aside one hour to make this cake. Baking the cake is pretty quick, so it takes only 40 minutes to bake through. The longest stretch of time, however, is waiting for the cake to cool. I find that its chocolate flavor develops after a few hours.
• Texture: If it's not over-baked, this cake is soft, rich, and indulgently moist. Any unfrosted edges become delicately crisp, which adds quite a bit of textural dimension to each slice.
• Equipment: Nothing extraordinary except for a 9-inch round spring form pan.

Chocolate zucchini cake ingredients

• Zucchini: Zucchini is pure magic in cakes-nothing but flavorless moisture, texture and fiber!
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Dutch processed cocoa has a more smooth and robust chocolate flavor than natural cocoa. The color is also much darker than natural cocoa and as a result it creates a more dark brown colored cake. It also blends more easily with the flour.
• Oil: Oil adds moisture. I used canola oil, but you can use olive oil instead.
• All purpose flour: I use unbleached flour because I am not a fan of chlorine (in bleached flour).
• Baking soda, baking powder and salt
• Brown sugar
• Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature bind everything together and add moisture.
• Chocolate: 1 square bittersweet chocolate, shaved into curls for the topping.

Ganache ingredients

• Chocolate: bittersweet chocolate, chopped.
• Coconut oil: Use refined coconut oil for neutral flavor and extremely glossy finish. Refined coconut oil tends to be thinner when poured which is ideal when combined with chocolate for a clean and elegant ganache coating.

How to make chocolate zucchini cake

Making this cake is much easier than it looks! Simply shred some zucchini, mix up the cake batter, and bake the cake inside 9-inch spring form pan. Then make the chocolate ganache and once the cake cools, pour the ganache all over the cake for shiny finish.

Prepare the cake

• Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Mix liquid ingredients: Next add the eggs and brown sugar. Beat together until slightly frothy and well combined. Add the oil, vanilla extract, and milk, whisk to combine.

Add zucchini: Stir in the shredded zucchini.

Combine everything together: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold everything together until only just combined.

Add chopped chocolate: If you're using chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, stir them in now.

Bake the cake

• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake zucchini cake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Leave to cool in the pan.

Make the ganache

• To make chocolate ganache, first add the chopped chocolate and coconut oil to a heatproof bowl.
• Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water but don't allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water (bain-marie).
• Heat the chocolate and coconut oil until it has melted then remove the bowl from the heat source. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes before gently stirring until smooth and glossy.

Cool and pour

Let the ganache sit for 10-15 minutes to thicken slightly, then pour it over the cooled cake and spread to the edges with an offset spatula or back of a spoon.

The ganache should cover the entire surface of the cake and it will set to a soft, glossy finish.

Top with shaved chocolate

Use a vegetable peeler to make some chocolate curls and scatter them over the top of the cake.

Tips on baking the moist chocolate cake

Room temperature: Things like fresh eggs and room temperature ingredients are also key! When ingredients are the same temperature, they bind together more readily than if you had some cold and some warmer ingredients. Colder ingredients, especially eggs, will produce a thicker batter and, since it's cold, will take longer to bake.

The right amount of sugar is one of the keys to make the cake moist, too little and the cake won't be moist and too much and the cake will be an overload of sweet.

Use oil: Oil based cakes (as opposed to butter based) tend to be more moist and bouncy in texture.

Sift cocoa: Sifting the cocoa powder is essential for a smooth, lump-free batter and helps it blend more easily with the flour.

Not overcooking the cake: Make sure you are not letting the cake too long in the oven. The balance is the key - too little time and the cake will be underbaked in the middle, but too long will result in dryer texture. Check often once it's close to completion.

Use thermometer: Also use an oven thermometer to see if you are overbaking the cake. Most ovens have hot and cold spots and your oven can be higher or lower than what it is showing on the display.

Fats will also add moisture as well as tenderize. Liquids affect the moisture and density. When you make a cake batter and the batter turns out fairly thick (as in you cannot pour it out of a bowl in a steady stream), chances are it could be dry.

Cool the cake before adding ganache: Wait for the cake to cool completely before pouring the ganache. If it's even slightly warm, the ganache may slide right off.

Also, are you refrigerating your cake? The fridge is basically a dehumidifier and will make the cake very dry. So if you do, make sure that the cake is in an air tight container or cover it completely with cling wrap so the moisture does not escape.

Can I make classic ganache?

You could of course, consider making a traditional chocolate ganache with cream instead of coconut oil, in which case you would need 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate and ⅓ cup heavy cream. Simply add the chopped chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it starts to simmer then pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Leave for a few minutes then stir gently until smooth and glossy.

Why use coconut oil in a ganache? Coconut oil is both dense and thin which makes it a perfect ingredient for chocolate ganache. As a bonus, it's also lower in saturated fat when compared with a more traditional ganache made with cream.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake FAQ

Do I need to peel the zucchini? Zucchini adds moisture without flavor. There's no need to peel it, and definitely don't squeeze it dry. The moisture is what gives the cake its tender, melt-in-the-mouth crumb.

How do I cool the cake? It's best to leave chocolate zucchini cake at room temp and then cool down and decorate with shaved chocolate later.

Can I make it vegan? To make this recipe vegan you can replace the eggs with 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoon water; let sit for 10 minutes to gel). Make sure you use a plant-based milk and double check that the chocolate you use is dairy-free.

Variations

This chocolate zucchini cake is delicious as it is, but if you want to take it up a notch, sprinkle over toasted nuts or flaky sea salt before the ganache sets. Or serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

To make the cake more nutty: For a subtle coconut note in the ganache, use unrefined coconut oil. If you prefer a more neutral taste, opt for refined coconut oil instead.

How to refrigerate/ freeze and defrost

Refrigerate! Do not store chocolate zucchini cake at room temperature. I found if you don't eat it quickly, it can mold on you - it's all the moisture. Store it the fridge for up to 5 days. The ganache will firm up when chilled, giving it a fudgy texture.

To freeze, wrap slices individually in parchment and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature.

More delicious chocolate recipes

Chocolate Strawberry Cake

Chocolate Mousse Brownies

Buckeye Brownies

Delicious zucchini recipes

Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini Carpaccio with Lemon Vinaigrette

Easy Zucchini Soup