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This is a great recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Frosting! 2 cups of shredded zucchini makes this cake so moist and delicious. You’re going to love this cake!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe
One thing you and I have in common: we both LOVE chocolate cake.
And while there’s no shortage of amazing chocolate cakes around here, I wanted to create a new chocolate cake recipe to celebrate the upcoming season of Summer. And what better way to do that than to pack our chocolate cake full of… zucchini!?! Yes, you read that right! I incorporated 2 whole cups of it in this cake and guess what? It was DIVINE.
Think zucchini in chocolate cake sounds majorly weird?! I get it. But stick with me for a second and let me explain. Much like zucchini bread, adding shredded zucchini to cake adds incredible moisture with virtually no added taste! It also gave the cake a delightfully fudgy texture you’re sure to love. And the best part? The zucchini flavor is so mild many people won’t even know it’s in there! #winning
Zucchini Layer Cake
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success:
- This recipe calls for 2 full cups of coarsely shredded zucchini. I use this box grater to shred it. You’re going to want to really pack the zucchini into the measuring cup, and don’t drain it! We want all that wonderful moisture.
- This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of oil, but you may use an equal amount of melted coconut oil in its place, if preferred. I do not recommend substituting oil with melted butter.
- For best results, make sure your eggs, egg yolks, Greek yogurt, and milk have all come to room temperature before you begin baking.
- When you measure your flour, be sure you’re not packing it into the measuring cup. Packed flour will yield a dense and dry cake.
- The cake layers should all be baked on the middle rack of your oven. If there’s not enough room in your oven to bake them all in an even row at once, you can bake them in two batches.
- For the rich chocolate frosting, you’ll want to make sure your butter is VERY soft before creaming it.
- The cakes should be completely cooled before adding the frosting.
- The assembly is a two part process: you’ll place one cake level on a large plate, top it with a thick layer of frosting, then add another cake level and repeat. Once you’ve added the final cake level you’ll want to leave the top bare and place the cake in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes. Once it’s set, you can finish frosting it, slice, and serve.
If you like chocolate zucchini bread, you’ll LOVE this Chocolate Zucchini Cake. Perfect with a cold glass of milk on a warm Summer day. Enjoy ♥
More Zucchini Recipes:
- Zucchini Chocolate Cupcakes
- Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Scones
And if you try this recipe for Chocolate and Zucchini Cake, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day ♥
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate zucchini cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (not packed!)
- 1 and 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini, packed and NOT drained (see post for more on this)
- 1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil (you may also sub in melted coconut oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups hot water
For the fluffy chocolate frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 8 ounces), VERY soft
- 2 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled for 10 minutes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (more only if needed)
Instructions
For the chocolate cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°(F). Cut out three 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick baking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. It's important to make sure every bit of pan and paper are sprayed so your cakes don't get stuck. Set pans aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; mix on low speed until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Use your hands to break up any large clumps, if needed.
- In a separate bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, zucchini, Greek yogurt, oil and vanilla extract; mix until completely combined.
- Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and beat on low until just incorporated. Pour in hot water and continue mixing until completely combined; about 1 minute. The batter will be thin.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pans before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack. Cool cakes completely before frosting. *If you don't have enough room to bake all 3 cakes on the same rack in an even line, bake 2 at a time.
For the fluffy chocolate frosting:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric beater, cream the softened butter on medium-speed until completely smooth; about 3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer off and sift the confectioners' sugar into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on the lowest speed and mix until the sugar has been absorbed by the butter; about 2 minutes.
- Increase mixer speed to medium; add in the melted chocolate, vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream; beat for 2 minutes then increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating for another minute. If your frosting appears too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar; If your frosting appears too thick, add additional heavy cream, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Assembly:
- Using a serrated knife, carefully trim the raised top of each cake, making each one an even, level surface.
- Transfer 1 layer to a large plate or cake stand. Spread a thick layer of frosting on top, then top with another cake layer, and repeat, thickly spreading it with a layer of frosting.
- Top with the final cake layer and place cake in the fridge to set for 30 minutes. Once set, finishing frosting the top and sides of the cake.
- Slice and serve, or keep refrigerated for about a week.
I love the cake and this looks absolutely delicious! It would be interesting to try this summer…… yum!!!!
Thank you! I hope you try it this Summer and let us know how you enjoy it 🙂
That first shot is wonderful.
Thank you!
amazing recipe..very healthy…
Thank you!
Zucchini and chocolate cake sound weird but I`m willing to give it a try. I hope I won`t be disappointed 🙂
Zucchini and chocolate actually go together great! That’s why chocolate chip zucchini bread is so popular 😉 Hope you enjoy it!
I made this tonight just as the recipe says except I doubled the cinnamon (1 tsp instead of 1/2 tsp) and it’s an incredible cake. So moist and very rich chocolate flavor. I also sprinkled semi sweet chocolate chips over the batter in the pans before they went into the oven. This is such a great recipe. You can’t even taste the zucchini! Highly recommended!!
Was it easy to make?
I just made it today and yes, very easy. And the frosting as also delicious!
What baking time would you recommend for a sheet cake instead of layering rounds?
Thanks!
This is by far one of the best cakes I have ever had, thank you so much for this recipe, from the delicious chocolaty texture of the cake to the amazing creamy sweet frosting.
And what I also love is the picture is exactly what the result of this recipe was bubbly texture <3
I made the cake yesterday and will frost today. I see I forgot to add the hot water. Cake still seem moist though. Hope it will be ok
wow, really impressive recipe! Love adding zucchini to this since I’ve made it in bread for years, great idea and nice baking tips too regarding room temp ingredients, thank you!
Can you grease your pans and lightly flour please let me know ty can’t wait to try
Hi Carol. Yes, that should work just fine 🙂
Can this be made in a bundt pan?
Can you tell me which brand of cocoa you prefer? I know not dutch-process for this recipe but I have yet to find a natural cocoa wirh a deep choc. Flavor. Thanks!!
This cake is over the top delicious! Be sure to serve at room temp. It makes a 6/12 lb cake so plenty to share. Try it…you will not be disappointed.
The cake was so delicious and moist I loved it! It did make a lot of batter, but I made two round pans and two smaller rectangle pans and it all worked out well. I didn’t find the frosting particularly good tasting; it was really buttery/powder sugary even though I followed all the steps and times correctly. Could just be not my cup of tea as the rest of the people in my house thought it tasted fine. Will definitely make this cake again when I am feeling indulgent and perhaps try a different frosting!
Hi can I substitute the flour for oat meal flour?
Is there any alternative for coarsely shredded zucchini.
Would the taste changes if i don’t add it.
Don’t know how it will taste but I like the idea and I’ll try it. Will share my views after that.
I love Chocolate cake too much!! I will surely make it on this Sunday. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us!!
Hi can I substitute the flour for oat meal flour?
By how much could I reduce the sugar? I think it’s waaaaay too much sugar.
My grandpa’s secretary gave me a recipe for zucchini cake. That was 45 long years ago. But you can not taste the zucchini and is the very best chocolate cake.
I am out of Greek yogurt. Any good substitute for it ?
Can i use cucumber instead of zucchini ?
Hi , I want to make this cake but I can’t consume zucchini, can I make it without it with the same measurements? It’d be great if you replied 🙁
I would suggest making a different cake! I have plenty on my website that don’t call for zucchini.
I had sour cream not yogurt, I skipped the cinnamon used instant espresso and the final difference I used coffee and not hot water. The integrity of the sugars flours etc remained the same! Amazing cake! I’m an experienced baker so I knew the base of this cake was dynamite just wanted to make changes I knew would work as well. Thank you for your recipe!
Great chocolate zucchini cake recipe. Easy but more elegant than 9×13 versions. I didn’t have enough frosting for the sides, but this wasn’t needed for appearance or taste. I used food processor, fine shredding blade, which is easier than hand grating.
The cake was amazing. So moist and delicious. I, too, thought the frosting was way too sweet. This cake can stand alone with NO frosting…it’s that good!
This cake is just amazing!! I’ve prepared it multiple times and everyone loved it!
I was wondering if it can be frozen though? My sons birthday is comming up and I am baking 3 cakes, so it would be quite helpful if it can.
Thank you!
wow i like Chocolate Zucchini Cake..,
HEY, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. SO I HAVE PUREED ZUCCHINI THAT I WANT TO USE. WOULD THAT WORK JUST AS WELL AS GRATED RAW ZUCCHINI. I HAD A SURPLUS OF HUGE, I’M TALKING 10+ POUND ZUCCHINIS, THIS SUMMER FROM MY IN-LAWS SO I JUST PUREED THEM ALL AND FROZE THEM BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS ABLE TO EAT ALL THAT ZUCCHINI BEFORE IT WENT BAD. THANKS! =D
Hi Jen! I have only made this recipe with raw grated zucchini, so I honestly can’t say if a puree would work. My guy instinct is that a puree would contain a lot of liquid, so you may want to use 1/2 of what I call for. If you try it, let me know!
I just finished making the Chocolate Zucchini Cake. I noticed what seemed like the cocoa settled at the top. Meaning the top forth of the cake is much darker than the remaining part of the cake. I’m sure the cake will be delicious but wondered why. I am a semi professional baker and I’m sure the cake was mixed well. Your thoughts please. Also I made ganache for my frosting