This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is a rich, dense chocolate cake made with shredded zucchini from the garden. It’s topped with a poured chocolate frosting that melts right into the cake!
Today might as well be opposite day. Hello, I talking about zucchini…
Actually zucchini and cake, so yeah…maybe only half-opposite day.
But really, do vegetables belong in cake? Why can’t foods sit at their own designated table in the lunchroom?
All this co-mingling is messing with the universe’s natural balance.
I mean there is the exception to the rule in Carrot Cake…we ALL know “a carrot cake”… but overall everyone doesn’t have to be friends, do they?
Well, this cake is basically the John Hughes film of desserts. It’s the slow clap at the end of a big dramatic lunchroom speech.
It’s freaking ZUCCHINI CAKE! Proving we all CAN just get along.
So yeah, we’ve basically just solved all the world’s problems. Boom.
Grab a zucchini. Or if you have garden-y type friends, I am sure they have given you zucchini. Because everyone who grows zucchini is always trying to get rid of the zucchini.
Riddle me THAT!
Also another secret ingredient in this cake is sour cream…
Sounds like I’m making a stuffed baked potato, doesn’t it?
Anyway, grate up that zucchini…
You’re going to add that right into the batter.
Also chocolate chips…
Spread the batter into a pan…
And when it’s baked it will look like this. Certainly you could stop there.
HAHAHA!
Or give this cake a chance. With poured frosting. Just like the one I use on my Sunday Chocolate Cake Recipe.
I think the frosting is why this cake is not stuck at the nerd table.
Frosting helps in all aspects of life.
Let the frosting soak into the cake and set up…
Then have a slice or 3.
I’m pretty sure it counts as a serving of vegetables!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Description
serves 12
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Pourable frosting
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In bowl of stand mixer beat butter, vegetable oil and sugar together until smooth. Add in vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, salt and eggs and continue mixing until smooth and combined, scraping sides as needed.
- Add in sour cream alternately with the flour, mixing after each addition until smooth.
- Next mix in cocoa powder until evenly combined.
- Finally fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Frosting
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat melt butter, milk, and cocoa powder together, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until there are no more lumps.
- Pour frosting over your cake while it’s still warm.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Notes
cake recipe lightly adapted from King Arthur Flour
I forgot I also added plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Lovely cake! I changed a few things. I only added 11/2 cups of sugar, added dark choc chips and chose whipped cream instead of frosting.
Always moist and a family favorite… I amp this recipe up by making it into black bottom cupcake
Great idea!!
Someone requested this for a baby shower. Have you ever done this as a round, stacked cake? Or poured the frosting over with it not in the pan and let it drip down the sides?
Love this cake!
What a decadent batter! I just know this is going to be delicious. Read thru most of the chocolate zucchini cake recipes and this one called to me, pick me, pick me! Thanks Shelly!
When alternativing between flour and sour cream how much do you add of both? That part confused me…also didn’t know to use small zucchini and take out the seeds.
i usually do 3 portions of flour and 2 sour cream, but it really doesn’t matter too much. This method is done to add the ingredients and have them mix in evenly without OVERmixing 🙂
Halved the recipe and baked in an 8×8″ pan lined with parchment paper. Baking time was the same. Delicious outcome and enjoyed by all with whom I chose to share (including myself). Thank you!
Great recipe! Have you ever froze the cake?
You can absolutely freeze the cake!
Thank you
Just made this cake for a family get together tomorrow. So easy & good. Put mine in a sheet pan 10×13 so it’s going to be bar size. I had to try it & it’s a winner. Thanks so much for recepie
So glad you liked it!!