• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • Contact
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Instagram! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Google Plus! Follow me via RSS!

I Heart Eating

Recipes for people who love to eat.

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
      • Work with Me
    • Rules and Disclosures
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Press

Home » Desserts » Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Posted by: Kate / Cake Recipes, Desserts / Posted: 07/27/20 / Last updated: 07/27/20

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe - Jump to Video

Easy, one-bowl chocolate zucchini cake recipe (with video)! This quick recipe makes a super moist chocolate cake.

Slice of chocolate zucchini cake on a cream plate

Homemade cakes don't get much easier than this simple chocolate zucchini cake recipe! This quick, one-bowl recipe makes a super moist chocolate cake.

If you have loads of zucchini and have already made plenty of zucchini bread, this cake is also a great way to use up extra zucchini.

How to make chocolate zucchini cake

Oil and buttermilk in a glass mixing bowl

Whisk the oil and buttermilk together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until well-combined.

Chocolate zucchini cake batter in a glass mixing bowl

Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix in just until combined.

Stir in the zucchini until combined.

Chocolate zucchini cake batter in a silver baking pan

Whisk in the water until combined. Pour the batter into prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Chocolate frosted chocolate zucchini cake in a silver baking panTips

  • Zucchini: There's no need to peel or squeeze the zucchini dry. Simply place the zucchini in a colander while you continue with the recipe.
  • Buttermilk: Regular or low-fat buttermilk will work. If you don't have buttermilk, you can make an easy substitute with this recipe.
  • Cinnamon: The cinnamon adds a bit of extra flavor, but you can omit it if you prefer.

Slice of chocolate zucchini cake on a plate with a silver forkFrostings that go well with this cake

I like to pair this cake with either chocolate buttercream frosting or chocolate cream cheese frosting. If I'm short on time, I just toss chocolate chips on the hot cake and place the cake back in the oven until the chocolate chips soften enough to spread.

You can also dust the cake with powdered sugar, if you prefer.

How to store

Depending on the frosting that I use, I either store this cake at room temperature or in the fridge. The cake will keep for up to 4 days when stored at room temperature or in the fridge.

Silver fork taking a bite of chocolate zucchini cakeMore zucchini recipes!

  • Zucchini Bread
  • Chocolate Zucchini Bread
  • Zucchini Cake

If you’ve tried this chocolate zucchini cake recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Author:I Heart Eating
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings:20 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate zucchini cake, chocolate zucchini cake recipe
Silver fork taking a bite of chocolate zucchini cake
Print Rate Pin
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

  • 3 cups grated zucchini
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup warm water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F (175 degrees C).
  • Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. Set aside.
  • Grate zucchini and place in colander while you continue with recipe.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and buttermilk until well-combined.
  • Whisk in the eggs until well-combined.
  • Add the vanilla and whisk until well-combined.
  • Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until combined.
  • Fold in the zucchini until combined.
  • Whisk in the water just until combined.
  • Pour into the prepared pan.
  • Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

Video

Notes

  • Zucchini: There's no need to peel or squeeze the zucchini dry. Simply place the zucchini in a colander while you continue with the recipe. 
  • Buttermilk: Regular or low-fat buttermilk will work. If you don't have buttermilk, you can make an easy substitute with this recipe. 
  • Cinnamon: The cinnamon adds a bit of extra flavor, but you can omit it if you prefer. 
  • Nutrition values are estimates. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1servingCalories: 174kcal (9%)Carbohydrates: 27g (9%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 7g (11%)Saturated Fat: 5g (25%)Cholesterol: 33mg (11%)Sodium: 189mg (8%)Potassium: 116mg (3%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 16g (18%)Vitamin A: 88IU (2%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 19mg (2%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @i_heart_eating on Instagram and hashtag it #ihearteating.
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Email
Instant Pot Ziti
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Reader Interactions

Join the Conversation

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Rate this recipe:




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Debby says

    August 3, 2020 at 2:53 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious and you can’t tell the zucchini is in the cake.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      August 4, 2020 at 3:06 pm

      Thank you! So glad to hear that!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

I'm Kate Dean- mom to four young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family's favorite tried-and-true recipes.

Read More »

Subscribe via email

to stay in the loop on new posts!

Latest and Greatest

Chocolate peanut butter cookies on a wooden cutting board

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Wooden spoon stirring pasta e fagioli soup

Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe

Sacher Torte slice on a white plate with a fork

Sacher Torte

Wooden spoon scooping up baked mac and cheese

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Featured On

Footer

Instant Pot

Plate of Instant Pot ziti topped with melted mozzarella cheese

Instant Pot Ziti

Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken

Instant Pot Italian Mac and Cheese on a stoneware plate

Instant Pot Italian Mac and Cheese

Popular Posts

Stack of brownie cookies with a bit missing

Brownie Cookie Recipe

Easiest chocolate chip cookies on a tan silicone baking mat

Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Whipped Buttercream Frosting

Whipped Buttercream Frosting

Cookie Recipes

Chocolate peanut butter cookies on a wooden cutting board

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Tray of doubletree chocolate chip cookies

Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Stack of M&M cookie bars on a piece of parchment paper

M&M Cookie Bars

Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Instagram! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Google Plus! Follow me via RSS!
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy
Copyright © 2021 I Heart EatingTheme by Once Coupled & Melissa Rose Design