Satisfy the hungry gremlin inside you with this delicious chocolate zucchini cake. This easy to make, super moist and indulgent cake is simply screaming chooocoolateee. Since it’s packed also with shredded zucchini (you won’t even know you are eating those greens), you’ll get your daily vegetable requirements by eating a chocolate cake. A-ma-zing!
Zucchini in a cake?! Before you even start making grimaces or run away, let me tell you that even though there is quite a big amount of zucchini in this dessert, the only thing you’ll taste is chocolate. I swear! Cocoa powder and chocolate chips make this cake incredibly rich and delicious.
Also, zucchini are there for a reason. When the zucchini meets cocoa, it absorbs it and at the same time, it delivers the full and round chocolate flavour. Since zucchini is pretty flavourless, the other main reason for using zucchini is, that it gives the cake incredible moisture. Yummy. And, this is a fabulous way, how to use up those zucchini that also the “pickiest” of your friends will love. Wink. Hiding vegetables in a cake! How clever is that?!
Moreover, one important step that shouldn’t be skipped, is to prepare the zucchini before adding them to the cake. Firstly, you can decide either to peel them or to keep the green peel. I kept it because the zucchini were young. Secondly, it’s true, they add the moisture, but too much water can make your cake gummy and the texture won’t be nice. Therefore, squeeze out all of the excess water.
I love this cake because it’s not too sweet yet incredibly chocolatey. Also, it tastes best when fresh. However, I froze a piece of it and I must say it tastes wonderful when slightly frozen. It’s like chocolate ice cream mixed in a sponge cake. Delicious.
Additionally, I baked this cake in a loaf pan. But this recipe is very adaptable and therefore you can use any baking form you like. It will taste great either in a loaf pan, cake pan, bundt cake form or even in a muffin tin.
You’ll love these two decadent chocolate recipes, too. First, the avocado chocolate truffles and second, the choco avocado mousse. Lovely.
Ingredients for one loaf of chocolate zucchini cake:
- 250 g zucchini (young, shredded)
- 160 g flour (sifted)
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- a couple of pinches of salt
- 1 ripe banana (mashed)
- 1 tsp of apple vinegar
- 100 g butter (soft)
- 100 g brown sugar
- 60 ml of milk
- 1 tsp of vanilla paste
- 1 tsp of instant coffee
- ca 150 g choco chips (plus some for topping)
To begin, wash and shred the zucchini. While you prepare the rest, place them in a sieve above a bowl and let them drain. Then, preheat the oven to 175º C and line a loaf pan with parchment paper leaving it hanging over the edges.
Furthermore, in a medium bowl sift the flour, add the cocoa powder, a couple of pinches of salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir to combine.
In a second bowl, mash a ripe banana, add the sugar, apple vinegar, vanilla paste, milk, softened butter and instant coffee. Using a hand mixer, mix until well combined.
At this point, stir the liquid batter into the flour mixture. Squeeze the shredded zucchini between your palms to remove the excess water. Fold the zucchini and chocolate chips into the cake batter and stir to evenly spread it around the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with some more chocolate chips. Put to bake for 60-70 minutes. To be sure, make a check with a wooden skewer. If it’s dry when you pull it out of the cake, then the cake is baked.
Once the chocolate zucchini cake is baked, remove it from the oven yet keep it in the baking form until completely chilled.
In conclusion, take the loaf out of the form, remove the parchment paper and cut it into slices or cubes. Serve this decadent chocolate zucchini cake any time of the year, along with a cup of tea or coffee or even with a glass of wine.
Enjoy!
