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Chocolate zucchini cake is perfectly rich, moist, and fudgy – ready in 1 hour with heaps of chocolatey flavor (and no zucchini flavor!) + it’s egg and dairy-free & vegan!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Every summer, I dive into a large bounty of fresh zucchini, pulling together tasty vegan zucchini recipes like vegan baked zucchini fritters, zucchini salad, and easy zucchini stir-fry. Then, I discovered the magic of zucchini desserts – like 1-bowl easy vegan zucchini bread, vegan blueberry zucchini muffins, and this ultimate chocolate-studded chocolate zucchini cake.
Making vegan chocolate cake with zucchini makes it ULTRA-moist, fudgy, and slightly dense, adds hidden nutrients, and you won’t even notice it (I promise). With a whole 2 CUPS of zucchini, this cake is decadent, rich, tender, luxuriously chocolatey, and so moist – yet still a healthier chocolate cake option for chocoholics.
Best of all, it’s easy to make, requires no peeling or squeezing the zucchini, and only simple pantry ingredients. Plus, you can use the versatile batter for round, square, and sheet cakes, bundts, loaves, muffins, etc. You don’t even need to decorate; but add a vegan frosting for an even more addictive treat.
You might also enjoy easy vegan zucchini muffins, oatmeal zucchini cookies, and easy zucchini mock apple pie.
Ingredient Notes
Please refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and substitutes.
Recipe Variations
- Coffee: Boost and add depth to the chocolate flavor with 2-3 teaspoons espresso powder (decaf, if preferred). Add more for mocha flavor.
- Spices: Try a teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of cayenne, etc.
- Nuts: Add up to ¾ cup chopped walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, etc., for texture/crunch.
- Coconut: Add a few tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut to the batter.
- Citrus: Add a tablespoon of orange zest + optional orange flavoring. Pair with a citrus glaze or choc-orange frosting.
Want to add a topping? Fold the vegan chocolate chips/chunks into the batter, then dust the top with cocoa powder OR use a frosting/glaze, like:
Dairy-free cream cheese frosting, vegan chocolate ganache, vegan whipped cream, or flavored frosting like chocolate, easy biscoff buttercream frosting, peanut butter, raspberry, salted caramel, or coffee.
How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Step 1: First, combine the apple cider vinegar and plant-based milk, mix well, and set aside to curdle. Then, grate the zucchini using medium box grater holes or a food processor shredding disk (no need to peel or squeeze it).
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).
Step 3: In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until combined, then set aside for 4-5 minutes. The zucchini will continue to release moisture into the batter. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F/175C and grease a 9-inch (25 cm) round spring-form cake pan.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the pan, level with a spatula, and sprinkle with the vegan chocolate chips/chunks, pressing them gently into the batter.
Step 5: Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife/skewer inserted into the center comes out clean (or with moist crumbs). Finally, transfer the zucchini chocolate cake to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before removing the pan and slicing – enjoy!
FAQs
No, you can’t taste it at all. Instead, this vegan chocolate and zucchini cake recipe uses zucchini to help make it super moist and adds extra nutrients.
Yes, but fully thaw and drain excess liquid (without squeezing it).
Yes, you could replace a portion of oil with unsweetened applesauce. Mashed sweet potato, banana, or vegan Greek yogurt may also work.
I don’t recommend replacing it all, though, as oil produces a wonderfully tender crumb.
Yes! It’s easy to bake this batter in your pan of choice, adjusting baking times.
For cupcakes/muffins: Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 18-24 minutes. Muffin liners will take slightly longer.
Loaf cakes/sheet cakes: Divide batter between loaf/ sheet pans and bake, using a toothpick to test for doneness at 30 minutes (50 for a loaf) and every 5 minutes after.
Pro Recipe Tips
- For quick prep: Using a food processor grating disk will shred the zucchini in seconds (and way less arm power than hand shredding).
- To measure the flour: Fluff it in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, then use the back of a knife to level the top. That way, you’ll avoid a dense, dry cake.
- Don’t over-mix the batter: Otherwise, you risk ending up with a dense, rubbery cake.
- Grease cake pan liberally: To avoid it sticking.
- Leave it to cool: This will finish cooking/setting the cake. If you try to remove it from the pan too soon, it may fall apart.
How to Store Chocolate Zucchini Cake?
There are several ways to store this moist vegan chocolate cake with zucchini.
At room temperature: Store vegan chocolate courgette cake loosely covered for 1-2 days.
In the fridge: In an airtight container lined with a paper towel for 5-7 days.
Freeze: Whole or sliced (parchment between slices to avoid sticking) in plastic wrap in a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or thaw quickly in a toaster oven/microwave.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup of plant-based milk (soy milk works best)
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ cup of neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups of grated zucchini do not squeeze the liquid out of it
- 1 cup of vegan chocolate chips or vegan chocolate chunks
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix the apple cider with the plant-based milk. Mix well until it begins to thicken. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- Add the oil, vanilla extract, and zucchini to the bowl with the milk-apple cider mixture. Stir until fully combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until fully combined. Set aside for the zucchini to continue to release moisture into the batter.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly grease a 9-inch round springform cake pan. Pour the batter into the cake pan. Level it with a spatula and evenly sprinkle the vegan chocolate chips or chunks. Gently press them into the batter and set aside while the oven preheats.
- Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a knife into the cake. If the knife comes out clean, the cake is done. If the knife comes out covered with wet batter, continue to bake in increments for 5 minutes. Do not overbake. If the knife comes out very slightly with batter, remove the cake from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. It will finish baking outside with its internal heat. Allow it to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- To measure the flour: Fluff it in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, then use the back of a knife to level the top. That way, you’ll avoid a dense, dry cake.
- Don’t over-mix the batter: Otherwise, you risk ending up with a dense, rubbery cake.
- Grease cake pan liberally: To avoid it sticking.
- Leave it to cool: This will finish cooking/setting the cake. If you try to remove it from the pan too soon, it may fall apart.
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