Chocolate Zucchini Cake
I've re-created an all-time favorite recipe from my childhood. It happens to be my favorite chocolate cake too! In the notes, I offer what to switch out to make it either vegan and/or gluten free.
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated zucchini grate by hand, or use the grating disk on a food processor
- 3 large eggs if making this recipe vegan, use egg replacement for three whole eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder I use 1/4 cup Dutch Process (dark) and 1/4 cup classic/American process
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups oil canola, vegetable, or avocado
- 1 and 1/2 cups flour use classic, all purpose flour or a gluten-free mix in a 1:1 ratio
- 1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- First step is to grate fresh zucchini to make two cups. If doing this by-hand, using a hand-grater, you will get a little more moisture from the fruit. If you grate using a good processor attachment, the pieces will be a little longer and the final product will have slightly less natural juices. Either way, you'll want the grated zucchini to rest out at room temperature for about 10 minutes before starting to put the recipe together.
- Next, you'll want to liberally "dust" a Bundt pan or sheet pan with your favorite spray or butter. Then use unsweetened cocoa to completely cover. Just "clank" the excess over the sink, or a bowl, to get rid of any excesses that get stuck to the bottom.
- This recipe can be put together in one bowl and mixed by-hand. You can also use a mixer, as long as you only fold-in the fruit and chocolate chips in the end. To begin, have everything set and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl, place the eggs (or egg replacer for three whole eggs), sugar, cocoa (you can use a combination of 1/2 Dutch and 1/2 American unsweetened cocoa powder), pure vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix these ingredients until combined.
- You'll have a nice and smooth chocolate base. Have your four and oil measured and ready to mix in next.
- Take half of the flour and oil and mix.
- Mix in the rest of the flour and oil.
- Add all of the grated zucchini.
- Fold in the zucchini until totally combined.
- Add chocolate chips and fold in.
- Pour all of the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. It may need an additional 5 minutes of baking. Keep in pan until it has completely cooled.
- Once the pan and cake have cooled, you can invert the pan onto a plate. Hold the plate and the pan together firmly, and give them a couple shakes downward. The cake should come out easily and in once piece.
- Slice with a sharp knife and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzling of chocolate ganache.
