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Chocolate Zucchini Cake is moist, tender and full of rich chocolate flavor! The cake is topped with chopped nuts, brown sugar and chocolate chips which gives this the most delicious crumbly topping! This Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe is easy and flavorful!
Grandma’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe
Yesterday I was at my Grandma’s house celebrating the Fourth of July. Growing up we would go every year to watch the parade.
The parade goes right in front of my grandparents house and all of the floats throw A TON of candy! It is so much fun!
We came home with so much candy I don’t know if I’ll even have to buy candy to pass out on halloween. ?
While we were eating lunch before the parade, I was talking with my Aunt and Uncle about my Grandma’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe.
Side note: Out of all of my cousins, I am one of the oldest. So I am closer in age to my Aunt and Uncle than I am to most of my cousins. I have a cousin that is YOUNGER than my baby! Try to wrap your head around that!
Anyway, after all that talking with my Aunt and Uncle, I just had to get my Grandma’s recipe and make it STAT.
And that is exactly what I did.
And Chase ate an entire piece. Like, he actually ate zucchini. #miracle
How to make Zucchini Chocolate Cake
There is one detail about this recipe that was really stressed to me. Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible.
For this reason, it is important to grate the zucchini first. Grate the zucchini and set it on some paper towels.
You’ll want to change the paper towel out as you make the cake batter. Change when the paper towels are soaked with zucchini juice.
Just wash the zucchini’s, cut off both ends and then grate. I used a fine grater.
I used my stand mixer to mix the cake batter, but a hand electric mixer would work great as well.
Combine butter, oil and sugar.
Once the butter, oil and sugar are combined add in an egg, vanilla, milk and lemon juice.
Mix until thoroughly combined. Now add in the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Like I said above, during this whole process you will want to be changing out the paper towel underneath the zucchini.
The zucchini should now be more on the dry side. You can even take one last paper towel and squeeze the remaining liquid out.
With a spoon, fold the shredded zucchini into the cake batter.
Pour the batter into a greased 9X9 cake pan.
Sprinkle the top of the cake batter with brown sugar, mini chocolate chips and chopped pecans (or walnuts if you prefer!)
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Chocolate Zucchini Cake is moist, tender and full of rich chocolate flavor! The cake is topped with chopped nuts, brown sugar and chocolate chips which gives this the most delicious crumbly topping! This Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe is easy and flavorful!
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded zucchini, approx 1 zucchini
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa
- 1/2 tsp soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts, I like pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Grate the zucchini and let it sit on a paper towel. The paper towel will absorb the moisture from the zucchini. Change the paper towel as needed while making the cake batter.
- Using either a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the butter, oil and sugar.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla, milk and lemon juice until well combined.
- Add in the flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix thoroughly.
- Change the paper towel underneath the zucchini one last time and squeeze the remaining liquid out of the zucchini.
- Using a spoon, fold the zucchini into the cake batter.
- Pour batter into a greased 9X9 pan.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips, brown sugar and chopped nuts on top of the cake.
- Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and then serve!
Recipe Notes
This recipe doubles great to make a 9X13 cake!
If you’d like to cook this in the Instant Pot, cook on Manual HIGH for 55 minutes, QR.
Try some of my most popular recipes!
Cheesecake Fruit Dip
Classic Cinnamon Roll Recipes
Soft Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
I lOVE seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! Take some pictures, post them and TAG ME! ❤
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded zucchini, approx 1 zucchini
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup canola oil , or vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa
- 1/2 tsp soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts, I like pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Grate the zucchini and let it sit on a paper towel. The paper towel will absorb the moisture from the zucchini. Change the paper towel as needed while making the cake batter.
- Using either a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the butter, oil and sugar.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla, milk and lemon juice until well combined.
- Add in the flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix thoroughly.
- Change the paper towel underneath the zucchini one last time and squeeze the remaining liquid out of the zucchini.
- Using a spoon, fold the zucchini into the cake batter.
- Pour batter into a greased 9X9 pan.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips, brown sugar and chopped nuts on top of the cake.
- Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and then serve!
Notes
