It’s a stealth cake! No one will guess there is an entire quart of shredded zucchini in this moist, deep chocolate dessert.
This is a rerun of one of my popular posts from 2019. Definitely worth a second look.
This is the time of year when you can find some remarkable bargains at the farm stands and markets. Zucchini now appears only as very small fruit, or a baseball-bat sized overgrown creature at almost give-away prices. There is an old joke that Vermonters only lock their doors during zucchini season to avoid accidental drop-offs, and there certainly is some truth to this.
When I had my large kitchen garden, my sister always asked me to save her an overgrown zucchini; she knew there would be at least one forgotten under the leaves. She would shred it and tuck it in the freezer to make zucchini breads at holiday time. Perfect.
More vegetable than anything else
A few years back my friend Rev. Catherine gave me a lovely recipe for a chocolate cake that uses a whopping quart of shredded zucchini. Deeply chocolate and extremely moist, it fast became a family favorite, and no one would guess it was mostly vegetable. If you have been the victim of a dry-by zucchini drop, this is a sweet way to make use of your unexpected bounty.
Decades of Delicious
Catherine does not remember where she got the recipe, but it was sometime in the late 1960s when they lived in North Troy, VT, with Jay Peak visible from their front lawn and Canada in their back yard. It’s been a regular with her family ever since, and is now for my family as well, not to mention blog friends and readers of my newspaper column.
“I just made it for church coffee hour last Sunday when our adorable church musician was being feted as he was heading to Columbia U in NYC,” Catherine said the day she handed me the recipe. “Fresh home-grown zukes are best but they’re all good!”
Flexible ingredients
In this recipe, Catherine used King Arthur’s unbleached white and whole wheat flours, with some oat flour and coconut flour to make up total amount needed, so be creative! I made completely gluten- and dairy-free recently, and it came out lovely.
Use shortening, coconut oil, or butter, and any milk you like. This is all about the zucchini, even though it totally disappears into the cake. No one will know unless you tell them, and I’m keeping the secret.
A pinch of this, and that
I added a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of espresso powder simply because I do this with all chocolate cakes. Both enhance the chocolate flavor, and I can’t seem to leave anything alone!
Catherine’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Have ingredients at room temperature, grease and flour a Bundt pan, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- ½ cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Droste)
- 1 tsp. espresso powder or instant coffee (my addition)
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup shortening, coconut oil, or butter
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 4 cups grated zucchini with their liquid
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the shortening and sugar until the fat is crumbly.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat them until fluffy and well mixed.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl. It will be too thick for the mixer, so stir it in by hand with a wooden spoon.
Once thoroughly mixed, add the zucchini and mix it all in. It will be very thick, but yes, it will mix.
Add the milk and vanilla and blend.
Pour it into the prepared pan, and let it stand for ten minutes before baking.
Bake for 50-60 min. Test for doneness at 50 min.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a pretty plate.
Optional glaze: To 1/3 cup powdered sugar, add milk or lemon juice to desired consistency, one tablespoon at a time. Drizzle over the top of warm cake, letting it run down the sides.
I used confectioners and dark rum, and it was really, really good.
Don’t care for chocolate?
Yes, there are some of you out there. So, how about a lemon summer squash cake. In case you are short, I still have some overgrown patty pan squash I’d be happy to give you..
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Thank you for the wonderful ideas!
Joanna
Thanks for stopping by Joanna!
A great way to use up a glut of zucchini and love the idea of adding a drop of rum to the glaze…
Thanks Carol! That little bit of rum makes a difference!
I’m sure it did, Dorothy 🙂
You could use another spirit as well Carol, think Chambord…
Now that sounds like a plan x
😉
Eating veggies has never been so delicious – pure chocolate heaven in each slice!
Thanks Mary! Scrumptious veggies! The only question is, chocolate or lemon?
Chocolate!
Chocolate cake – my favourite + Zucchini – got to be healthy!!? 😂
Mary :))
It’s a really moist and tasty cake!
My sister always has a glut of zucchini from her hubby’s vegetable patch. I shall send her this recipe pronto. Thanks
Thanks Sheree! I’m sure they will be happy with this one!
I bet!
What’s not to love in this post? Looks absolutely delicious.
Thanks Judy! It’s a great trick!
A Zucchini cake? Chocolate? Amazing!!!
Who could ask for anything more? Chocolate and veggies.
Zucchini cake is always good! Love it with lemon or chocolate!
Thanks Jan! I love them both as well!
Oh, that lemon variation!
it’s really, really good!
Me: Hey, someone have a good chocolate zucchini cake recipe? You: Right here!
I’ve saved, it looks so yummy!
Thank you! I do hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
zucchini is such a magic secret ingredient, it adds so much moisture!
Jenna
It does indeed, and luckily in a dish like this, no flavor at all!
That cake looks so moist!
It really is a moist cake from all that zucchini Marilyn! Thanks for stopping by!
Delicious! Zucchini adds such great texture to many cakes. I make several versions each year, but the chocolate one is always the most preferred. 🙂
Yes, it’s so good! And revenge on those overgrown sneaks!
Make it butterscotch and I’m on board!😋
You got it!
Do you cook the zucchini and/or squash first? I’ve never used zucchini before in a cake or muffins or anything.
No, you just grate the zucchini raw. It will release its moisture in the baking process. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Chocolate zucchini cake – YUM! Years ago, a zucchini recipe “book” was circulated to the work group. It includes a chocolate zucchini cake recipe awa recipes for loaves, cookies, tortes & tartes, hash boats, ratatouille, relish, pickles, lasagna, salads, omelettes. I think it was when I made the zucchini soup that my husband said, “Enough!!!” I’m enjoying the pattipan zucchini sauteed w/ onions & garlic & topped w/ cheese. And the latest, “pineapple” zucchini to make carrot pineapple muffins. It’s always good to use what you have.
I certainly see how one could easily get carried away using the bounty of such a versatile vegetable (fruit!) with all it’s wonderful possibilities! The carrot pineapple muffins sound great!
Sounds like a yummy way to use zucchini! 🙂
It’s a pretty magic cake! I thank Catherine every time I make it!
I would have never guessed, for sure! Looks delicious!
No one guesses, that’s the fun of it all!
Oh my, mouthwatering 😋 I’ve heard many times about it, but never tried it myself. When the right time will come, I’ll definitely try it 😆 In the meantime, I’ve saved the recipe 😉 Thanks, Dorothy!
Thank you Ribana, I think when you make it you will be pleasantly surprised!
The chocolate cake looks decadent. And I love that it’s “healthy.”
Chocolate zucchini cake is fantastic! You have me so hungry right now!
I have needed a good zucchini cake recipe; I’ve been moving so I’ve missed the season, but next year I’m trying this one! Thanks, Dorothy!
Everyone who tries this one loves it Molly! Good luck next year.