This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy
This moist and delicious Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake is topped with rich, creamy chocolate frosting! It’s the perfect way to use up fresh zucchini and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time. Easy to make and packed with chocolatey goodness, this is a crowd-pleasing dessert you’ll make all summer long.
I love baking with zucchini. There are so many great zucchini recipes to try. It does magical things in baked goods leaving them super tender and moist. And if you haven’t paired it with chocolate yet, you are definitely missing out!
Zucchini recipes are obviously more than just baking. Using it place of pasta is all the rage, but I am more of a Zucchini Fritters or grilled zucchini kind of person. It is actually one of my favorite things to put in my Kung Pao Chicken too.
Chocolate and zucchini go really well together, but I wanted a cake that just had a little chocolate. This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is full on chocolate with chocolate frosting if that is more your thing. This one is full of cinnamon, so it has the spice with it and it is just delicious.
The cake is dense but still super tender and moist, with just a hint of cinnamon. It is perfect if you have zucchini sitting around and aren’t sure what to do with it. Make this chocolate chip zucchini cake and impressive everyone.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon – if you want just plain zucchini and chocolate chip, you can leave out the cinnamon
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Oil
- Zucchini – no the recipe tells you not to drain the zucchini, you want the moisture, so just shred it straight into the cake.
- Chocolate Chips
For this zucchini cake I made a Nutella frosting, that is the same as the frosting on my Nutella Cupcakes. But you can definitely swap it for a classic Chocolate Frosting if you aren’t a Nutella fan.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Whisk until combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together vanilla, eggs and oil until the eggs are well beaten.
- Combine. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until it is just barely combined. Add in the shredded zucchini and mix until it is incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake. Pour the mixture into a prepared 13×9 inch baking pan and bake until a tester comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.
- Frost. Once the cake has cooled beat together all of the ingredients for the frosting and spread over the cake.
And if you have picky eaters feel free to peel the zucchini before shredding it and putting in this cake. Then they will never see any green flecks or have any idea they are eating anything but a delicious chocolate chip cake.
More Zucchini Recipes
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup oil
- 3 cups zucchini, shredded
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Nutella Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 2 – 3 cups powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 13×9 inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- In a separate bowl mix together vanilla, eggs and oil. Add flour mixture and fold until mostly combined. Add zucchini (do not drain), and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, 3/4 cup oil, 3 cups zucchini, 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- Meanwhile prepare the frosting. Mix together all of the ingredients until well blended. Beat until fluffy. Adjust the milk and sugar as necessary to get a spreadable consistency.1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup Nutella, 2 – 3 cups powdered Sugar
- Once the cake is completely cool frost.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I created a fun group on Facebook,and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
.
I used butter instead of oil.No other changes. This cake was moist and delicious, and the frosting was perfect with it! Try it!
By far the BEST zucchini cake I’ve ever made or had. I love that it uses a good amount of zucchini with no draining/squeezing is required. I’ve made this twice now, one as a 9×13 and the other as a layer cake (two 9-inch round pans) and both times the results were perfect. The only change I made was to reduce the chocolate chips to one cup (it’s quite sweet) and I used an ermine icing, which is less sweet. This one is a keeper!