Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake is a delicious layer cake made with three of my favorite fall ingredients. It is a perfect dessert for this time of year.
Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake is a delicious layer cake made with three of my favorite fall ingredients. It is a perfect dessert for this time of year. Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Layer Cake FORK

I am pumpkin and zucchini obsessed. In fact, I literally just made this cake for the first time last night and I couldn’t wait to share! I will be sharing today’s planned recipe later but this cake was worth moving any recipe just to get this to your plate today!

Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake is a delicious layer cake made with three of my favorite fall ingredients. It is a perfect dessert for this time of year.
I love pumpkin and zucchini as they are both so easy to bake with. Combining the two is a fall favorite. You all know how much I am obsessed with Starbucks and my love for their pumpkin spice syrup. Once that syrup hits the store, I know it is fall and I look forward to it all year. Last year when I made my Pumpkin Zucchini Cake that love affair ended and that cake became my new fall craving. Well, I hate to say it but I love this cake even more.

It is just simply gorgeous. My kids could hardly wait to dig in because it looked so creamy and delicious. It exceeded their expectations, which being the little foodies they are, is hard to do.

Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake is a delicious layer cake made with three of my favorite fall ingredients. It is a perfect dessert for this time of year. STAND
I am so thrilled that I have 1 1/2 pieces left over today, to drown my sweet sorrows in as my kids start back to school and my BABY starts kindergarten. I can’t even continue to write about it because my eyes are swelling up with tears. Here is what grade everyone is starting today: Aiden – 13 years old, 8th grade, JoJo – 10 years old, 5th grade, Madden – 9 years old, 4th grade, Jersey – 7 years old, 2nd grade and Cannon – 5 years old (my baby) starts kinder. Okay, I am losing it, we will see you tomorrow. XOXO San

How do you make Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake?

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare 2 9-inch round cake pans by spraying with cooking oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
*You can also make this a 3-layer cake by using 3 9-inch round cake pans, this will just make thicker layers. As using the 2 9-inch round cakes, you will be slicing these in half.

Combine all ingredients for the cake in order as listed above, beat on medium-high until well combined. Divide into cake pans.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on baking rack.

While cooling, make cream cheese frosting.

Beat together cream cheese and melted butter until smooth and there are no cream cheese chunks. Add in powder sugar and cream together by beating on medium-high. Add in milk one tablespoon at a time, until you get your desired consistency, if you want to make the frosting a little runnier, like pictured, add all 4 tablespoons.

Cut each round cake in half, unless you made 3 cake pans, then move to the next step.

Place one layer on a cake plate or the serving plate you will be using. Add ¾ cup frosting, then add another cake layer. Repeat with remaining cake and frosting. After the last cake layer add the remaining frosting. I just poured mine in the center and then using a knife gently pushed it from the center out and let it run naturally down the sides of the cake.

Set in fridge until frosting is set. Enjoy!

Want to do some more fall baking? Be sure to check out these great recipes: Pumpkin Zucchini Cake, Double Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Bread, and No Bake Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake.

Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board to bake for later.

Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake pinterest image

Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 548 kcal
Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake is a delicious layer cake made with three of my favorite fall ingredients. It is a perfect dessert for this time of year.

Ingredients
 

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoons ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup butter melted
  • 4 tablespoons milk optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare 2 9-inch round cake pans by spraying with cooking oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • *You can also make this a 3-layer cake by using 3 9-inch round cake pans, this will just make thicker layers. As using the 2 9-inch round cakes, you will be slicing these in half.
  • Combine all ingredients for the cake in order as listed above, beat on medium-high until well combined. Divide into cake pans.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on baking rack.
  • While cooling, make cream cheese frosting.
  • Beat together cream cheese and melted butter until smooth and there are no cream cheese chunks. Add in powder sugar and cream together by beating on medium-high. Add in milk one tablespoon at a time, until you get your desired consistency, if you want to make the frosting a little runnier, like pictured, add all 4 tablespoons.
  • Cut each round cake in half, unless you made 3 cake pans, then move to the next step.
  • Place one layer on a cake plate or the serving plate you will be using. Add ¾ cup frosting, then add another cake layer. Repeat with remaining cake and frosting. After the last cake layer add the remaining frosting. I just poured mine in the center and then using a knife gently pushed it from the center out and let it run naturally down the sides of the cake.
  • Set in fridge until frosting is set. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Pumpkin Zucchini Cake.
 
NOTE: This ended up being a 3 layer cake, when I accidentally dropped one of the cakes on the ground when I was taking it out of the pan. And my 5 year old who was walking backwards in the kitchen just happened to step on it before I could pick it up. There are directions below to make this either a 3 or a 4 layer cake.
Calories: 548kcalCarbohydrates: 108gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 499mgPotassium: 329mgFiber: 2gSugar: 82gVitamin A: 3570IUVitamin C: 7.9mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 2.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know what you think!

Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Cake is a delicious layer cake made with three of my favorite fall ingredients. It is a perfect dessert for this time of year. Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Layer Cake LONG PIN

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21 Comments

    1. Phyllis – thank you! I put 1/4 cup flour but meant to type 1/4 cup cocoa powder – I made the change – thanks. 🙂 San

    2. Phyllis – thank you! I put 1/4 cup flour but meant to type 1/4 cup cocoa powder – I made the change – thanks. 🙂 San

    1. I should edit it – right and mention that you can do 3 layers if you accidentally drop one layer on the ground and your 5 year-old is walking backwards and steps on it….
      Our kitchen always seems to have little mishaps – does yours? Hoping I am not the only one 😉 XO San

  1. I was in the process of making the cake, however I noticeed in the original ingredient list it called for cocoa-thus chocolate pumpin zucchini recipe.. but on the blog the recipe didn’t call for it? I added it. Hoping it comes out ok..

    1. It is listed in the ingredients right above flour and then when it says mix all the ingredients, you would add the cocoa powder then.

      I am sure your cake will come out wonderful! Come back and let me know.
      xo San

    2. Also..Is the cake supposed to be dense.. hoping I made it correctly, it seems very dense and thin layers. I’m making it for a bday cake.

  2. Hi I am in Australia, could I use fresh mash pumpkin for this recipe? It’s impossible to find canned pumpkin down under

    1. If you pureed it, then I think you would be just fine. I would add an extra pinch of pumpkin pie spice if you can.
      Also make sure that it isn’t too watery. Let me know how it comes out that way if you try it. xo San

  3. I made this cake in a bundt pan. The baking time was increased to an hour, but it came out beautifully. Instead of icing, I made a chocolate glaze.

    1. Maybe a sugar substitute – or applesauce? I haven’t tried either though, so can’t tell you how it will come out.

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