This Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Glaze is a deliciously decadent fall treat.
Whoever originally added shredded zucchini to a cake was a genius. It takes this simple chocolate cake to an extraordinary level – it’s so moist and decadent. Make this Chocolate Zucchini Cake for your next holiday party, and everyone will fall in love.
I love zucchini squash in bread, pasta, enchiladas, fried, floured, really any way you can prepare it, but my favorite to use it is in a cake! Specifically, Chocolate Zucchini Cake! It is easy to make, appealing to the eye and everyone loves it. By far, one of my favorite fall recipes.
I seriously love this cake, I have no idea why I don’t make it more often, it’s really perfect all year long. I got the recipe from my Aunt Patty – she makes the best desserts, and I’m so grateful she shares all of her delicious recipes with my family.
It might seem like a simple frosted chocolate cake, but it’s so much more than that. Rich, decadent, incredibly moist – the total package!
The only thing we changed with the original recipe was the amount of ganache frosting. I doubled the amount because the original recipe was nowhere near enough. I mean I can see why it would be fine….but the more ganache, the better, right?
Cake Ingredients
- Sugar
- Oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Milk
- Grated or shredded zucchini
Recipe Tips
Tip #1 – I’ve used grated and shredded zucchini for this recipe, and both work fine. Use a box grater or a food processor fitted with a grating blade. You don’t need to wring out the moisture from the zucchini. Just grate and add it right to the batter.
Tip #2 – Bake the cake a day in advance! Once you bake it, let it completely cool, then wrap it tightly with Saran Wrap. Then before you serve make the glaz; pour or use a spoon to drizzle the ganache over the top of the cake. Let it drip down the sides.
Ganache Frosting – so easy to make!
In a double boiler over medium heat, combine butter, chocolate chips, and corn syrup. Stir until completely melted and well incorporated.
Carefully turn the cake out of the pan onto a baking rack. Place a baking sheet or piece of parchment paper under the rack to catch the drips.
You can’t taste the zucchini in the cake – it’s added for the moisture and gives the cake the most incredible tender crumb. If you aren’t a fan of zucchini you might want to try my Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Cake.
Let me say it got rave reviews at my house. I mean, it’s chocolate cake….Need I say more? Who cares that it has veggies?!
The kids didn’t mind the veggies and loved it! The only complaint I got was the audible “ugh!” when I gave half of the cake to the neighbors. There wasn’t a crumb left at our house. Enjoy! XOXO San
More Recipes to Try
Want other ways to use zucchini in desserts? Check out these:
Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board to save for later!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
Zucchini Cake
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups zucchini grated or shredded
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons butter cut into 1/2 inch squares
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Instructions
Zucchini Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and dust a bundt pan with cocoa powder.
- Using an eletric mixer, beat together eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, cinnamon and baking powder.
- With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in the flour mixture.
- Add milk and zucchini slowly while mixing on low speed until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before making the glaze.
Glaze
- In a double boiler over medium heat, combine butter, chocolate chips, and corn syrup. Stir until completely melted and well incorporated. Drizzle over cooled cake.
This sounds amazing. I love finding new ways to sneak veggies into treats. Pinning!
Sandra this looks incredible and I’m so glad to see a fall recipe that doesn’t include pumpkin. Pinning for sure!
Dear Sandra,
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I used it as an inspiration to create a slightly healthier version, feel free to check it out! I mentioned you as a source at the bottom of my post if that’s OK with you.
Lots of love from Vienna,
Wendy
This looks so good, I cannot wait to try it this weekend!
The fudge topping on the cake put it over the top! I loved every bite!
So rich and chocolately! It was a big winner at my Ladies’ group!
I am drooling over this cake and it’s the best way to have zucchini!
I’ve made it for my family and now I am making it every month! It has such a great texture!
This sounds like the perfect chocolate cake! SO moist and delicious!
I would love a slice of this amazing cake!! LOVE it!
Oh wow! My chocolate lovers are going to be all over this cake! I’m beyond excited to make this scrumptious and very delicious cake again this weekend! Definitely one of our favorite treats.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
It’s so delicious
This cake has amazing flavor…. and that glaze!!!
The flavors in this cake mix so well together everyone loved every bite!
Looks impossible to resist! It’s a surely hit on our table!
This did not taste like zucchini cake at all! It was so tasty and decadent!