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Moist Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

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A rich and moist chocolate cake made with shredded zucchini for added moisture and subtle earthiness, topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. This cake is perfect for any occasion and sneaks vegetables into dessert deliciously.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed preferred)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (150g) finely grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini, squeezed to remove excess moisture)
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk or plain yogurt
  • For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Rinse and dry one medium zucchini, then grate finely using a box grater or food processor. Place shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and gently squeeze out excess moisture.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch pan with butter or nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine evenly.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until light and creamy (2-3 minutes). Add vegetable oil and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth.
  5. Fold shredded zucchini and buttermilk gently into the wet mixture.
  6. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, folding carefully with a spatula until just combined. Batter should be thick with visible flecks of zucchini.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Let cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed to avoid dust clouds. Mix in vanilla extract and salt.
  10. Once cake is completely cool, spread cream cheese frosting evenly over the top with an offset spatula. Optionally, sprinkle with chocolate shavings or cocoa nibs.

Notes

Squeeze excess moisture from zucchini to avoid soggy cake. Use room temperature ingredients for best texture. Fold batter gently to preserve air bubbles. Cool cake completely before frosting to prevent melting. Beat frosting for 3-4 minutes for fluffiness. Frozen zucchini can be used if thawed and drained well.

Nutrition

Keywords: chocolate zucchini cake, moist chocolate cake, cream cheese frosting, vegetable dessert, easy chocolate cake, zucchini dessert, healthy chocolate cake

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/moist-chocolate-zucchini-cake-recipe-with-easy-cream-cheese-frosting/