Chocolate Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

By: Diana Posted: 7/8/24 Updated: 10/9/24

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This easy and totally decadent Chocolate Zucchini Cake is so good, nobody will expect that you put vegetables in it!

This is chocolate cake at its very best: Moist, dense, and rich, topped with a generous layer of homemade chocolate cream cheese frosting.

a hand holding a spatula, lifting up a square slice of chocolate zucchini cake with frosting.

If you’re looking for zucchini recipes, and not really into making yet another batch of zucchini bread or zucchini soup, then you’re going to love this recipe!

This is the recipe that turns all of your extra summer zucchini into one of the best chocolate cakes you’ve ever had!

Shredded zucchini adds the perfect amount of moisture and texture to this old fashioned chocolate cake recipe, and the homemade chocolate frosting takes makes it over-the-top amazing.

a square slice of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. In the background are zucchinis and a cup of coffee.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake Highlights

Rich Chocolate Flavor – Plenty of cocoa powder gives this cake the perfect amount of chocolatey flavor without being overpowering.
Moist, Tender Crumb – Zucchini adds extra moisture to the cake batter without weighing it down. You’ll see!
A Healthier Option – I won’t say that this is a recipe for health food, but you’ll find that my zucchini cake recipe has less sugar in it than many of the other recipes you’ll find. This cake is sweet, but not overly so. It’s perfect! There’s also a little bit of fiber in it from the squash!

Key Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make the best zucchini chocolate cake:

Ingredients needed to make a chocolate cake with zucchini from scratch, measured out and arranged on a marble counter.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Cocoa Powder: Use your favorite unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe, but avoid using Dutch processed cocoa powder. I find that the processed version doesn’t give the right flavor in this recipe.
Zucchini: You’ll need a medium zucchini, shredded, to add to the cake batter. Once you’ve shredded the zucchini, squeeze it to remove as much moisture as you can.
Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt: The dry base for this cake batter is probably one that you’ll recognize. Baking soda helps to give the cake some lift in the oven.
Eggs: Allow your eggs to come to room temperature before mixing them in. This will give us a smooth mixture.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is perfect in the cake recipe.
Oil: There’s no need to cream any butter in this cake recipe! Vegetable oil works really well instead.
Salt and Vanilla Extract: To enhance the chocolate flavor even more!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

This chocolate zucchini cake is delicious on its own, but I don’t recommend skipping the cream cheese frosting! It’s so, so good!

The ingredients needed to make a rich chocolate cream cheese frosting, all in small bowls, arranged on a marble counter.

Butter and Cream Cheese: Be sure that these ingredients are fully softened at room temperature or your frosting will have lumps.
Powdered Sugar
Cocoa Powder
Vanilla Extract and Salt

How To Make Zucchini Chocolate Cake

flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda whisked together in a large glass mixing bowl. — 1. **Mix Dry Ingredients:** Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.

sugar, oil, eggs, whisked together in a large glass bowl. — 2. **Mix Wet Ingredients:** In a second bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth and pale.

flour and cocoa powder added to cake batter with a whisk inside a glass mixing bowl. — 3. **Combine Wet and Dry:** With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to create a thick batter.

shredded zucchini added to chocolate cake batter in a glass mixing bowl with a red spoon. — 4. **Add Zucchini:** Fold in the grated zucchini.

chocolate zucchini cake batter in a square pan lined with parchment that is held with binder clips. — 5. **Pour:** Add the chocolate cake batter to a 9-inch square cake pan that is lined with parchment paper.

baked chocolate zucchini cake in a square pan, lined with parchment paper. — 6. **Bake:** Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

How to Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

whipped butter and cream cheese in a glass mixing bowl. — 1. **Cream Butter and Cream Cheese:** Beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy.

cocoa and powdered sugar added to whipped butter and cream cheese to make chocolate frosting. — 2. **Add Remaining Ingredients:** Mix in the vanilla extract and salt, then gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

whipped chocolate cream cheese frosting in a glass mixing bowl. — 3. **Beat Until Smooth:** Mix well until the frosting is smooth. Add milk or heavy cream if needed to adjust the consistency.

chocolate cake in a square pan, covered in chocolate frosting. — 4. **Frost the Cake:** Generously spread the chocolate frosting over the cooled cake.

Tip!

Be sure to let your chocolate zucchini cake cool down completely before covering it with frosting so that the frosting doesn’t melt!

Recipe Tips

Squeeze the zucchini well. Remove as much excess moisture as you can from the shredded zucchini by using your hands to really squeeze it.
Avoid overmixing. Add the flour gradually, and only mix for as long as it takes to incorporate. When you no longer see dry streaks in the bowl, stop mixing!
Choose your pan. I suggest using a 9-inch square pan for this recipe, but it will also work fine in an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round pan. You should also be able to make it in a standard Bundt pan!
Add more chocolate! Stir about ½ cup of regular or mini chocolate chips into the cake batter before baking if you like. You can also top the cake with extra chocolate chips as a tasty decoration.

a square piece of chocolate zucchini cake with frosting. A fork has removed a bite from the corner.

Storing Tips

Keep this zucchini cake in an airtight container in the fridge. It should stay fresh for 2-3 days this way.

You can also freeze slices of cake in containers for up to 3 months.

You won’t want to leave the frosted cake at room temperature for too long, since the frosting is made with cream cheese.

More ways to Make a Chocolate Cake

I have a huge fondness for chocolate cakes, and I have many delicious recipes for them here. Try one of these decadent dessert recipes next:

chocolate zucchini cake cut into squares.

Recipe FAQs

Do you need to peel zucchini before baking with it?

It’s generally not necessary to peel the zucchini before grating it. The only time it could be is if you really don’t want any green specks in the cake, or if your zucchini’s skin is particularly thick.

What is the best way to shred zucchini for cake?

I like to shred the zucchini with the larger holes on my box grater for zucchini desserts. It’s pretty quick and easy! You can also grate it using a food processor if you prefer.