Ultimate Moist Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake with Creamy Nutella Frosting
Welcome to your new favorite way to enjoy fresh garden zucchini! This incredibly moist and utterly delicious Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake is crowned with a rich, creamy chocolate or luscious Nutella frosting, making it an irresistible treat. It’s the perfect dessert to use up that abundant summer squash while simultaneously satisfying your deepest sweet tooth cravings. Simple to prepare and bursting with chocolatey goodness, this cake is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser that you’ll find yourself baking all season long.
Baking with zucchini is one of my greatest culinary joys. It performs absolute magic in baked goods, imparting an unparalleled tenderness and moisture that truly elevates the texture. If you haven’t yet discovered the delightful pairing of zucchini and chocolate, you are certainly missing out on a truly wonderful flavor experience. The mildness of the zucchini allows the chocolate and warming spices to shine, while ensuring every bite is wonderfully tender.
Why Zucchini is a Baker’s Best Friend
Beyond baking, zucchini is incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Spiralized zucchini noodles are a popular pasta substitute, offering a lighter alternative. However, I often lean towards savory preparations like crispy Zucchini Fritters or simple grilled zucchini as side dishes. It even finds its way into my savory mains, adding a fresh crunch to dishes like Kung Pao Chicken. But it’s in desserts where zucchini truly shines, transforming ordinary cakes and breads into exceptionally moist masterpieces.
The beauty of using zucchini in baking lies in its high water content. When grated and incorporated into batters, it releases moisture during baking, resulting in a cake that stays incredibly tender and fresh for days. Don’t worry about a strong “vegetable” flavor; zucchini is very mild, often taking on the flavors of the ingredients it’s paired with. In this chocolate chip zucchini cake, it acts as a secret ingredient, ensuring a delectable texture without any discernible green taste. It’s a fantastic way to sneak some vegetables into your family’s diet, especially for picky eaters!
While chocolate and zucchini are a match made in heaven, I specifically crafted this recipe for a cake that features just the right amount of chocolate – enough to satisfy, but not overpower the other delightful flavors. If you’re a true chocolate connoisseur seeking an intense cocoa experience, you might prefer a richer, full-on Chocolate Zucchini Cake, complete with chocolate frosting. However, this particular recipe offers a beautiful balance, enriched with cinnamon for a warm, spicy note that complements the chocolate chips perfectly. It’s dense yet wonderfully tender and moist, with a subtle hint of spice that makes every bite truly delicious.
This cake is your ideal solution when you have an abundance of zucchini from your garden or farmer’s market and are wondering what to do with it. Transform that garden bounty into this impressive chocolate chip zucchini cake and delight everyone who tastes it. It’s simple enough for a weeknight dessert but elegant enough to serve at gatherings.
Essential Ingredients for Your Zucchini Cake
Before you begin, ensure you have all your ingredients ready. You can find the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card with exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structural foundation of our cake. Use a good quality all-purpose flour for the best results.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create that tender crumb.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds a deeper, caramelized sweetness and contributes to the cake’s moisture content, thanks to the molasses.
- Salt: A crucial ingredient that balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors in the cake.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Our leavening agents! They work together to ensure the cake rises beautifully and achieves a light, airy texture despite its denseness.
- Cinnamon: This spice adds a warm, inviting aroma and flavor that pairs wonderfully with both zucchini and chocolate. If you prefer a purely zucchini and chocolate chip flavor profile, feel free to omit it.
- Vanilla Extract: Essential for rounding out the flavors and adding a touch of aromatic sweetness.
- Eggs: Act as binders, provide structure, and contribute to the cake’s richness and moisture.
- Oil: Vegetable oil (or another neutral-flavored oil) keeps the cake incredibly moist without adding any unwanted flavors. It also contributes to its tenderness.
- Zucchini: The star ingredient! You’ll need fresh zucchini, shredded. Important tip: do NOT drain the shredded zucchini. The moisture from the zucchini is essential for the cake’s signature tenderness and moist texture, so simply shred it directly into your batter.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are perfect here, offering bursts of melty chocolate throughout the cake. You can experiment with milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips if you prefer.
For the Irresistible Frosting
For this specific zucchini cake, I opted for a divine Nutella frosting, which is the very same recipe used for my beloved Nutella Cupcakes. This hazelnut-chocolate blend creates a uniquely rich and creamy topping that truly complements the cake’s flavors. However, if Nutella isn’t your preference, you can absolutely swap it out for a classic, easy-to-make Chocolate Frosting. Both options are fantastic, so choose what you love most!
Baking Your Perfect Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake: Step-by-Step
Making this zucchini cake is straightforward and rewarding. Follow these simple steps for a truly delightful dessert:
- Prepare Your Pan and Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, generously grease and flour a 13×9 inch baking pan. This ensures your beautiful cake will release cleanly after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, both granulated and light brown sugars, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly until they are well combined and there are no lumps of brown sugar. This ensures even distribution throughout the batter.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the vanilla extract, large eggs, and oil until the eggs are thoroughly beaten and the mixture is smooth and emulsified.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry flour mixture. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix until the ingredients are just barely combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake. A few streaks of flour are perfectly fine at this stage.
- Incorporate Zucchini and Chocolate Chips: Gently add the shredded zucchini (remember, no draining needed!) to the batter and mix until it is evenly incorporated. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. A gentle folding motion helps distribute them without crushing them.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the prepared batter evenly into your greased 13×9 inch baking pan. Transfer it to the preheated oven and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool Completely: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This step is crucial! Frosting a warm cake will cause the frosting to melt.
- Prepare and Frost: While the cake is cooling, prepare your chosen frosting. For the Nutella frosting, beat together all the ingredients (softened butter, vanilla extract, milk, Nutella, and powdered sugar) until the mixture is well blended and fluffy. Adjust the milk and powdered sugar as needed to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency. Once the cake is entirely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top.
Tips for Success & Variations
For those with picky eaters in the family, a simple trick is to peel the zucchini before shredding it. This eliminates any green flecks, ensuring they’ll never suspect they’re enjoying anything other than a delightfully moist chocolate chip cake. You can also vary the chocolate chips – try milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate chips for a different flavor profile. A handful of chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans can also be folded into the batter for added crunch and flavor.
This cake is incredibly forgiving and truly shines with its simplicity. The cinnamon adds a comforting warmth, making it perfect for autumn, but its freshness from the zucchini makes it equally delightful in the summer. Serve it with a cup of coffee or tea for a perfect afternoon treat, or as a comforting dessert after dinner. It also makes a wonderful potluck contribution, as it’s easy to transport and always a hit.
Explore More Zucchini Delights
If you’re a fan of baking with zucchini and are looking for more delicious ways to incorporate this versatile vegetable into your desserts, here are some other fantastic recipes you might enjoy:
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins: A perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
- Zucchini Brownies: Fudgy, rich brownies with a hidden vegetable boost.
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread: A classic, comforting quick bread.
- Zucchini Muffins: Simple, moist, and wonderfully spiced muffins.
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake
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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 (do not drain!)
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Nutella Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk, or as needed for consistency
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 2 – 3 cups powdered Sugar, sifted, for desired sweetness and consistency
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 13×9 inch baking pan. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon until well combined.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
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In a separate bowl, whisk together vanilla extract, eggs, and oil until smooth. Add this wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold gently until just mostly combined. Then, add the shredded zucchini (do not drain), and mix until fully incorporated. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. Be careful not to overmix.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, 3/4 cup oil, 3 cups zucchini, 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
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Pour the batter into the prepared 13×9 inch baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
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Remove from oven and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. This is important to prevent the frosting from melting.
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Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter, vanilla extract, milk, Nutella, and 2 cups of powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar (up to 3 cups total) or a tiny bit more milk as necessary to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency.1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup Nutella, 2 – 3 cups powdered Sugar
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Once the cake is completely cool, spread the prepared frosting evenly over the top. Slice and serve!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Information
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