When zucchini starts going wild, like it is now, zucchini recipes start popping up everywhere. This zucchini chocolate cake might be one of the best I've found.
There's an old joke in Nebraska that you should never leave your car unlocked in late summer because if you do, you will find zucchinis in your back seat.
If that happens to you, here is a recipe for the most delicious, dark, fudgy zucchini cake ever. This cake uses three cups of grated zucchini in a thirteen-by-nine-inch pan! The zucchini adds wonderful density and moisture to the cake, but you can't taste it!
Zucchini is mostly water, so it virtually disappears into the cake. It has so little flavor of its own that all you taste is chocolate!! There's no need to peel the zucchini—the skin adds color, fiber, and nutrients! This mahogany-colored cake disguises the green peels, making them completely unnoticeable.
Zucchini is an ingredient similar to bananas or applesauce in baking. It adds wonderful texture, volume, and moisture to baked goods and provides an extra boost of nutrition.
The unique thing about this recipe is that I used Hershey's Special Dark Dutch Cocoa for a truly decadent, rich dark chocolate zucchini cake and frosting.
Although all cocoa powders can range from light brown to a richer dark brown, "Dutched" cocoa has been treated with an alkali wash, which makes it less acidic and gives it a noticeably darker color and a richer, smoother, more mellow flavor.
Not into dark chocolate? You can also use regular cocoa in this recipe and the frosting. If you want to know more about the difference between natural and Dutch-processed cocoa, here's an in-depth post on the subject.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease a 13" by 9" pan and "flour" it using cocoa powder. This cake is so dark that it will make the cut pieces more attractive than flour.
Shred three cups of unpeeled zucchini and set it aside. Lightly pile the zucchini into the measuring cup; you don't need to pack it down.
Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, coffee granules, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk them together. Add the eggs and oil and beat the mixture until well combined, but do not overmix.
Gently fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips, just enough to ensure they are distributed evenly. Now pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and level it. The batter will be quite thick.
Bake the cake in a 350-degree oven for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. The cake is so dark that it's hard to tell if it's baked, but the edges should pull back slightly from the pan.
Years ago, I found a chocolate frosting recipe on the side of a Hershey's cocoa tin that's quick and easy AND tastes so much better than any other; it's been my go-to forever.
It's called "lickety-split frosting." I always especially enjoyed the "lickety" part on the spoon and the beaters! 😉 The frosting in the photo was made with regular cocoa, but you could also use the special dark chocolate cocoa for this zucchini chocolate cake.
Cream the butter, then add the cocoa, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and cream or milk. Beat the mixture, starting slowly, and then increase the speed until you achieve the desired spreading consistency. You may need to adjust the quantities of milk and powdered sugar a bit.
Cool the cake completely before frosting it, then add sprinkles if you like for a fanciful garnish. I used some yummy Watkins chocolate sprinkles.
This chocolate zucchini cake is rich, dense, and moist, so please cut it into smaller servings. It will easily serve sixteen people.
This recipe makes a dark chocolate zucchini cake that is dense, moist, and almost fudgy.
I recommend Hershey's "Lickety Split" Frosting recipe on a separate card.
A simple "scratch" chocolate buttercream frosting made from just 6 basic ingredients you probably have on hand. Hershey's cocoa made this frosting famous.
Are you a chocoholic? I have family members who honestly believe that chocolate is a food group and there is no such thing as too much chocolate!
Here are some of my most popular recipes with chocolate in a starring role.
Chocolate Cream Puff Dessert - Chocolate pudding with cream cheese sits atop a cream puff crust, then is slathered with whipped topping and sprinkled with candy bits.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls -Here is a recipe for an easy-to-make treat with just six ingredients. They are always the first candy to disappear from the candy tray.
Oreo Dirt Cake - This cake is a chocolate lover's dream come true! Chocolate fudge cake, hot fudge topping, dark chocolate pudding, and crushed Oreos will surely satisfy any chocoholic's craving!
Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake - This is a recipe for a quick and easy "poke" cake that starts with a basic chocolate cake mix poked full of caramel topping. Top it with thick chocolate frosting and chopped peanuts!
What's your favorite chocolate dessert?
If you enjoyed a post, I'd love it if you would leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review or a comment. It really helps my little business connect with other people like us who love to eat well without a lot of fuss! ❤❤
Love, GB (Betty Streff)
Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.
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