Three times the chocolate makes this Ultimate Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake a decadent and fun way to eat your greens. It’s such a great summer dessert!
Do you get excited for certain ingredients at certain times of the year? I know right now we are quickly headed toward fall, and everyone is getting ready for pumpkin and apple all day long.
I’ll admit that I’ve already stocked up on a few cans of pumpkin because I’m ready to do some pumpkin baking very soon. But during the later summer months, I get excited for a different veggie to use in my baking.
I know I should enjoy zucchini as a veggie more often, but I seriously love baking it into my chocolate goods. It gives them such an awesome texture and taste! This Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cake and this Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread were two of my favorite ways to “eat my greens”.
I say they were my favorite because this decadent cake staring back at you jumped into the number one zucchini recipe spot as soon as I took a bite. For now anyway…I reserve the right to change my mind as soon as I bake another chocolate zucchini dessert because that’s just what I do.
A few weeks ago I headed to the grocery store because I was craving more chocolate covered zucchini. Since my bundt pan has been feeling neglected, I decided to use the veggie to make an over the top chocolate cake.
Using thee kinds of chocolate made this the most decadent, most amazing, and most delicious cake ever. You can see why I had to call it the ultimate, right?
Dark chocolate cocoa powder in the batter gives it the dark rich color. Mini chocolate chips in the batter and on top add little pockets of chocolate goodness inside and out.
And then the chocolate glaze rolling over the sides of the cake will have you swooning. Spooning that chocolate over the top was difficult because all I wanted to do was pour it into my mouth.
The three cups of shredded zucchini inside this bundt cake gives you a good reason to call this dessert a veggie. A slice of this cake can totally count as part of your daily greens. Wink, wink!
Yes, I realize my logic on greens and chocolate is slightly skewed. It’s why my shorts and I have an epic battle every summer. But we will have to continue fighting because I’m not giving up my chocolate covered zucchini any time soon.
So, would you be able to resist this chocolate zucchini cake if it was sitting on your counter? I sure didn’t.
How to make the Ultimate Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake:
- Beat softened butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat again. (full recipe below)
- Stir together the dry ingredients. Add them alternately with the milk until a batter forms.
- Add the shredded zucchini and mini chocolate chips and stir in gently.
- Spoon into a greased 12 cup bundt pan. Make sure it is not smaller or the cake will not bake right.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip out onto a plate and cool completly.
- Drizzle with chocolate glaze and add more chocolate chips.
PRO TIP: If your zucchini is extra wet when you grate it, make sure to squeeze the excess liquid out of it BEFORE adding it to the cake batter.
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Ultimate Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake
Three times the chocolate makes this Ultimate Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake a decadent and fun way to eat your greens. Great summer dessert!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3 cups finely shredded zucchini* (see note below)
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
For the Glaze
- 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. (I like Baker's Joy for bundt cakes)
- Beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again.
- Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Add the dry alternately with the buttermilk until everything is incorporated. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips by hand.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean. Remove and cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip it out onto a plate and cool completely.
- Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Stir until melted and creamy.
- Let it cool 5-10 minutes, then spoon over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the mini chips and let set. Store in a tightly sealed container.
Notes
- If your zucchini is really wet after you grate it, make sure to squeeze the excess water out of it BEFORE adding it to the cake batter.
- If you do not have buttermilk on hand, pour 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice in a measuring cup, then add milk until it reaches the 1/2 cup mark. Let it sit 5-10 minutes before using.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 460Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 353mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 3gSugar: 38gProtein: 7g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Interesting, I was so excited to make this cake as we love dark chocolate but was disappointed. Cake turned out fine and looked great but it is just too dense/heavy of a chocolate cake for us. Our preference is a lighter cake. Just personal preference I guess.
Thank you for trying the cake! It is a denser cake, so it does come down to preference. If you like a lighter style cake, this Dark Chocolate Cake would be better. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/dark-chocolate-layer-cake/ Let me know if you try this one.
have made this many times it is awesome!!!!
What do you use for the glaze because I’m thinking whipping cream is not going to be glaze and how do you get chocolate I don’t know help me out if you can
You heat the whipping cream and pour it over chocolate chips, so they melt and make a sweet & thick glaze to pour on the cake.
Hi! I’m going to be baking this cKe tomorrow and I have just one question, do you peel the zucchini? Can’t wait to bake this cake for our neighborhood barbecue!
No need to peel the zucchini for this recipe. 🙂 I just use the smallest holes on a veggie grater to shred the zucchinis, peels and all. I hope you and everyone at the barbecue enjoys the cake!
The cake was a huge success I will definitely be making this again and again ??
Made this today, I mean after all I had lots of zucchini to use.(;
Went together easy and it is delicious! Baked right at 60 mins and was perfect. Only thing I did differently was to put my zucchini on a paper towel to get all the moisture out while I was putting cake together. Everything else I did exactly as you have in recipe.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, definitely one I will be making over and over.
I made this for dessert this evening and it was just perfect! It needed to bake it another 5 minutes, but I used a Pampered Chef Bundt stone bakeware so that may have been why. It looked so beautiful that I almost didn’t want to cut into it. My husband and I enjoyed it immensely! Thank you!
Trying this cake for the first time (since I have an over abundance of monster zucchini this year)! As I wait for it to come out of the oven I thought I would let you know that when printing the recipe the ingredients for the glaze do not print out (not a big issue for me, but thought you might like to know incase anyone else was so inclined to print it too!).
Not telling the teenage sasquatch there is zucchini in the cake, we’ll see if he can tell I’m hiding veggies in the chocolate cake….hahahaha!
Can’t wait to give this a try after dinner!!!!!
YUM!
We just finished our first slice of this cake. We ran out of semisweet chips and had to use milk chocolate chips for the glaze. Minor substitute but it was delicious! I do squeeze most of the liquid out of the zucchini before adding it into recipes. Just something I’ve always done so didn’t even think about it. Still incredibly moist and delicious. Saving this one to make again some day. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed this cake! It’s one of my favorite ways to use zucchini. I usually don’t squeeze it out for this one, but if the zucchini seems extra wet after grating it I will squeeze a little bit.
Do we use salted or unsalted butter?
I use unsalted butter in all my recipes. Thank you for letting me know this recipe didn’t specify which one. I have gone in and fixed it to say unsalted butter. I hope you enjoy the cake!
Looks amazing!
I just finished making this cake. The cake did not take 50 minutes. It only took 30 minutes!
It was a lot of work so I hope the cake is as good as hours looks! Keep you posted
Hi, Donna. How was the cake when you cut into it??? I actually just made this cake again, and it still took 50 minutes in my oven. I’m not quite sure why yours would have baked so much faster. Most bundt cakes take at least 45 minutes to bake all the way through. Are you sure you added every ingredient? What size was your bundt pan? Was the zucchini dry when you shredded it? I’m not doubting your baking skills, I’m just trying to think of any possible reason why it would have baked so quickly.
Made this and used a vanilla glaze with mini chips on top and it was so delicious ,everyone loved it and couldn’t believe it had zucchini in it! Will make again for sure,thank you.
I made this with gluten free flour for my daughter’s birthday (she has Celiac disease) and it was moist and delicious…which are two words I have never used to describe any gluten free bakery item. I’ve made it 3 times in the past month and it turned out great every time. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Hi, just curious; Do you drain/squeeze your shredded zucchini at all? Thanks!
I do not usually squeeze shredded zucchini in most of my recipes. Unless I shred it and it seems extra wet or if I specifically say to do it. I hope that helps and you enjoy the cake.
The cake has several steps but recipe actually quite easy to follow.i don’t have allot of patience so if I can follow recipe anyone.can.i made this for dessert to take along with dinner for my brother.my husband and I were going to his house to have an enjoyable evening with him.
OHMYGOSH; that looks so delicious and looks nice and moist as well.
Chocolate . . . A Delicious Cure for a Bad Day.
Was the worst thing i’ve Every made have no idea what happened was so dense and heavy ! Was a waste of time not to mention the cost $$ of making it only to throw it away ! This was first time i’ve Used one of your recipes and will be the last ! I’ve made lots of thing with zucchini was the first that didn’t turn out !!???
I am so sorry this didn’t turn out for you. Was your zucchini extra wet when you grated it? If it is, you need to squeeze that moisture out before adding it to the batter. Also, how long did you bake it for? And did you test it with a skewer or knife before taking it out of the oven? If there was still batter on that, it would need to bake longer. All ovens do bake differently, which is why I say 50-60 minutes.