Description
A rich and moist chocolate cake with a secret ingredient – zucchini! Topped with luscious cream cheese frosting, this cake is a perfect balance of indulgence and sneaky veggies.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 medium zucchini (170 g), grated and squeezed dry (about 2 cups or 6 oz)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini and squeeze out excess moisture using a kitchen towel.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix sugar and vegetable oil. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
- Gradually combine dry and wet ingredients, stirring gently. Fold in zucchini.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan and pour in the batter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then milk and vanilla, mixing until fluffy.
- Once the cake has cooled, spread the frosting over the top and serve.
Notes
Make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the zucchini to avoid a soggy cake. Let the cake cool completely before frosting for the best results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: chocolate, zucchini, cake, cream cheese frosting, dessert