Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake
Hey, hi. I figured you, like me, might need some chocolate zucchini cake to help get you through the week. The moist, not-too-sweet kind you just stir up in a bowl and bake in a pan and nibble from when you need it – a cake you could get away with having a chunk of with your coffee in the morning, for filling up lunchbags and the after-school gap. And here’s some good news: if you also have far too many zucchini in your kitchen, you can grate a bunch, as if you were going to make brownies or muffins or a loaf or this cake, and just freeze it in ziplock bags, pushed flat to get the air out and so that they barely take up any space, to use in the aforementioned baked goods at a later date.
I don’t have a whole lot more to say about this cake, except that what it lacks in photogeneity it more than makes up for in functionality; it’s as perfectly suited for serving to 12 (!!!) year olds unenthusiastic about doing their math homework late on a Sunday as it is for eating while re-watching Stranger Things ahead of season 2, wrapping and stacking in squares to freeze for lunches or bringing to friends with babies or mother in laws who like to have a stash of something sweet on hand but who no longer bake. A 9×13-inch cake gives you plenty to share.
I made this recently with a divine ganache-like frosting, and it elevated it to potluck dinner party or birthday cake level, but I still have a thing about it plain, undemanding of a fork or plate.
Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake
AuthorJuliePreheat the oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients, along with the zucchini, stirring just until the two are incorporated and there are no more streaks of flour. Stir in the chocolate chips, if you're using them.
Scrape the batter into a parchment-lined (or buttered) 9x13-inch baking pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch. You can cool and frost it if you like, but I like keeping it plain and snacky. The batter would also make great cupcakes/muffins - bake in paper-lined tins for 15-20 minutes, or until springy. Makes 1 cake; serves 12 or so.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients, along with the zucchini, stirring just until the two are incorporated and there are no more streaks of flour. Stir in the chocolate chips, if you're using them.
Scrape the batter into a parchment-lined (or buttered) 9x13-inch baking pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch. You can cool and frost it if you like, but I like keeping it plain and snacky. The batter would also make great cupcakes/muffins - bake in paper-lined tins for 15-20 minutes, or until springy. Makes 1 cake; serves 12 or so.
totally need this… i dumped, i mean sprinkled, white chocolate chips on top of my recent chocolate-zucchini muffins (& loaf) and called them polkadot cupcakes. somehow it made everything a teeny bit magical that day after school.
Yeeeeessss!!!
Made this tonight as muffins for school lunch tomorrow. Added a bit of cinnamon for some spice.
Lovely cake! I tweaked it like this: used 34-1 cup sugar but i put yhe chocolate chips on top and not mixed in so it tastes sweeter. I used half spelt flour and half organic white flour as i had no ww. I used cane sugar (turbinado or coconut sugar) instead of refined sugar. I used avocado oil instead of canola. I also used greek yogurt instead of regular. In the end i founf the batter a bit thick and got worried so i added about 1/4 cup buttermilk as i did the final mix before putting in pan. All this served to health it up a bit but the taste and miosture were both great. Thanks! I may try Ww flour and spelt next time.
Simple and easy chocolate cake! Wonderful and very delicious!
So good to hear it!
I can sub buttermilk for the yogurt/sour cream right?!
Sure! it’s a bit runnier though, so you could use less.
Julie,what a gorgeous cake! Your directions make this seem like such an easy approach, too. I would love to make this soon!
Bravo! I cooked it with strawberries, it turned out just amazing!!! Thank you!
The cake is super. I love such recipes and always look for something similar in restaurants for dessert. New Year’s Eve is generally super
It is very tasty, I love sweets, but I watch to eat right, this cake is what I need !!! Thank you!
I love chocolate, I made a chocolate cake for the first time, it turned out to be quite easy for me and most importantly it is delicious !!! Thanks for the recipe I will now use this recipe as my signature cake, if you will)