Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

Zucchini may turn up in casseroles, breads, and appetizers, but we're taking it one step further by incorporating it into a fudgy, moist chocolate-zucchini cake that is guaranteed to become one of your go-to recipes for birthday celebrations, potlucks, and simple weeknight desserts.

This impressive yet easy-to-make chocolate-zucchini cake got rave reviews in our Test Kitchen and quickly developed a cult following, and for good reason! It's packed with plenty of green stuff (two medium zucchini), but your family will be too distracted by the rich chocolate flavor and nutty brown butter frosting to notice.

The crowning touch of any cake is a tasty frosting, and this Brown Butter-Pistachio Frosting has just the right sweet-salty balance to partner with the deep chocolate cake.

Learn how to make chocolate-zucchini cake. This will be a potluck and party favorite after the first time you serve it.

Ingredients for Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

For chocolate-zucchini cake, most ingredients are standard baking essentials—plus, of course, the zucchini and cocoa powder. Here's the full list:

• Sugar: For sweetness and a fluffy, light texture.
• Butter: Adds great flavor to the batter.
• Oil: Doesn't have much flavor but it makes the cake fluffy and moist, so we use both fats in this chocolate-zucchini cake for that reason.
• Vanilla: An essential ingredient to round out all the flavors.
• Eggs: Brings the cake together and gives it body.
• All-purpose flour: The perfect flour for this cake as it develops a tender crumb.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: For the best chocolate flavor without additional sweetness.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Two leavening agents that help the cake rise tall and proud while baking.
• Salt: Essential to balance the flavors of the cake.
• Sour cream: Don't have sour cream on hand? Substitute with plain yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk for similar results.
• Grated zucchini: Lends loads of moisture to the cake and makes it a bit toothsome.
• Chocolate chips: Double down on the chocolate flavor with some chips stirred into the batter.

The Brown-Butter Pistachio Frosting calls for:

• Butter: This will be browned for a hidden boost of flavor in the frosting.
• Cream cheese: Makes the frosting creamy and spreadable, with just a hint of tang to counter the sweet cake.
• Powdered sugar: Strengthens the frosting so it's spreadable and thick.
• Vanilla: Boosts the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Salt: Counters all the sweetness of the frosting.
• Roasted salted pistachios: For a bit of crunch and saltiness as a surprise way to finish off this classic cake.

How To Make Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

The full recipe for chocolate-zucchini cake is below, but before you get started, here's a brief outline:

• Step 1. Prepare the pan and oven: Preheat the oven while you work on the batter. Spray a 13-x-9-inch baking pan with baking spray.
• Step 2. Make batter: Beat sugar, butter, oil, and vanilla until fluffy, then add eggs and beat to incorporate. Add a mix of flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt alternately with sour cream.
• Step 3. Add zucchini: Stir in grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
• Step 4. Bake cake: Pour batter into pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes; cool to room temperature.
• Step 5. Make frosting: Cook butter in a pan until browned; transfer to a bowl and chill until firm. Beat butter with cream cheese until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy. Stir in five tablespoons of pistachios.
• Step 6. Frost cake: Spread frosting over cake and sprinkle with remaining pistachios.

How To Store Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

Chocolate-zucchini cake can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Freeze for longer storage, and thaw in the fridge before enjoying.

Which Type of Cocoa Powder Should Be Used for Chocolate-Zucchini Cake?

When choosing an unsweetened cocoa powder, it's important to note there are two distinct types: natural and dutch-process.

Natural cocoa powder is lighter in color and more acidic, meaning it works best when paired with baking soda to help give baked goods their rise. Dutch-process cocoa has had its acid neutralized, so it isn't part of the leavening process and often gets paired in recipes with baking powder and possibly even a small amount of baking soda.

While either can be used here, natural cocoa results in a lighter color and flavor, while dutch-process provides deeper chocolate flavor and a darker color.

Can You Freeze Chocolate-Zucchini Cake?

Yes, you can get a bit of the work of this recipe done in advance by cooking the cake and freezing it—but don't frost it before freezing. Let the cake cool completely before wrapping the baking pan with storage wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Store the dish in the fridge up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

The frosting won't freeze and thaw well, and to keep it the most spreadable (and less likely to rip your cake), we recommend you frost the cake right after make the frosting.

Does Chocolate-Zucchini Cake Need To Be Refrigerated?

Yes, once this cake is frosted, it should be stored in the fridge. The cream cheese in the frosting needs to stay cooled to prevent foodborne illness.

More Ways With Zucchini and Squash

Love baking with zucchini? Try one of these recipes:

• Zucchini Bread
• Yellow Squash Bundt Cake
• Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• Zucchini Muffins
• Zucchini Cake