By late summer, my garden is overflowing with zucchini, and one of our all-time favorite ways to enjoy it is with my mother-in-law’s chocolate zucchini cake. This cake is rich, moist, and decadent — the kind of treat that makes late summer gatherings even sweeter.

Is it healthy? Well, zucchini is packed with goodness, right? Let’s just say this is a cake that bridges the best of both worlds: a little vegetable virtue tucked into a whole lot of chocolate celebration. It’s the perfect recipe to share over Labor Day weekend with friends and family.

Give it a try and let me know if it becomes a favorite in your house, too!

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🍫 Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe

Cake Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup oil (I like avocado oil)
• 1 ¾ cups sugar (I usually cut this down to 1 cup for a cake that’s not overly sweet)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 ½ cups flour (gluten-free works, too)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Glaze Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, oil, and sugar.
3. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk. Mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until well incorporated.
5. Stir in grated zucchini.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle chocolate chips and walnuts evenly on top.
7. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the glaze while the cake bakes:

• Melt butter in a saucepan, then whisk in cocoa and milk. Stir in powdered sugar until smooth.
• When the cake is hot out of the oven, spread glaze evenly over the top.

Let cool (if you can wait that long!) and enjoy. This cake keeps beautifully for a few days — though in my house, it rarely lasts that long.