Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake
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This chocolate chip zucchini cake is incredibly moist with hints of brown sugar and cinnamon. It’s filled with chocolate chips, then drizzled with chocolate ganache on top. Made in a bundt pan – it comes together with little effort and turns out super flavorful.
If you’re wondering how to use up your fresh garden zucchini this summer, then I urge you to try this chocolate chip zucchini cake. It’s an incredibly moist thanks to the grated zucchini, and has a warm and comforting flavor thanks to hints of cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla extract. It’s dotted with chocolate chips and layer of thick, glossy chocolate ganache is poured over the cake. If you love banana bread – then try this zucchini cake.
You’ll love how the hints of spice pairs with the chocolate, and the incredibly tender and moist cake crumb. This bundt cake is dense and almost springy in texture – similar to a banana cake or carrot cake. Making the cake batter is straight forward, and I love that there’s no need to mess about with buttercream or cake layers because it’s made in a bundt pan.
This is the kind of cake that I’m happy to serve for an easy dessert, then eat the leftovers mid-morning the next day.
Making Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bundt Cake
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and grease a 12-cup, non-stick bundt pan with cookie spray or brush with pan release.
- Even if using a non-stick pan, you need to grease it. Otherwise, the cake can stick.
- Whisk the Dry Ingredients. Flour, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Give them a good whisk to ensure that the spices are evenly distributed.
- Whisk the Wet Ingredients & Sugars. Oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and sour cream are whisked together until there are no lumps of brown sugar or pieces of eggs. You can also use an electric mixer for this.
- The oil and sour cream are key for making this cake extremely moist. Because this cake is so flavorful – thanks to the spices, brown sugar, vanilla and chocolate chips – you won’t taste the oil whatsoever.
- Fold the Wet Ingredients into the Dry Ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. The batter will be thick.
- Stop mixing when the batter is combined – overmixing can lead to a tough cake crumb.
- Fold in the Grated Zucchini.
- Stir in the Chocolate Chips. I like to use mini chocolate chips because they won’t fall to the bottom of the pan and because they more evenly distribute the chocolate throughout the cake compared to regular-sized chocolate chips.
- Bake. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and baked in the middle of the preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes. When finished, an inserted toothpick should come out clean or with melted chocolate – but no gooey cake batter.
- Cool & Invert. Cool in the pan for about 20-30 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a cooling rack. The pan will still be hot!
After the cake is baked and cooled, I like to add a drizzle of chocolate ganache on top.
- Heat the Cream. Make sure to use heavy cream or whipping cream – it should be 33-35% MF. It should be almost boiling. You can do this in the microwave using 30-second intervals, or in a saucepan over low heat while gently stirring. If using the saucepan, be sure to continuously stir so that it doesn’t burn.
- Pour the Hot Cream over the Chocolate. Let it sit for about 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- If the chocolate hasn’t completely melted, return to the microwave for 30-seconds on medium power.
- Drizzle over the Cake. Transfer the cake to the plate you plan to serve it on, then pour the ganache over the top – letting it drizzle down the sides.
Recipe Tip
Instead of adding a drizzle of chocolate ganache, this chocolate chip zucchini cake is delicious decorated with chocolate frosting or cream cheese frosting. This is my favorite chocolate frosting recipe and this is my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe.
More Zucchini Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
- Zucchini Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake – so moist & fudgy with chocolate frosting
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake
Equipment
- 12-cup bundt pan
Ingredients
Zucchini Bundt Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375 grams), measured carefully
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (210 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons sour cream (90 ml), room temperature
- 2 cups grated zucchini (about 220-250 grams), no need to peal the zucchini first, about 2 small zucchinis
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (112 grams), finely chopped, or ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml), 33-35% MF
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Spray a 12-cup non-stick bundt pan with non-stick cookie spray, or brush with pan release.
- In a very large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and sour cream. Continue whisking until there are no lumps of sugar or pieces of egg. You could also use an electric mixer for this.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Gently fold the mixture together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- Fold in the grated zucchini. The batter will be thick.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon/pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes. When finished, an inserted toothpick or cake tester should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no gooey cake batter. The cake should be starting to come away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 20-30 minutes, then carefully invert and continue cooling on a cooling rack.
Chocolate Ganache
- Finely chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream until almost boiling – this can be done in the microwave on 30-second intervals or in a saucepan over low-medium heat while stirring constantly. Do not let the cream burn.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for about 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate hasn't fully melted, microwave for 30 seconds on medium power (not high power), or return to the saucepan over low heat while continuously stirring. Do not leave the ganache unattended!
- Transfer the cake to the serving plate or cake stand that you plan to serve it on. Then pour the ganache over the top – letting it drip down the sides.
Notes
- Zucchini: There is no need to peel the zucchini first. Simply cut off the ends and grate with a box grater. For this recipe, you do not need to squeeze or blot out the zucchini. If after grating, there is a pool of water underneath the zucchini – it should not be added to the batter.
- Storage: Cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Fresh cake is always best. I often make the cake the day before I plan to serve, and store covered at room temperature overnight, then make the ganache the day I plan to serve.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only, assuming the cake is sliced into 12 uniform pieces and all the ganache is used. You can likely get 14 smaller pieces with this recipe.
