Chocolate Zucchini Cake - Sharon Palmer, The Plant Powered Dietitian

You won’t believe that this ooey-gooey, fudgy chocolate cake is loaded with shredded zucchini, nor that it is completely plant-based. This vegan zucchini cake recipe showcases the magic of aquafaba, reserved canned bean liquid that whips up like a meringue, replacing eggs in baking recipes. This delicious zucchini chocolate cake also highlights how veggies can add so much moisture to recipes, such as the zucchini in a luscious cake. You can make it gluten-free with an easy swap.

This zucchini cake recipe is dedicated to my mother’s vintage zucchini cookbook, which she used to turn to every summer when zucchinis were growing like crazy in her garden. We would eat zucchini everything all summer long. And she would make a simple chocolate sheet cake like this one. I took my mother’s classic cake and lightened up the ingredients just a tad, and made it completely plant-based. It uses a full medium-large zucchini (2 cups), thus helping to fit in a healthy veggie into your day. Perfect for kids and adults alike! Plus, if you don’t tell anyone, they would never even suspect that there’s a zucchini in the mix. It’s that good.

Since I have zucchinis coming out of my ears every summer, this recipe is the perfect, delicious treat for a special summer dinner party in my garden (right next to my zucchini plant no less!). I love to make this light cake recipe for birthday parties, holidays, homecoming dinners, or simple Sunday night outdoor evenings. Decorate it with shaved chocolate and fresh berries to make it a standout.

Table of Contents

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (vegan)

Author: The Plant-Powered Dietitian
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 15 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

Description

You won’t believe that this ooey-gooey, fudgy vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake is loaded with shredded zucchini. It is that good! Plus this zucchini cake recipe is light yet loaded with flavor. Make it gluten-free with an easy swap.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake:

½ cup aquafaba (reserved liquid from a 15-ounce can of beans)
1 cup coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
½ cup dairy-free margarine, melted, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup plant-based milk, plain, unsweetened (i.e., soy, almond, coconut)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
¼ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
½ cup almond, coconut, or pecan meal
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium-large zucchini)
1 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips

Chocolate Frosting:

2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, soft
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 cups powdered sugar
1–3 tablespoons plant-based milk, plain, unsweetened

Garnishes (optional):

Shaved or finely chopped dairy-free dark chocolate
Fresh berries (i.e., strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Add aquafaba (bean liquid) to a large bowl with sugar, and use an electric mixer to whip until white and stiff (about 2-3 minutes).
Gently stir in margarine, vanilla, plant-based milk, and vinegar.
In a separate bowl, combine cocoa powder, flour, meal, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Gradually fold in the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl, gently stirring only to combine ingredients.
Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips gently.
Spray a baking dish (9 x 13-inch) with non-stick spray and pour batter into the dish, spreading evenly.
Place in oven and bake for about 50 minutes, until fork inserted in center comes out clean. Makes a very moist, fudgey cake. Remove from oven and cool.
To make frosting, use an electric mixer to whip margarine, vanilla, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and plant-based milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you achieve desired texture of a thick, creamy, fluffy frosting. When cake is cool, frost surface. Garnish, as desired, with shaved or chopped dark chocolate and berries.
Slice into 15 squares.