Favourite Zucchini Chocolate Cake

If you’ve got a backyard zucchini glut and zero plans for it, this chocolate zucchini cake is the answer. Two whole cups of grated zucchini disappear into a dark, cinnamon-spiced chocolate crumb, leaving behind nothing but moisture so persistent the cake stays tender for days on the counter.

The orange zest is the sleeper move. Just a teaspoon, but it lifts the cocoa and warm spices and gives the whole thing a slightly grown-up, almost bakery-style finish you don’t get from straight-up chocolate cake.

Buttermilk pulls double duty here, tenderizing the crumb with its acidity and reacting with the baking soda for extra rise. Don’t skip it for regular milk.

Pro Tips

• Don’t squeeze the zucchini dry. The water is what keeps this cake moist, drying it out gives you a denser crumb that cracks on top.
• Sift the cocoa with the dry ingredients to break up any lumps, otherwise you’ll get bitter pockets when it bakes.
• The cake is done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean. Clean equals overbaked and dry.
• Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting, otherwise it’ll slide right off.

Variations

• Fold in a cup of chocolate chips with the nuts for melty pockets in every slice.
• Swap the walnuts for pecans and add a half-teaspoon of espresso powder for a deeper chocolate flavor.
• Bake as cupcakes for 22 to 25 minutes for portable lunchbox-friendly versions.