Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
March 13, 2023
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Looking for an easy and delicious way to use up all that zucchini growing in your yard? How about this moist and indulgent gluten free chocolate zucchini cake topped with a chocolate frosting. And no, you can’t tell this cake contains zucchini as long as you finely grate it.
Prepration time:
- PREP TIME 20 minutes
- COOK TIME 35 minutes
- ADDITIONAL TIME 1 hour
- TOTAL TIME 1 hour 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- 250 grams gluten free multi-purpose flour
- 65 grams cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 65 grams neutral oil (like grapeseed oil)
- 100 grams light brown sugar
- 80 grams granulated white sugar
- 225 grams grated, squeezed zucchini
For Chocolate Frosting
-
- 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 175 grams powdered sugar
- 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, dutch processed
- 2-3 teaspoons milk or heavy cream (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
How to make Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
-
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8×8 cake pan with parchment paper and set it aside. Make sure to leave some overhang so the cake can easily be removed from the pan.
- Sift together gluten free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cardamom (if using), and espresso (if using).
- In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, egg yolk, oil, and both sugars until smooth. Mix in the grated and squeezed zucchini.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until fully combined. If your batter is very dry, allow for it to sit for a minute. The zucchini should start to release some liquid which will moisten the batter. The batter overall will be more on the stiffer side.
- Add the batter to your prepared pan and smooth out with an offset knife or a spoon.
- Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes. The center of the cake will spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing it from the cake pan. Allow for it to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Chocolate buttercream frosting:
- Cream the butter, vanilla extract/paste, and salt for 2-3 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl.
- With the mixer running on low, add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder one third at a time. Make sure to scrape down the sides in between additions.
- Once all the dry ingredients have been added, turn up the speed of your mixer and mix for 2 minutes.
- Add milk/heavy cream as needed to thin out the frosting.
How to assemble your Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
-
- Make sure your cake is fully cooled
- Place on a serving plate.
- Top with a generous heap of Dark Chocolate Ganache and spread over the top of the cake.
- Top with chocolate shavings or Mini Chocolate Chips and enjoy!
Notes:
It might be possible your cake will appear slightly underbaked in the middle when you cut it. This is caused by the moisture of the zucchini. I have tested this recipe several times and every time the middle appeared very moist.
Nutrition Information:
YIELD: 16
SERVING SIZE:1
Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 280
