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Best One-Bowl Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake (Easy Recipe)

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This one-bowl chocolate zucchini snack cake is impossibly moist, rich, and chocolatey, with the zucchini disappearing into the batter for a tender crumb. It’s an easy, no-mixer recipe that comes together in about 15 minutes and is perfect for snacking, lunchboxes, or potlucks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural preferred)
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil (canola or avocado oil work too)
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) buttermilk (see notes for substitute)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (about 200g) grated zucchini (do not peel or squeeze)
  • ¾ cup (130g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center. Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Lightly grease the exposed sides with oil or butter.
  2. Wash the zucchini, trim off the stem end, and grate it on the small side of a box grater. Measure 1 ½ cups loosely packed. Set aside—do not squeeze or drain.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using) until evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Break up any clumps of brown sugar with your fingers.
  4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. A few streaks of flour are okay—do not overmix.
  5. Add the grated zucchini to the bowl and gently fold it in with the spatula until evenly distributed. The batter will be loose and shiny.
  6. Fold in ½ cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the remaining ¼ cup for the top. Stir just until scattered through the batter.
  7. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips over the top.
  8. Bake on the center rack for 30 to 35 minutes. Start checking at 28 minutes if your oven runs hot. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The edges will pull away slightly from the pan.
  9. Set the pan on a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift the cake out and transfer it to the rack to cool completely. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Do not squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini—it’s what makes the cake tender. For best results, use room temperature eggs and buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. The cake tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: chocolate zucchini cake, one-bowl cake, snack cake, easy cake recipe, moist chocolate cake, zucchini recipe

Find it online: https://tessierecipes.com/best-one-bowl-chocolate-zucchini-snack-cake-easy-recipe/