Description
Rich zucchini chocolate cake delivers moist, decadent indulgence with hidden vegetable goodness. Chocolate lovers will savor this delightful dessert that combines garden-fresh zucchini with deep cocoa notes for an irresistible treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups zucchini, shredded
- 3 cups oat flour
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
Dry Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups milk (any milk works)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 180°C and coating two 8-inch cake pans with a light grease layer to prevent sticking.
- Create a quick buttermilk substitute by whisking milk and vinegar together, allowing the mixture to develop a slightly curdled texture for enhanced cake moisture.
- Construct the dry foundation by thoroughly blending oat flour, cocoa powder, arrowroot powder, baking soda, and baking powder in a large mixing vessel, ensuring uniform distribution of leavening agents.
- Develop the liquid component by whisking milk mixture, brown sugar, and applesauce until achieving a smooth, cohesive consistency.
- Merge wet and dry ingredients gently, stirring minimally to maintain cake’s tender crumb, then incorporate shredded zucchini for moisture and subtle vegetable richness.
- Distribute batter evenly between prepared cake pans, ensuring balanced layers for consistent baking.
- Position pans in preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, monitoring doneness by inserting a skewer that emerges clean from cake’s center.
- Allow cakes to cool completely within their pans, enabling structural stabilization and preventing potential crumbling.
- Apply chocolate frosting between layers and across entire cake surface, creating a decadent, smooth finish.
- Slice and serve the zucchini chocolate cake, revealing its moist, rich interior.
Notes
- Zucchini adds incredible moisture and hidden nutrition to this rich chocolate cake, making it a sneaky way to include vegetables in a delightful dessert.
- Dairy-free and gluten-free ingredients ensure this cake accommodates various dietary restrictions without compromising on decadent chocolate flavor.
- Curdling milk with vinegar creates a buttermilk-like substitute that helps tenderize the cake and enhances its soft, delicate texture.
- Oat flour provides a wholesome alternative to traditional wheat flour, delivering a subtle nutty undertone and maintaining a gluten-free profile.
- Checking cake doneness with a skewer is crucial; ensure it comes out clean to guarantee the cake is fully baked and perfectly moist.
- Allowing the cake to cool completely before frosting prevents melting and helps create a smooth, professional-looking final presentation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg