Description
This Easy Zucchini Chocolate Loaf Cake is a fluffy and tender chocolate cake made moist by shredded zucchini. It’s a simple one-bowl recipe that combines rich cocoa with the subtle moisture of zucchini, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert alongside a glass of milk or coffee.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup full fat yogurt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 170℃ (338℉) and line a 9-inch loaf tin with baking paper. Set aside.
- Prepare Zucchini: Shred the zucchini using a grater on a large plate. Press out some of the excess liquid but retain some moisture to keep the cake tender. Set aside.
- Mix Sugars and Oils: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, brown sugar, and caster sugar until smooth.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs until fully combined. Then, add the shredded zucchini and whisk again to incorporate.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, corn flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add these dry ingredients along with the chocolate chips to the wet mixture. Whisk until the batter is combined but still has some dry pockets—avoid overmixing to keep the cake fluffy.
- Transfer to Tin: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Optionally, pipe a line of softened butter on top down the center to create a bakery-style crack on the surface once baked.
- Bake: Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist but not raw crumbs, and the top is risen and dry to the touch.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before slicing and serving. This step ensures the cake holds its shape and doesn’t fall apart.
Notes
- Squeeze out some liquid from the shredded zucchini but keep some moisture—it helps make the cake tender and moist.
- If you prefer a sweeter cake, increase the sugar by 1/4 cup; this recipe produces a bittersweet flavor.
- Do not overmix the batter; overmixing can make the cake dense and less fluffy.
- The toothpick test should reveal moist crumbs but no raw batter when the cake is done.
- Allow the cake to fully cool in the pan before slicing to prevent it from crumbling.
