Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Moist and chocolatey, these individual vegan chocolate zucchini cakes are bursting with flavor! They can be made in under an hour for a delicious sweet treat.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 55

Servings: servings

Calories: 332kcal

Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

1 ½ cup flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup avocado or olive oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup apple sauce
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
4 tablespoon instant coffee, optional
¾ cup vegan chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 6 individual 6oz ramekins or one 9x4 loaf pan. Set aside.
With a handheld shredder or the shredder attachment of your food processor, shred the zucchini and set aside.
In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl whisk together oil, sugar, apple sauce, and vanilla extract. Add shredded zucchini and mix until fully incorporated. Transfer the wet ingredient into the flour mixture and fold together until the batter is evenly hydrated. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill ramekins ¾ full. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serving and Storing - Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing it. Because this cake lacks the same structure that flour gives the cake, it could fall apart if removed too early from pan. Serve the cake chilled with fresh berries and powdered sugar. Leftover cake can be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator. Eat leftover cake within 5 days.

Recipe Tips

The most accurate way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet. The more you mix, the more deflated your cake will be.
Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking or it may fall. Check the cake at 35 minutes and give it a gentle shake. To know the cake is ready, the cake should not be wobbly and a thin top crust will have formed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make this recipe into a loaf? If you are making this cake into chocolate zucchini bread, use a 9x5 or similarly sized loaf pan. Make sure to generously spray the loaf pan before adding the batter. Bake for at least 35 minutes before checking for doneness. Once the loaf is done, let it cool 60 minutes in the loaf pan before flipping it out to cool completely.
Can you make this mug cake in the microwave? Yes, you can! Make sure not to over-fill the mugs and cook them on full power for 90 - 120 seconds. Keep a careful eye on the cake to ensure the batter doesn't spill over as it cooks.
Can you omit the coffee? Definitely. If you don't like the coffee flavor or want to serve this to kids, you can omit the espresso powder altogether.
Can I make this chocolate cake without oil? If you are looking for an oil-free vegan cake, swap out additional applesauce for the oil with a 1:1 ratio.

Nutrition