Guys, it’s me again. Back for day 3 of zucchini week with a HEALTHY CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE.
Let’s get crazy about it like we used to be for Justin Bieber.
Jokes. We’ll get crazy about it because I know you guys are chocoholics. I looked at my Instagram stats the other day and most of my posts that do well just so happen to involved some sort of chocolate. Man, I just love you guys.
But truth be told, we shouldn’t think of chocolate as indulgent all the time. Sure it can be, but it’s also REAL FOOD that contains nutrients. YAY FOR THE CHOCOLATE. In fact, did you know that 1 serving of cocoa powder contains nearly 8% of your daily recommended iron intake? It’s even better if you use raw cacao powder, which includes many health benefits including additional fiber and antioxidants (try adding it to your morning smoothie!). Personally I love to use this cocoa powder (it’s not raw, but it’s DELISH).
But look I’m just out here trying to advocate for more chocolate in our lives, you know? So I’ve made you this beautiful healthy chocolate zucchini cake that naturally sweetened (plus a few chocolate chips). It’s SO moist, dense yet fluffy, and absolutely AMAZING.
SO let’s talk about a few ingredients, cause I know you’ll have questions:
Whole wheat pastry flour: I love using this whole grain flour in my recipes. It’s lighter than regular whole wheat flour, yet still contains the nutritional benefits. If you don’t have it available, you can always use half whole wheat flour and half regular flour.
Agave nectar: I prefer agave nectar in this recipe over honey because it doesn’t have the intense flavor that honey does. However you can absolutely use honey, maple syrup, coconut syrup or date syrup here to sweeten the cake.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil works here for a boost of flavor, but so does butter or vegan butter. Or even browned butter (yummmm).
Avocado chocolate frosting: So I realize that not all of you will be keen on making a frosting with avocados, but it’s SO SO good. There is a hint of avocado flavor at the end, but you can’t tell especially when it’s on the cake. If you don’t love it, try using another chocolate frosting: I recommend Simple Mills Chocolate Frosting.
I’ve also included ways to make this recipe vegan and gluten free in the notes section below, if desired.
Personally I think this recipe makes the perfect chocolate birthday cake if you’re looking for something on the healthier side (especially for kiddos). Hope you love it as much as I do! xoxo.
Come back tomorrow for another delicious savory zucchini recipe that you’re gonna LOVE!
More healthy desserts you’ll love:
Healthier Carrot Cake Banana Bread with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
The Best Paleo Chocolate Cake with Paleo Chocolate Frosting
Paleo Zucchini Banana Bread Bars
Healthy Lemon Bars (gluten free, dairy free & paleo!)
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you liked it, or post a photo to Instagram and tag #ambitiouskitchen!
Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Avocado Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini, shredded and squeezed of excess moisture (from 1 medium zucchini)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons melted and cooled coconut oil (can also use butter or vegan butter)
- ½ cup agave nectar (can also sub honey, maple syrup, coconut or date syrup)
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ⅓ cup good quality cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mini dairy free chocolate chips (best for chocolate in every bite)
- For the chocolate avocado frosting:
- 1 avocado
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper. Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, egg, coconut oil, honey, unsweetened vanilla almond milk and vanilla until well combined.
- Next add in whole wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gently mix together until ingredients are just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Allow cake to cool on wire rack before frosting.
- To make the frosting: Add all of frosting ingredients to bowl of a food processor or high powered blender. Blend until smooth and no chunks of avocado remain. Taste and adjust sweetener as necessary (you may want to add a tad more maple syrup).
- Once ready to frost, spread avocado chocolate frosting all over cake. Store cake in the fridge until ready to serve. Serves 16.
Recipe Notes
Feel free to double the recipe and bake in a 13x9 inch pan. It should take around the same time to bake.
Instead of honey, you may sub 3/4 cup sugar (coconut, brown or white sugar will work).
Want to decrease the sugar in this recipe? Leave off frosting.
To make this vegan: Veganizing this: Be sure to use agave or maple syrup and sub a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water) in place of the regular egg.
To make this gluten free: I recommend using chickpea flour or a gluten free oat flour. You can also use an all purpose gluten free flour.
Toppings: Feel free to add fun toppings on the cake such as toasted nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, coconut, or anything else your heart desires.
If you are not a fan of avocado, feel free to use another chocolate frosting of choice, or just drizzle 1/4 cup of melted chocolate chips over the top.
48 comments
Looks heavenly!
Oh it is!
All of my favorite things in one! Sounds delicious!!
Yes! So, so good!!
i made a chocolate avocado mousse (emphasis on the avocado, with minimal chocolate) a while back, and have been hesitant since to try that combo again, though the idea still sounds great. if i try this and it’s too avocado-y for me, then more chocolate drizzled on top doesn’t hurt, right? (;
Yes more chocolate is the way to go! This frosting had a great chocolate-y flavor, and the fudgy-ness of the cake really masks most of the avocado flavor too 🙂
I love that, chocolate is always popular on my IG too, ha ha! I eat chocolate every day sometimes in an indulgent way, sometimes not so much… kind of like coffee!
So funny how that is, and very true on the different ways to use it and eat it!
Yum! I unfortunately do not have a medium sized zucchini, can you estimate a measurement for the shredded zucchini?
It should be about 1 cup!
Peut-on mettre que l’avocat ou l’huile de coco, pour une version avec moins de gras?
Hi! This looks soooo amazing…just wondering, is it possible to sub any of the flour for a plant-based protein powder to increase the protein a bit?
Hi Hannah! It is! I haven’t tried it using protein powder, and am not sure how it will change the consistency, but you could try swapping in 1/2 with the flour.
Thanks 🙂 I’ll report back when I try it!
I’ve been reading a lot of blogs that are mixing avocado and chocolate in unique ways lately. I still haven’t tried them, but I’m really curious!
You should definitely try them! This frosting is so delicious 🙂
Wow, this looks incredible! Chocolate can indeed be healthy, especially in this form! I definitely have to try making a chocolate zucchini cake with frosting!
Agreed! So good.
Hi,
In a lot of recipies you use cocoa, can I use cacao intstead of cocoa? And instead of chocolate chips bits of cocoa??
If yes, do ihave to use more swetener?
Thanks
You can! I haven’t tried using cacao in these, so I’m not sure if you’ll need to sweeten it more. I personally like the chocolate chips for a bit more sweetness – adding more cocoa (powder) to replace the chocolate chips might change the texture a bit.
I just made this cake and it turned out beautifully! I subbed out the pastry flour for an oath flour I made myself. I then made a fresh strawberry sauce to go with it instead of the avocado. This was the first year I planted zucchinis and I don’t know what to do with all of them ha ha. Definitely will make again 🙂
Strawberry sauce sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Holy cow, this might be the best “healthy” treat I’ve ever made! I put it in mini donut pans because my daughter will eat anything if I call it a donut, and I didn’t make the frosting because I decided I’d rather have my avocado on my taco for dinner 😁 These were sooooo good! I can’t believe there’s no sugar and very little oil. Might have to make more today! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you and your daughter enjoyed these! Such a great, healthy treat 🙂
Omg I Just made this with the avocado frosting and it is awesome!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe.😁
Yum! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
I was trying to accommodate all my birthday guest and made this with gluten free flour… still tasted good, but SUCH a fail in terms of texture. Very dense and gooey! Ended up calling them “Brownies” and they managed to please the masses.
Just wanted to warn folks that this isn’t the recipe to experiment with Gluten free! 🙂
The icing was also surprisingly good!
Hi Steph! In baking the flour really defines the texture of the recipe, so I recommend sticking with the one that was used in the recipe. I’m glad they worked out as “brownies” for guests!
Do you think this recipe would work using two round 9 inch cake pans in order to make a layer cake instead of a sheet cake? Thank you!
I think that should work, but I would see how much of the 9 inch cake pan the recipe fills up (and maybe double the recipe if need be to make a layered cake!)
Made this for Easter dessert and the whole family loved it ! I am making this for someone with a nut allergy, for the frosting do you have any suggestions on replacements for the coconut oil? Thanks!!
I’m so happy to hear that! You can use butter instead of coconut oil 🙂
Hi great recipe but I had a few issues. I used coconut flour but it seemed quite dry. I did use a little bit less flour than recommended as advised on the flour packet, but then put a bit more milk in at the end as it didn’t seem wet. Unfortunately it didn’t rise, although tastes amazing. What should the consistency be? I absolutely LOVE the avocado topping! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Rebecca! I wouldn’t recommend using coconut flour in this recipe – the ratios will be much different than the recipe as its written with whole wheat pastry flour. The cake will bake up just like the photos with the correct flour 🙂
For those of us who are grain free, can you give any suggestions/recommendations for what flour + ratios to use instead ?
You can find some gluten free flour suggestions in the notes here 🙂 I’d suggest chickpea flour to keep it grain free (and you can use the same ratios unless I indicate otherwise).
This was delicious! How long will it stay good for? Avocados don’t last long…
Glad you enjoyed! It will stay good in the fridge for 3-5 days.
I literally never ever post reviews, in fact this might be my first for a recipe, but I just had to. This cake is AMAZING!!! Followed recipe completely, just doubled batch and I’m glad I did! Have not made frosting yet, and not even sure if I will need to because it is already so delicious. Extremely moist cake, definitely will make again and again. Also, I have a newborn and managed to make this cake because it is super fast. 100% recommend.
Hi Monica! Thanks for your comment – I’m SO glad you loved this one. The perfect treat! Hope you loved the frosting, too 🙂
I love the avocado chocolate frosting on this zucchini cake!
Can I use sweetened almond milk and use less honey in recipe?
I have only tried the recipe as written but sweetened almond milk should be fine. And try reducing the honey by a few tablespoons!
Delicious! 5 star recipe for being easy to make & for flexibility of ingredients.
Glad you enjoyed!
Excellent- amazing texture and flavor! I didn’t have enough whole wheat pastry flour so I used the last bit (3/4 cup) of white pastry flour and the rest Chicpea Flour. All else, was the same and just delicious. I didn’t make the frosting, it doesn’t need it. Next time I make it I will make sure to grab an avocado to try it.
Do you think olive oil could replace the butter? It is such a small amount of butter, it isn’t worth sacrificing the great recipe for it.
Fantastic recipe!
Perfect! And yes I do, but it might have a much different flavor! Definitely use a light olive oil.
Love this recipe! I think of
It more like cakey brownies but they are sooo good! I love making them and seeing if anybody can tell there is avocado or
Zucchini in there… lol so far nobody believes me on the avocado