If you’re looking for a rich and moist dessert to make with a surplus of zucchini, I have you covered with my chocolate zucchini bundt cake! It’s packed with deep chocolate flavor, made extra moist with freshly grated zucchini, and finished off with a glossy chocolate glaze. I love using chocolate cake mix as the base for this cake; it makes this recipe super quick and easy without sacrificing flavor.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Cake Mix
I like to think of this zucchini chocolate cake as a little bit healthier than the average bundt cake. After all, it’s got vegetables in it! I make it with two whole zucchinis and a handful of pantry staples, so it’s a great way to sneak some veggies into something sweet. Using a bundt pan not only gives the cake a beautiful shape, but it also helps lock in moisture for that perfectly soft bite every time.
Thanks to my cake mix shortcut and a few delicious mix-ins (like chocolate chips and sour cream), this chocolate zucchini cake comes together fast and always impresses. The glaze is optional, but I highly recommend it for that extra layer of chocolatey goodness.
And if you’re looking for a bite-sized snack, try my chocolate zucchini cupcakes!
Keep it Moist – Don’t Drain the Zucchini!
My secret for an incredibly moist chocolate zucchini bundt cake is the zucchini itself! Be sure not to drain the zucchini after grating it. We want all that natural moisture to stay in the batter. If you’re using drier, store-bought, or previously frozen zucchini, you might even need to add 1-2 tablespoons of water to make the batter just right.
Zucchini acts like magic in this recipe, keeping the crumb soft and tender without adding any overpowering flavor. The result is a zucchini chocolate cake that’s fudgy, flavorful, and foolproof.
Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 12-Cup Bundt Pan
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix (1 box)*
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2¼ cups grated zucchini (from about 2 whole zucchinis)
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt room temperature**
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 3 tablespoons salted butter melted (⅜ stick)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼-½ cup heavy cream room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and set out a 12-cup Bundt pan, but don’t grease it yet.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, mix together the cake mix, eggs, zucchini, yogurt, and vegetable oil until smooth and combined, about 1-2 minutes.15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix, 4 large eggs, 2¼ cups grated zucchini, 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ¾ cup vegetable oil
- Fold in the chocolate chips, and then grease the bundt pan well with nonstick spray.1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- Scoop the batter into the greased pan, even out the top with a spatula, and tap the pan gently against the counter 2-3 times.
- Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a fork or knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a couple of crumbs but not smeared.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes and then turn it out onto a serving plate or cake tray.
- To create the chocolate glaze, whisk the melted butter and cocoa powder together in a medium-sized mixing bowl until combined and smooth.3 tablespoons salted butter, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Using a hand or stand mixer, gradually beat in the powdered sugar and heavy cream, alternating between the two, until a thick glaze forms.1 cup powdered sugar, ¼-½ cup heavy cream
- Pour the glaze evenly over the top of the cake and allow it to slowly slide down the sides. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Fold the batter gently, and don’t overmix, or your cake will turn out dense.
- Toss the chocolate chips in a tbsp of dry cake mix before folding them in to prevent sinking.
- I like to fold in some walnuts for a bit of crunch!
- Grease the cake pan with Crisco and cocoa powder just before adding the batter to help prevent sticking.
- Once your cake is baked, let it cool for 10 minutes, then unmold. If it’s too hot, it will crumble apart; too cold, and it will stick to the pan.
- Gently shake the inverted pan side-to-side, tapping on the outside, to help it release. Use a rubber spatula to gently nudge any stuck-on bits.
- Never try to glaze a hot cake, as it will likely soak up the glaze or cause it to warm so much that it runs off.
- If your glaze is thick, you can glaze the cake while still slightly warm to help it drip down the sides.
How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake Step-by-Step
Prep: Gather up all of the ingredients needed to make this chocolate zucchini cake. Preheat your oven to 350°F and set out a 12-cup Bundt pan, but don’t grease it yet (if you grease it too early, your cake might stick around the bottom edges!) Bring the eggs and yogurt to room temperature for 15-30 minutes, and melt the butter in 30-second increments in the microwave until liquid. Grate the zucchini on the smaller holes of a box grater. The finer the zucchini, the more liquid it will release and the more it will blend into the cake.
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Mix the Batter: Using a hand or stand mixer, mix together 15.25 ounces (1 box) of chocolate cake mix, 4 large, room-temperature eggs, 2¼ cups of grated zucchini (undrained), 1 cup of room-temperature plain Greek yogurt, and ¾ cup of vegetable oil until smooth and combined, 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl while mixing. If you use room-temperature eggs and yogurt, your batter may have a curdled appearance; this is fine, but the cake will have a tighter crumb.
Fold in the Chocolate Chips: Fold in 1 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips. I like to toss them in a tablespoon of dry cake mix or flour to prevent them from all sinking to the bottom of my cake. Grease the Bundt pan well with nonstick spray. I prefer to grease mine with Crisco and cocoa powder, but a hefty coating of nonstick baking spray should work just fine.
Fill the Bundt Pan: Scoop the batter into the greased pan, even out the top with a spatula, and tap the pan gently against the counter 2-3 times to knock out any air bubbles.
Bake the Cake: Bake your chocolate bundt cake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a fork or knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a couple of crumbs but not smeared.
Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes and then turn it out onto a serving plate or cake tray. Gently shake the pan side-to-side and tap the outside of the pan a few times to release the cake if it doesn’t slide right out. You should feel the weight of the cake shifting and hitting the sides of the pan. If one spot feels stuck, gently pull it away from the edge with a plastic spatula before inverting.
Mix the Chocolate: To create the chocolate glaze, whisk together 3 tablespoons of melted salted butter and ⅓ cup of cocoa powder in a medium-sized mixing bowl until combined and smooth.
Thicken the Glaze: Using a hand or stand mixer, gradually beat in 1 cup of powdered sugar and ¼-½ cup of room-temperature heavy cream, alternating between the two, until a thick glaze forms. You want the glaze to be thin enough to slowly drip down the cake, but not so thin that it all drips off and pools below the cake. If necessary, you can add small amounts of powdered sugar or heavy cream to obtain the consistency that you want. Should you choose to glaze the cake while it’s warm, you want a thicker glaze than if you glaze it when it has completely cooled.
Glaze the Cake: Pour the glaze evenly over the top of the cake and allow it to slowly slide down the sides. Let the glaze and cake cool completely before cutting and serving.
How to Store and Freeze
Store chocolate zucchini bundt cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying chilled or at room temperature.
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