Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Zucchini
This sourdough chocolate cake with zucchini is rich and moist with a tender crumb with an intense chocolate flavor. The perfect sweet treat for any chocolate lover! The sourdough chocolate cake is made with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, sourdough discard, and plenty of shredded zucchini. It’s the perfect way to use extra discard and zucchini.Â
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Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter, so don’t throw it away! Instead, use it in delicious Sourdough Discard Recipes where it adds moisture and amazing sourdough flavor. I use 100% hydration sourdough discard in discard recipes.
Use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like Easy Sourdough Discard Bread and younger, fresh discard in sweeter recipes like these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Our family loves to celebrate around the table with good food and tasty desserts. From simple occasions like the first snow fall or completing a project, to more elaborate ones like birthdays and anniversaries, there’s always something worth acknowledging. For the longest time my chocolate espresso cake was our go-to dessert, but as the kids grow, we find ourselves branching out a bit more.
This sourdough chocolate cake with zucchini was made out of necessity. With an abundance of zucchini overflowing on my counters during zucchini season, I knew I needed to find some more ways to use it.
We ate our fill of my tried and true favorites like sourdough zucchini bread and zucchini fritters. In addition, we’ve been gobbling up this cucumber zucchini salad as a way to use up the garden cukes and mint. Both are in abundance right now!Â
I hope you love this chocolate zucchini cake as much as we did! Pairing zucchini with chocolate and frosting is a delicious way to eat your veggies! You don’t have to ask me twice!Â
Why Add Zucchini To Baked Goods?
Most people’s favorite ways to enjoy zucchini are baked in a sweet treat or quick bread. Similar to carrot cake or pumpkin quick bread, the moisture from the vegetables creates a moist, tender crumb in baked goods. Zucchini is an ideal choice to use because it’s both prolific and has a neutral flavor that pairs with almost anything.
More Summer Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Sourdough Strawberry Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Sourdough Peach Cobbler
- Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Scones
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Zucchini Chocolate Cake
- Delicious – This cake has a rich and fudgy texture that’s sure to satisfy any chocolate craving. It’s decadent flavor makes this the perfect sweet treat for any special occasion.
- Fresh zucchini – Adding shredded zucchini to baked goods is a great way to add moisture and use up extra zucchini. It might be tempting to squeeze any excess water from the zucchini, but resist since it’s what makes the cake so fudgy and moist. Eating your green vegetables has never been tastier!
- Easy – This chocolate zucchini cake with chocolate chips is so easy to make regardless of your baking experience.
- Sourdough Goodness – Chocolate cake made with sourdough starter adds the sourdough tang and left to ferment, helps to break down the phytic acid and make it easier to digest.
Tools
- 9×13 baking pan
- Mixing bowls
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Parchment paper
- Box grater
- Hand mixer
Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Zucchini Ingredients
Exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cake with Zucchini
- Sourdough discard – Use sourdough discard, or unfed starter, in the cake. You can use active sourdough starter, just be sure to measure by weight and not volume, since it contains more air. I like to use starter that’s been fed within the past 7 days for a mild flavor. Older starter will have a stronger flavor.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter for complete control over the cake’s saltiness.
- Sugar –
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
- Zucchini – Grate medium zucchinis with a box grater or run through a food processor. Scrape the seeds out of large zucchinis before shredding.
- Chocolate chips – I like to use semi-sweet mini chips for subtle pops of melty chocolate flavor, but use your favorite chocolate chips.
- Flour – All-purpose flour makes a tender crumb.
- Cocoa powder – Use natural cocoa powder, sometimes called unsweetened cocoa powder, and not Dutch processed cocoa powder.
- Salt
- Baking soda – leavener to help the cake rise, but not interchangable with baking powder
- Espresso powder – This is optional, but enhances the chocolate flavor and highly recommend.
Easy chocolate zucchini cake frosting
- Butter – Use softened unsalted butter, but don’t let the butter become too warm. It should be matte and not oily or greasy looking, but soft enough you can press your finger in it and it leaves an indentation.
- Cocoa powder –
- Vanilla extract –
- Heavy cream – I like the rich texture heavy cream gives the frosting, but that means it must be stored in the fridge. You can use water or coffee instead, making it ok to store at room temperature.
- Confectioner’s sugar
How to Make Sourdough Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C with the rack in the middle position. Line a 9×13 baking dish with a piece of parchment paper.
Grate zucchini with a box grater and set aside.
Mix the Cake
Add sourdough discard, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl, and mix until fully combined. Fold in the shredded zucchini.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, and instant coffee. Toss in the chocolate chips and stir to coat them.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and fold until just combined.
Bake the Cake
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and place the cake in the preheated oven, and bake for 25-28 minutes.
The cake is done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, the center springs back when touched, and the internal temperature of the cake reads 200°F/94°C with a digital thermometer.
Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to let the cake cool.
Make the Frosting
Add the softened butter to a large bowl and mix on medium high with a hand mixer for 30 seconds until soft and creamy.
Add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and confectioner’s sugar to the bowl. Starting the mixer on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium high and mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Add the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to thin the frosting to the desired consistency. The frosting should be spreadable, but still hold it’s shape.
Once the cake is cool, add the frosting to the cake and spread in an even layer with an offset spatula.
Storage
Place leftover cake in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Helpful Tips for Sourdough Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Don’t skip the instant coffee. The coffee flavor enhances the cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavor.
- If the zucchini seeds are small, they’ll disappear in the cake as it bakes. However, if you have a large zucchini, scoop out the seeds before grating.
- For a smooth, lump-free frosting, sift the powdered sugar through a wire mesh strainer before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
FAQs About Chocolate Zucchini Sourdough Cake
Why Add Zucchini to Chocolate Cake?
Adding shredded zucchini to chocolate cake gives its a fudgy texture and makes it insanely moist from the zucchini’s water content.
Is Chocolate Zucchini Cake Healthy?
While chocolate zucchini cake is still dessert, adding shredded zucchini and sourdough discard elevates the cake into some thing special.
I’d love to hear from you! If you made this Sourdough Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe and loved it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Zucchini
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Equipment
- kitchen scale
- mixing bowls
- box grater
- measuring spoons
- 9×13 baking dish
- parchment paper
- hand mixer
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake with Zucchini
- 125 g sourdough discard ½ cup
- 113 g unsalted butter ½ cup, melted
- 300 g sugar 1½ cups
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 375 g zucchini 3 cups, shredded
- 250 g all-purpose flour 2 cups
- 64 g unsweetened cocoa powder ¾ cup
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 T instant espresso powder
- 175 g chocolate chips
Chocolate Frosting
- 226 g unsalted butter 1 cup, 2 sticks, softened
- 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 T heavy whipping cream
- 250 g confectioner's sugar 2 cups
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C with the rack in the middle position.
- Line a 9×13 baking dish with a piece of parchment paper.
- Trim the ends of the zucchini, grate it with a box grater, and set aside.
Mix the Cake
- Add sourdough discard, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl, and mix until fully combined. Fold in the shredded zucchini.125 g sourdough discard, 113 g unsalted butter, 300 g sugar, 1 large egg, 1 T vanilla extract, and 375 g zucchini
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, and instant coffee. Toss in the chocolate chips and stir to coat them.250 g all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1½ tsp baking soda, 64 g unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 T instant espresso powder, and 175 g chocolate chips
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and fold until just combined.
Bake the Cake
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, place it in the preheated oven, and bake for 25-28 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, the center springs back when touched, and the internal temperature of the cake reads 200°F/94°C with a digital thermometer.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.
Make the Frosting
- Add the softened butter to a large bowl and mix on medium-high with a hand mixer for 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and confectioner's sugar to the bowl. Start the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed to medium-high until all of the ingredients are combined. Add the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to thin the frosting to the desired consistency. The frosting should be spreadable, but still hold its shape. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. 226 g unsalted butter, 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 250 g confectioner's sugar, and 4 T heavy whipping cream
- Once the cake is cool, add the frosting to the cake and spread in an even layer with an offset spatula.
Notes
Tips
- Don’t skip the instant coffee. The coffee flavor enhances the cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavor.Â
- If the zucchini seeds are small, they’ll disappear in the cake as it bakes. However, if you have a large zucchini, scoop out the seeds before grating.Â
- For a smooth, lump-free frosting, sift the powdered sugar through a wire mesh strainer before adding to the rest of the ingredients.