Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

Got a mountain of zucchini from the garden and no idea what to do with it? Bake it into chocolate cake. Nobody will ever know.

Two cups of grated zucchini disappear completely into this cocoa-laced batter, adding moisture without a hint of vegetal flavor. Sour cream doubles down on the tenderness, while chocolate chips scattered throughout give you little pockets of melty goodness in every slice.

This is a 13×9 sheet cake, so there’s no fussy layering or frosting required. Dust it with powdered sugar, serve it straight from the pan, and watch it vanish.

Pro Tips

• Don’t squeeze the zucchini dry. Unlike zucchini bread, this cake benefits from all that extra moisture. Just grate it and stir it right in.
• Use the small holes on your box grater for the finest shred. You want the zucchini to melt into the batter, not sit in chunks.
• Test with a toothpick at 40 minutes. Every oven is different, and the zucchini moisture means baking times can vary. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Variations

• Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips for a striking contrast against the dark cocoa batter.
• Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for some crunch.
• Frost with cream cheese frosting if you want to go all-out for a party.