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Home » Recipes » Dairy Free

Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake

By Erin · August 1, 2020 · Updated September 27, 2021 · 25 Comments

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slice of chocolate cake with text overlay

This Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake is not only vegan, but it's filled with zucchini and topped with a light and fluffy dairy-free buttercream icing that's to die for!

cake on a cake stand

Every time I make a cake, I declare it as my new favorite cake, and this vegan chocolate zucchini cake is no exception. It's three layers of perfectly moist cake filled with smooth dairy free chocolate buttercream. I mean, what more can you ask for?!

The cake itself is similar to my favorite (and most popular) vegan chocolate cake recipe, and the buttercream is similar to what I used in this gluten free chocolate cake. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The zucchini in this cake helps to make this cake really moist, similarly to how it does in zucchini bread or how carrot does in carrot cake.

Recipe features

  • There's zucchini in it, so it's basically a vegetable (kidding! kind of)
  • It's a three layer cake that's perfectly moist
  • The chocolate buttercream is INSANE--you need to try it for yourself

cake ingredients with text

Ingredient notes:

Flour - I only tested this recipe with all purpose flour, though I'm sure gluten free all purpose flour would work.

Applesauce - Unsweetened!

Zucchini - I like to use a box grater to grate the zucchini into a separate large bowl, then measure it out and add it to the bowl with the other cake ingredients. You do NOT have to squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini.

Butter - Dairy-free for vegan option (I used Earth Balance), or regular butter if not keeping this vegan. Either way, just make sure it's softened.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Combine dry ingredients. Stir the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

cocoa in a bowl

Step 2: Add wet ingredients. To that same bowl, add the milk, applesauce, vinegar, and vanilla extra and stir with a stand or hand mixer. Last, stir the shredded zucchini in by hand.

cake batter with zucchini

Step 3: Bake. Divide the batter evenly into three 8" cake pans, then bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Then, carefully invert the cakes onto cooling racks and wait for them to cool before icing.

cake in a cake pan

Step 4: Make the buttercream. Use an electric mixer to combine the butter and milk, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar. To ice the cakes: place the first cake on a plate or cake stand, then scoop a dollop of icing on top and use an offset knife or the back of a spoon to spread the icing evenly over the cake. Repeat this process for all of the layers.

Cake and Chocolate

Tips for making chocolate zucchini cake

Use one bowl: Yes really! Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl, then add the wet ingredients and stir everything together. This makes for easy clean up, and it's not necessary to mix them separately.

The recipe calls for almond milk, but you can use any kind of dairy free milk. Besides almond, but other favorite milk is oat milk.

This cake uses applesauce instead of oil. The applesauce adds to the moisture and overall texture of the cake.

Line your cake pans with parchment paper to prevent the cakes from sticking. Seriously, there's nothing worse than baking a cake and having it stick to the bottom of the pan. I like to trace the cake pans then cut out parchment rounds -- it only takes a few minutes and makes a huge difference.

How long will this last?

This cake tastes best if consumed within 3 days.

Can I use a different size cake pan?

Yep! I haven't tested it, but I believe you could get away with using three 9" cake pans and the cakes themselves will just be a bit thinner. Or, you could use two 10" cake pans. Remember to only fill the cake batter up about ⅔ of the way in the cake pans, so if you plan on substituting cake pans sizes, you may have a little extra batter leftover.

A piece of chocolate cake on a plate

More vegan cake recipes

  • Vegan Vanilla Cake with Chai Spice Icing
  • Vegan Coconut Cake
  • Vegan Nutella Cake

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!

slice of chocolate cake

Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake is not only vegan, but it's filled with zucchini and topped with a light and fluffy dairy-free buttercream icing that's to die for!
4.92 from 25 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Author: Erin

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ cup cane sugar
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 3 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ¼ cup almond milk
  • ¾ cup applesauce
  • 2 ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups zucchini shredded

For the buttercream:

  • 1 cup dairy free butter softened
  • 3 tablespoon almond milk
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; then, add milk, applesauce, vinegar, and vanilla to that same bowl and stir with an electric mixer until combined.
  • Last, stir in the zucchini by hand.
  • Grease three 8" cake pans with coconut oil and divide the batter evenly amongst the pans. Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to sit in the pans for 10 minutes, and then run a knife along the edges of the cake and carefully invert them onto a cooling rack. Wait until cakes have completely cooled before icing them.
  • For the buttercream: cream butter and milk together, then add cocoa and powdered sugar. You want the icing to be thick but still spreadable. If it seems too thick, add 1 tablespoon milk. If it seems too thin, add ¼ cup powdered sugar.
  • To assemble: use a serrated knife to remove domes off of the cakes, then scoop a large dollop of icing onto the first cake and spread it; then place the second cake on top of that cake and repeat that same step. Top the final layer with chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, if you want.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are per slice and are an estimation
-Line your cake pans with parchment rounds so the cake doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan
-You can use any kind of dairy-free milk (my go-to's are almond and oat)
-You don't have to squeeze the liquid out of the shredded zucchini

Nutrition

Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 79g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!

UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in March 2018. It was updated with new text and photos in August 2020.

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Flourless Banana Pancakes »

About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. J says

    October 02, 2022 at 5:11 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe! Super moist and tasty. I put cherry pie filling between the layers with buttercream on top — a little over the top but it was fabulous!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      October 03, 2022 at 8:01 am

      YUM that sounds incredible! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂

      Reply
  2. Frances says

    July 28, 2022 at 12:40 pm

    Hi
    I'm going to make this a birthday cake for a friend. I would like to make it ahead. Is this a cake that will freeze well?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      July 29, 2022 at 8:00 am

      It should! Just make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil before freezing it, and to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.

      Reply
  3. Karen Hostetter says

    August 22, 2021 at 9:52 pm

    5 stars
    I made this several times as cupcakes for family gatherings. I took it to work one time and had to share the recipe. It was a hit there, too! What I want try next is to make whoopie pies with these ingredients but not sure how to make it hold it's shape. Note: I did squeeze some of the liquid out of the zucchini. It's still plenty moist.
    Thank you! One of my faves.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      August 24, 2021 at 8:53 am

      Thanks so much for the comment, Karen -- I'm happy you like the cake!

      Reply
    • Christine says

      August 28, 2021 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for my picky eater, egg and nut allergy son using cows milk. I also used 5 tsp lemon juice instead of ACV due to my husband's allergies. This is the second time I've made this cake and they both say it's the best chocolate cake ever. I use a 9 by 13 inch pan and bake it until a toothpick comes clean. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Erin says

        August 29, 2021 at 2:35 pm

        Thanks so much for the comment -- I'm happy the whole family can enjoy this recipe!

      • Kathy says

        July 19, 2022 at 2:24 pm

        Christine how long did you bake it in a 9 x 13? Thx

  4. Wendy says

    August 07, 2021 at 5:43 pm

    5 stars
    This is the third time I’ve made this cake this month - as soon as it’s gone my family asks for another! It’s a super easy cake and I can vouch that splitting the recipe in half and using one 9” pan works great. We’re not much into frosting so I’ve just been throwing a handful of chocolate chips in the batter, skipping the frosting, and eating it as a snacking cake. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      August 08, 2021 at 6:39 pm

      Thank you so much for this positive review -- I'm so glad you like the cake! And I love the idea of adding chocolate chips.

      Reply
  5. Daniel Z says

    September 01, 2020 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    I'm still fairly new to embracing more plant-based alternatives in my diet, and my mind is always blown by how zucchini can lead to something as rich and decadent as Erin's cakes!

    Reply
  6. Thy says

    August 21, 2020 at 5:10 pm

    5 stars
    I'm always wary of vegan dessert, but this recipe is proof that you don't have to sacrifice a THING to make a vegan cake decadent and satisfyingly moist. I prefer this chocolate cake to any other chocolate cake recipes I've had. So. Freaking. Good.

    Reply
  7. Henry says

    August 20, 2020 at 8:19 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of those recipes you give to someone who normally wouldn't touch anything with the V word in it's name. So moist...

    Reply
  8. Kath says

    August 07, 2020 at 2:38 pm

    I am making this cake right now. It was easy and looks amazing. The frosting is delicious!

    Reply
  9. Meghan T. says

    April 04, 2018 at 6:06 pm

    4 stars
    Is it possible to make this with almond flour instead of all purpose flour?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      April 05, 2018 at 6:28 pm

      hi! I haven't tried it with almond flour and I'm not sure what the measurements would be--sorry!

      Reply
  10. Mira Edorra says

    March 27, 2018 at 6:51 am

    5 stars
    Love this chocolate! Also, be sure to check the ingredients, as some brands' dark-chocolate bars still contain dairy products.

    Reply
  11. Kimberly @ Foodtalko says

    March 26, 2018 at 10:11 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! Such a delicious and gorgeous cake. I love the presentation as well. Can’t wait to try this for the kids. Thanks!

    Reply
  12. 2pots2cook says

    March 24, 2018 at 2:36 am

    5 stars
    Enjoy your blog very much ! Thank you for sharing this beauty with us !

    Reply
  13. Alicia says

    March 20, 2018 at 6:05 am

    5 stars
    Wow this cake looks super delicious! My son would love this cake so much! I am gonna try for him. Wish me best of luck!

    Reply
  14. Julia says

    March 18, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    5 stars
    OMG! It looks amazing! Next party I`m treating everyone!

    Reply
    • Stacey says

      April 02, 2020 at 9:42 pm

      Have you tried to make it gluten free?

      Reply
      • Erin says

        April 03, 2020 at 7:20 am

        I haven't tried making this exact recipe GF, but I do have this gluten free chocolate cake recipe: https://thealmondeater.com/chocolate-avocado-cake-gluten-free/

  15. Deiondra says

    March 16, 2018 at 9:15 am

    That cake looks INCREDIBLE! I can't wait to try out the recipe. Since the cake counts for St. Patty's day because of the zucchini, then I count it as also being healthy because it's made with a vegetable - that way I won't feel so bad when I indulge!

    Reply

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