You’re either going to love me or hate me for this post. Why? Because this grain-free chocolate cake which just so happens to have zucchini in it is AMAZING. You will love how rich and chocolaty it is, how moist and tender. You will be utterly amazed that this cake has no flour of any kind and that there is zucchini in it. Zucchini! It is sweetened with maple syrup and that’s all. After your first bite, you might exclaim, “Three cheers for Pamela!”
Orrrrrrr, you will find this cake, which is more like a cross between a brownie and cake, completely irresistible and TOO amazing. You will walk by it on the countertop and find the uncontrollable need to even out all the edges until you are left with a mere crumb. But you’ll convince yourself it’s healthful! It contains almond butter and zucchini. Zucchini! And you will not be able to stop eating it. The next time you make it you will freeze most of it so that you are not tempted by its chocolaty goodness and inhale three-fourths of it before the kids get home. But you cannot stop dreaming about this cake so you find out it even taste good FROZEN because there is no waiting when it comes to this cake. And after you eat all of the frozen cake, you might exclaim, “I curse the day I met Pamela! Darn this chocolate amazingness!”
And that’s what I’m talking about.
Even Mr. Picky himself went crazy for this cake. I actually came clean and told him there was zucchini in here and he didn’t care!! If you are nut-free, don’t sweat. Substitute sunflower butter in an equal amount and it will work perfectly. Sunflower butter does have a slightly nuttier flavor, almost like peanut butter. But I when I made the cake with sunflower butter for some nut-free people, they couldn’t detect it. Make it. Devour it. Love it. Share it. Tell me all about it.
Grain-free Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe and VIDEO
Ingredients
- coconut oil or butter for greasing pan
- 1 cup creamy, unsweetened, unsalted almond butter, raw or roasted, or sunflower butter for a nut-free cake
- 1/3 cup pure Grade A maple syrup or raw honey
- ¼ cup raw cacao or cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups of shredded zucchini, about 2 small
- 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch pan. If you want to remove the cake from the pan in one piece, line it with unbleached parchment paper as well.
- In a large bowl combine the almond butter, maple syrup, cacao powder, salt, coffee powder, egg, vanilla, and baking soda until smooth.
- Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake until just set and a toothpick comes out clean or with dry crumbs. Do not overbake. A 9 x 9 pan will take 35-45 minutes. An 8 x 8 pan will take 40-50 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
Notes
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I do indeed love this cake!! Love love just like you said eating it all until it’s gone telling myself it’s good for me and then dreaming about it until I make more!
I usually double it, which works well and I had an extra egg when my hens give more and I’ve tried other nuts such as walnuts for the butter all with wonderful results! Thank you Pamela!
Hi Pamela! This sounds great but I have 3 boys that are all allergic to nuts. Is there a substitute for the nut butter?
Thanks!!
Yes! That’s so strange that it’s not listed here, but sunflower butter works equally well! Enjoy!
Thanks!!
My pleasure 🙂
Hi, Pamela. This looks like a delicious recipe! Unfortunately, it is NOT sweetened only with maple syrup, as it also has semi-sweet chocolate chips. I might try subbing the chocolate chips with chopped dates.
Hi Stacy! It is a delicious recipe and I hope you try it. I think diced dates would be an amazing swap for the chocolate chips! There are chocolate chips out there that are not sweetened with refined sugar, though. Lily’s is one possible brand. And there are other chocolate products not sweetened with refined sugar, such as Honey Mamas, which can be chopped into chunks and used as well!
Hi Pamela.
This is so delicious, I have to make it again. However I’m trying to go low carb, so need to replace the syrup/honey. I have both liquid stevia, and natvia. What would you suggest, as I think I’d need to increase fluid somehow with either of these. Thanks.
Yes, I think you will lose moisture if you sub stevia for the maple syrup. Can you do applesauce? I might try 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 teaspoon stevia. Not sure how it will work though. Let me know if you try it!
Thanks Pamela.
I just made this again yesterday, replacing all the maple syrup with the equivalent of natvia (1/3 cup), and then added 1/3 cup of water to make up the liquid. (I would have used almond milk if I had any).
It looked to be the same consistency as your batter.
I then cooked this in a ring tin (like a Bundt), as it seems to me, a good way to cook cake evenly, and not be drier around the outside edges. Took about 35 mins in my oven.
I thought the raw batter was a bit sweeter than I would have liked, but finished cake seems to be just right for sweetness.
Topped it with a dark choc ganache, as I did this for Hubby’s birthday. He loves it.
I didn’t use applesauce, as there would probably still be too many carbs for a keto recipe. Might try that another day.
I know there are other keto recipes out there, but I really liked that your recipe has almond butter AND zucchini AND chocolate.
I am so pleased to have found your site. Thankyou !!
Thank you for generously sharing your substitutions. I’m sure people who need to eat low carb appreciate the advice!
this is one of my all time favorites! how many days would this stay good in the fridge? and (sorry for the amateur question)… how would you defreeze this?
Nice to hear! You can keep it in the fridge, well-wrapped or covered, for about 5 days. If you freeze it, defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then on the countertop to thaw completely.
I made this cake a few months ago and it was so amazing!
I’m planning on making it again for Christmas, but I would like to add some peppermint extract to it and make it a peppermint cake (I’m also going to crumble up some gluten free peppermint cookies in it). How much peppermint extract do you think it will need?
Great idea! I’m not sure, but I would guess 1/8-1/4 teaspoon. Peppermint extract is really strong, so a little goes a long way. I would start with 1/8 teaspoon and taste the batter. You can always add more. Let me know how it goes!
I just made this for my family! My middle – and MOST Picky eater – eating Carrots as his only vegetable…Absolutely LOVED this “brownie!” I will make it again and again and will NEVER tell them their is Zucchini In there!
Cheers!
Christy
This is my Mr. Picky’s hands-down favorite dessert!! Glad it was a hit with your littles 🙂
Would there be s zucchini substitute at all
In this? Grated apples? Would that make it Too sweet? Apple sauce? I need to eat these again but have no zucchini.
You can try grated apples. They may add extra sweetness, so feel free to drop a teaspoon or two of the maple syrup. I would not use applesauce.
Hi Pamela,
I don’t have any instant coffee powder but I do have an espresso maker could I just make a strong shot and use that instead? Would I need to decrease any other liquid?
Do you squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini at all?
Hi Deborah, Don’t bother with the espresso. The cake will still be great without it. I do NOT squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini. Enjoy!
Made this for a picnic and every last piece was devoured by young and old alike. They are super delicious and super easy. Definitely add the coffee. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Nice! So glad you enjoyed them. They are definitely my family’s favorite treat!