Low Carb Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Low Carb Chocolate Zucchini Cake

A Low Carb Chocolate Zucchini Cake that is healthy and nutritious but tastes divine. You are never going to feel guilty serving this cake to your family and friends. They are would never guess that it has the goodness of zucchini added to it or that it is both sugar and gluten free.

Lovely chocolate flavors combined with slightly fudgy centre that is reminiscent of cakes that feature EVOO- evoo. This is a decadent cake that can be served for afternoon tea. It also makes a delicious dessert served with a dollop of cream or low carb ice cream.

Low Carb Chocolate Zucchini Cake is sugar and wheat free.

A Versatile Recipe

This cake is ideal for a celebration cake, to be made into cup cakes or for a slab cake. You will have to vary the cooking times for different cake pan sizes.It makes the perfect cake for birthday or celebration cake, as it is quite dense and would layer really well.

Icing and Frosting Options

There are a couple of options for icing/frosting this cake. My personal favorite is a very simple dark chocolate ganache which is made from cream and dark chocolate. You can make it a runnier ganache, or thicker, depending on the ratio of cream to chocolate that you use. You could also try using my recipes for a Low Carb Cream Cheese Frosting or a Low Carb Buttercream Frosting.

This is a lovely moist cake, that isn’t quiet as rich as a couple of my other chocolate cake recipes which have much stronger dark chocolate flavors.  I really enjoy a slice of this with a coffee and it is also fabulous as a dessert, simply zapped in the microwave for a few seconds and served with some whipped cream. If you want to up the chocolate flavors in this recipe, add an additional 1/4 cup of cocoa and use Dutch processed cocoa powder. Chocolate chips could also be added to the recipe.

Olive Oil

As with any cake recipe that features olive oil, make sure you use a light flavored extra virgin olive oil. Make sure that you don’t use a processed “Light Olive Oil”, or you are going to be very disappointed with the flavors.

My favorite oil to use in Australia is the Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the mildest flavor. It works perfectly in baking cakes like this one because it is so mild in flavor. If you struggle to find a mild tasting olive oil, you can also switch the oil for melted butter.

More Fabulous Chocolate Cake Recipes

If you are after a richer chocolate cake, try this recipe for Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins. If you are after another milder chocolate flavored cake a little bit similar to this one but without the zucchini, I also recommend you try making this simple Chocolate Olive Oil Cake. Don’t let the olive oil turn you off making this cake as you cannot taste it at all. This recipe is really versatile as well and is absolutely delicious both as a cake and even as a pudding, especially when served with whipped cream or a low carb ice-cream.

If you are after a really decadent Chocolate Cake then make sure you have a look at this recipe for a Low Carb Chocolate Fudge Cake, the piece de resistance of chocolate cakes. The recipe is a bit of a copy cat of one of Ottolenghi’s most famous chocolate cakes and is truly divine.

If you are after some other great cake recipes, you might want to look at these recipes as well.

Low Carb Orange and Almond Cake
Sugar Free Mandarin Macadamia Cake
Low Carb Lemon Syrup Cake
Low Carb Carrot Cake
Healthy Banana Bread
Low Carb Banana Loaf-a denser loaf with lots of nuts and seeds
Healthy Pumpkin Bread

You are going to want to bookmark this recipe as it is sure to become a favorite of yours. I’m building up quite a repertoire of chocolate cakes now so there is literally one for every occasion.

Kxx

Low Carb Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Low Carb Zucchini Chocolate Cake

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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Baking, Cakes, Muffins and Sweets, Dessert
Cuisine: Diabetic Recipe, Gluten Free, Keto, LCHF, Low Carb, Paleo, Sugar Free
Keywords: chocolate, chocolate zucchini, chocolate zucchini cake, chocolate-cake, gluten free baking, sugar-free, zucchini, zucchini cake
Servings: 20 serves

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 2 small zucchini/courgette approximately 300 gms /10 oz squeeze out excess water if required
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 175 ml EVOO- extra virgin olive oil light in flavour (not light olive oil)
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee coffee helps lift the chocolate flavors
  • 250 gms almond meal/almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 75 gms cocoa powder unsweetened or cacao powder/Dutch processed powder
  • 4 tablespoons Stevia Blend or alternative sweetener such as monkfruit
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon ground
  • ½ teaspoon allspice powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients

  • 100 mls full fat pure/heavy cream
  • 75 gms dark chocolate 80% couveture or more
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

To Make the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 170 C/ 340 F fan forced oven
  • Grate the zucchini/courgette. If there is too much moisture in the zucchini, squeeze some of the juice out. See notes for further details.
  • Beat eggs with a hand mixer for 3 minutes in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water and allow to cool slightly.
  • Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well combined, ensuring there are no lumps and the baking powder and soda are well distributed.
  • Add the EVOO-oil, vanilla extract, dissolved coffee and zucchini to the eggs and beat with the hand mixer until combined.
  • Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until really well combined.
  • Pour into a greased and lined 8” or 9” baking pan and smooth out the top ensuring there aren’t any air bubbles.
  • Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the cake is cooked in the centre.
  • Leave to cool in tin for 10 minutes then leave to cool on a cooling rack. Top the cake with ganache when it has completely cooled down.

To Make the Ganache

  • Heat up the cream just to below the boil (don't boil or you will have lumps in your gananche) and remove from heat (or microwave) and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has blended with the cream, and allow to cool before using.
  • Drizzle the ganache on before it thickens for a drizzle finish or allow ganache to cool in the fridge to a slightly thicker consistency before icing the cake. This is enough ganache for a thin coating on top of the cake.
  • Note that you can make a stiffer ganache by increasing the amount of chocolate you add, ie., make it 1 :1 cream to chocolate (2.5 oz/75 gms of each) for a stiffer ganache or make it 2 parts chocolate to 1 part cream (3.5 oz/100 gms chocolate to 1.8 oz/50gms cream) for a much stiffer and pipeable ganache. You can also make it thinner and more like a pourable chocolate sauce by using 1 part cream to .5 amount chocolate (ie, 3.5 oz/100 gms cream to 1.8 oz/50 gms chocolate.)

To Serve

  • This cake tastes lovely served as it is fresh from the oven, or when iced or frosted.
  • Try serving it simply with a dollop of cream, marscapone or some icecream.
  • For a delicious hot dessert, simply zap in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up and serve with whipped cream. If you haven't ganached it, pour some of the pourable chocolate sauce over the top to serve.

Recipe Notes

If young firm zucchini are used in this recipe and don't have much moisture, there is no need to squeeze the liquid out of them. If there is a lot of moisture present after you have grated yours, give it a squeeze over a colander or in a muslin bag to remove the excess liquid before adding to the recipe.
 If using erythritol or xylitol as the sweetener, add 3/4 cup.
Add 1/2 cup of dark choc chips for variation. You can make your own by cutting up a dark chocolate bar.
For a richer chocolate taste, increase the cocoa to 1 cup or 100 grams/3.5 oz. Dutch processed cocoa will you give richer chocolate flavors and is the queen of cocoa powder.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1serve | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.5g | Protein: 4.4g | Fat: 17.8g | Fiber: 2.5g
Note that we calculate our own nutritional values so they may not be precise. Calculate your own if desired. Carb values exclude sugar alcohols such as Erythritol, as they generally have no impact on blood sugar levels. 50% of the carbs from Xylitol is added to nutritional values. This is consistent with industry practice.
If you liked this recipe, let us know what you think!Mention @alowcarblowsugarlifestyle or tag #ketohh
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35 thoughts on “Low Carb Chocolate Zucchini Cake”

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    1. Hi Betty
      I have just updated this recipe with the nutritional information added. This is my husbands favorite cake out of all of my recipes.
      I hope you enjoy it.
      Karen

      1. I can’t tell how much zucchini to use……how many cups of grated zucchini is needed? Thanks!

  6. 5 stars
    I made a birthday cake using this recipe. What a delicious cake. Really moist and you can’t taste the zucchini. I made the ganache as suggested and it was so easy to do. Will definitely make it again.

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  9. Hi there, this looks delicious! Do you remove the moisture from the zucchini (i.e. wringing it in paper towels) before using in the recipe or leave as is after grated? Thanks!

    1. 5 stars
      Thanks Mary. I generally just grate the zucchini and use it as it is but I use young and firm zucchini. If you used zucchini or courgette that has a lot of moisture in it when you grate it, then I would sqeeze the liquid out. Karen

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  11. Thanks for the lovely sounding recipe – what temperature would you suggest for the oven?

  12. 5 stars
    I just made this recipe yesterday for a dinner party tonight. In the melee of food prep I added 55 g of (peeled/seeded/processed in cuisinart) zucchini instead of 14 g – so then realizing my mistake added 2 more eggs and a bit more butter and spice to compensate. In other words, I bastardized your recipe in order to save it from the bin upon realizing my mistake. But to my great surprise and relief, when I tasted it this morning I could hardly believe how utterly delicious it is – and it looks good, too (in a cheesecake pan). Clearly, this recipe is quite forgiving and makes it perfect go to recipe to help use up the glut of zucchini I grow. A new family favorite that’s going in ‘THE BOOK’. Thank you, thank you, Karen!!

    1. I’m so glad you managed to rescue the cake and serve it at your dinner party Stephanie. Well done for bringing it back to life! Thanks so much for leaving feedback as well. It’s always great to hear what people think of the recipes I share on my blog. Kxx

  13. 5 stars
    A really lovely recipe. The kids didn’t know it had zucchini in it and just thought it was chocolate cake. Love it!

  14. Mine ended up to wet on bottom 🙁 tastes good though I used marrow instead think I’ll squeeze out some liquid next time.

    1. Thanks Lizbeth. Marrow are more watery so it would be a good idea to squeeze out some of the juice before adding. I generally use young zucchini that is quite dry so don’t have to squeeze the water out.
      Karen

  15. Oh no I’m out of zuchinni, will have to wait a few days to try this, looks wonderful.

    1. Hi Amanda
      If you click on US customary the measures are in oz. Gms means grams which is a standard metric measure. 100 gms of almond flour is equivalent to about 1 cup so 250 gms is about 2.5 cups.
      Hope this helps.
      Karen x

    2. Would have loved to made this but too hard too figure out grams! Wish you would have made the recipe in ounces and cups.

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    1. Hi Anisha,
      I’ve never made it with maple syrup so I’m not sure.
      Try using the same amount but if the batter is too runny add a little additional almond flour.
      Hope this helps.
      Karen

  20. How many days in advance can I make this cake. Any storage requirements in the meantime?

    Thanks !

    1. Hi Rosa
      This cake will store for up to 5 days. I like to keep it in the fridge but it will be ok on the bench as well.
      For ultimate freshness, make it one to two days in advance and it would be ideal prior to serving.

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