Description
This moist and delicious Chocolate Zucchini Banana Cake combines the natural sweetness of ripe bananas and shredded zucchini with rich cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Perfect as a healthier dessert option, it features a tender crumb and deep chocolate flavor, enhanced with warm cinnamon. Ideal for a sweet treat that sneaks in some veggies, this cake is easy to prepare and sure to satisfy chocolate lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (excess moisture squeezed out)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Add-Ins
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus more for topping, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal of the cake after baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, shredded zucchini (with moisture squeezed out), eggs, vegetable oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents and spices.
- Mix Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can make the cake dense.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the batter to add bursts of melted chocolate in every bite.
- Prepare for Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking to keep the cake moist.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing into 9 squares. Optionally, sprinkle additional chocolate chips or dust with powdered sugar before serving for an appealing finish.
Notes
- Be sure to squeeze out excess moisture from the shredded zucchini to prevent the cake from becoming soggy.
- This cake stays moist for several days when stored properly and can be frozen for longer storage.
- You can bake this recipe in a loaf pan if you prefer a bread-like texture instead of square cake slices.
