This low carb chocolate zucchini cake recipe is the best way to use up all that summer zucchini. Rich and moist, with a gorgeous chocolate glaze, it just may be the best keto chocolate cake recipe ever! Updated recipe with a how-to video. Dairy-free options too.
This low carb chocolate zucchini cake is so rich and moist, it makes me do the happy dance. I don’t get out much! My town just north of Boston isn’t the most exciting place to live. It’s what you might call a little sleepy. There isn’t much happening here and for a city kid who grew up around the hustle and bustle of downtown Toronto, it’s often too quiet. It’s a good location with a good school system for my kids, but I find it a bit too suburban for my tastes. There is one thing, however, that I absolutely adore about it, and that’s our really great farmer’s market. It’s a surprisingly good one, with a wide variety of vendors. It was brand new the first year we lived in the area, and it’s grown to be one of the more popular markets in all the surrounding towns. And now it extends well beyond the summer and into October.
How To Make Low Carb Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Because it’s New England, our growing season is short and our produce selection is more limited than other regions. We simply don’t have the climate for some of the more exotic fruits and vegetables. But it’s always so fun to see what the vendors have on offer and what changes through the season. Zucchini seems to grow really well in this climate. It’s been available since mid-July and it’s still going strong, so I pick up a few every time I go. I’ve had zero luck growing it myself, and it’s such an inexpensive, versatile ingredient. We eat a lot of it every summer, but my kids generally don’t like it unless it’s baked into something. There is just something about baked goods with zucchini that appeal to everyone.
Updated Recipe!
My kids hovered over me as I made this cake. They have a funny habit of doing that when I make any sort of low carb chocolate cake. We’ve now made this quite a few times and on this last go round, I decided to make it dairy-free so that I could share it with my neighbours. I used coconut oil for the batter and coconut milk for the chocolate ganache, and it tasted just as good as the original. I also modified it to make it easier and to use less bowls. Because this is such a delectably moist cake, I’ve found it doesn’t matter if you beat in the butter or oil or melt it and stir it in. Melting and stirring is easiest so I went with that. Life’s complicated enough, why make it even more so?
I highly recommend getting a good non-stick bundt pan, because they make any cake look more elegant. But you can always make it in a 9×13 pan too, or even 2 or 3 round layers. It would even make great low carb cupcakes (baking times will vary depending on what pan you use). It’s an incredibly versatile keto cake recipe, so sock this one away in your arsenal for when all that zucchini comes in!
What better way to use up all of that zucchini than in a delicious low carb, gluten-free chocolate bundt cake? Topped with sugar-free chocolate ganache for an extra special treat.
- 2 cups finely grated zucchini 8 ounces
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups almond flour
- 2/3 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup unflavored whey protein powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup whipping cream or coconut milk
- 1/4 cup confectioner’s Swerve Sweetener
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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For the cake, place zucchini in a sieve and sprinkle liberally with salt. Mix to combine and let drain 1 hour. Press and squeeze to release the excess liquid and set aside.
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Preheat oven to 325F and grease a large bundt pan well.
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In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, sweetener cocoa powder, coconut flour, whey protein, and baking powder.
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Add the eggs, melted butter or coconut oil, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup almond milk. Add the drained zucchini and mix until well combined. If your batter is very thick add a few tablespoons additional almond milk at a time until it thins out. It should be spreadable but not pourable.
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Spread batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 45 minutes or until set and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Let cool in pan 15 minutes, and then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream or coconut milk and the sweetener. Bring to just a simmer, then remove from heat and add chopped chocolate and vanilla. Let sit 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth.
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Pour over the top of the cake and let set.
If you do not own a bundt pan, bake the cake in a 9x13 pan. The baking time will change. Start with 30 minutes and check every 5 minutes after that.
claire @ the realistic nutritionist says
LOVE this cake!! The photos are gorgeous!
Kelly says
Hi Carolyn! I’m assuming you could leave out the cinnamon? Does this cake taste similar to your chocolate zucchini sheet cake that is in the low carb friends cookbook? I love that cake but would like the idea of making a bundt version.
Carolyn says
I think the taste is always a bit similar, when doing chocolate zucchini cake, but the process and the ingredients are somewhat different. I think this one has a better overall texture in the end.
Ruth says
If I only have chocolate whey protein can I use that?
Carolyn says
Yep, should be fine!
Jessica says
Could I use the Jay Robb protien powder instead of the unflavored since it’s chocolate cake anyway?
Carolyn says
I am sure you could!
RavieNomNoms says
WOW, this is awesome!! Nicely done my friend!
Sarah G says
As previously, two cake pans would work instead of a bundt pan, right?
Carolyn says
Yes, but the baking time could be different so watch them.
Sarah G says
I want to get a bundt pan though…what size do you recommend for your recipes?
Carolyn says
The regular size? I don’t know how else to say it, but this is the one I bought recently and it says it’s 9 1/2 inches in diameter. Some are less wide but deeper… http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=aldaidrabfo05-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0000D8CAM&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
Sarah G says
Ok, I was just seeing different cup sizes on the pans…4 cups, 10 cups etc. I didn’t know how it works. Thanks!
Melanie E. says
I have a 12-cup pan, which to me seems normal. When I made the lemon poppyseed bundt cake, the batter only came about halfway up, but it still baked perfectly according to directions.
Sarah G says
Good to know, Melanie. Thanks!
Carolyn says
Mine doesn’t refer to itself in cups. However, yes…the batter only comes up about halfway or a little more than halfway.
Luana says
Carolyn, I still love your double chocolate zucchini bread! This one looks like a keeper, too.
Denise says
9 minus 4 equals 4 ?
The correct equation would be (chocolate + zucchini) minus (sugar + flour) equal 1 slice of heaven. I’m looking forward to trying it!
Carolyn says
Whoops, thanks! Might not have had enough coffee when I was doing that…
Christine says
Would coconut flour be a possibility?
Carolyn says
Not with the recipe as it is. You’d have to put in a lot more eggs and leavening agent and such. I’d suggest finding a recipe specifically for all coconut flour and adapting it for zucchini.
Brenda @Sugar-Free Mom says
Looks so moist and it’s got a very deep chocolate color not often seen as much when throwing zucchini in the mix. Good job!
Carolyn says
It’s the Hershey’s dark cocoa powder. Does a great job with that!
Angela says
HI! this may be a really stupid question. But, the unsweetened cocoa… does it come in different cacao percentages. The store I got mine from only had Hershey’s 100 % and Hershey’s Special Dark…. I made some lo carb mousse the other day and used only the recommended amount in the recipe, and swerve, but, it was REALLY bitter. Is that what you use in this recipe- the 100% cacao unsweetened cocoa powder?
Carolyn says
Hi Angela…not a stupid question when things are labeled differently like that. But unsweetened cocoa should always be 100% cacao! I really like super dark chocolate and I typically use Hershey’s Special Dark (if you look right under the name, it also says 100% cacao). But I’ve never heard of mousse made with only cocoa powder, I prefer it made with melted unsweetened chocolate. Sounds to me like perhaps super dark recipes aren’t your thing and you should go at them with a lighter hand on the cocoa powder?
Angela says
Thanks! No I actually really like dark chocolate, thinking maybe the recipes that I followed perhaps just need measurement adjustments with the sweetener? I just wanted to make sure on the cocoa as I have never baked with it before that, only with unsweetened Baker’s chocolate. 🙂
Carolyn says
It’s great to bake with, but I think it’s a bit strange that someone made mousse with it. I think your mousse would be far better with unsweetened chocolate.
Angela says
Possibly. Will have to try that instead next time. 🙂
Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective says
Delicious-looking cake, Carolyn! 🙂
Laura says
Do you rinse the salt from the squash? I don’t see that step but am concerned the cake might be too salty without…
Carolyn says
No, but that’s why there is no additional salt in the cake recipe later. Feel free to do a little less, like 1/2 teaspoon.
Linda says
Would it work to substitute whole milk or cream in place of the almond milk, or would that change the flavor too much? This looks delicious and I’m anxious to try it. I used to make a chocolate zucchini cake (full of sugar and white flour of course) that also called for chocolate chips. Have you ever added chocolate chips to this cake?
Carolyn says
cream or whole milk would be fine. It’s really about the liquid to dry ratio. And I’ve added chocolate chips to cakes LIKE this one so I know it would be fine. I typically don’t use commercial chocolate chips, but either make my own or chop some high % cacao chocolate.
Buttoni says
OMG this looks chocolicious, Carolyn. I’ve been wanting a real, dar, chocolate cake, and all the LC chocolate cakes I’ve made to date weren’t dark enough to suit me. I’m gonna pull back the almond milk and add 1 T. each bourbon and stale, black coffee. I love to add those to chocolate cakes. They bring so much to the flavor table in chocolate desserts. 🙂
Carolyn says
My best suggestion is to use Hershey Special Dark cocoa, it really helps the dark flavour and colour. I love a little coffee in my chocolate cakes too!
Cindy says
Hi Carolyn, I am out of coconut flour, is there another substitute? Already have my zucchini prepped
Carolyn says
Not sure what to say here. Coconut flour is a critical component of the recipe. You can try replacing with 3x the amount of almond flour but it raises the carb count and may end up too “wet”
Gerri says
YUM! Is the zucchini peeled before grating? Thanks.
Carolyn says
No, that’s not necessary at all.
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
I love a good zucchini cake and this one, with that gorgeous glaze, has me drooling!
Pat says
Quick questions, the cake shows no signs of the green from the zucchini. Do you grate it super fine? Do you use a box grater or a food processor? Thanks for all your yummy recipes!
Carolyn says
I did mine in my food processor, with the fine setting on the grater disk. More laborious with a box grater, and you would have green flecks, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
jenni peters says
What do the protein powder and xanthan gum do? Is there anything that could replace those? Looks super yummy! I want to make it soon but don’t have those ingredients.
Carolyn says
You need some sort of dry protein to help it rise properly in the absence of gluten. Even egg white powder will do. You can skip the xanthan but it could be a bit crumbly.
Dixie Thiery says
Xanthum Gum? I don’t see that listed.
Carolyn says
That’s because this is a new and updated recipe and you don’t need it. I was responding to an old comment. the dates indicate that. Hope that helps.
Angela says
Another stupid question before I make this this weekend- you state stevia in the cake, but stevia extract in the glaze. Are BOTH in fact stevia extract, or is the one IN the cake the powdered form? Also ( I guess thats 2 questions) is the Stevia granular or confectioners ( I’m assuming the granular, but just want to double check) 🙂
Carolyn says
Not stupid at all. Stevia extract (liquid) in both but you can sub in powdered if you like. Do you mean Swerve in the second question? It was granular in the cake and it will work better with powdered in the glaze but use granulated if you don’t have it.
Angela says
Yes, I Did mean Swerve- thanks again! 🙂
Jamie says
I. am. so. excited. My daughter has type 1 (she’s 8), and I am always on the search for alternatives for her for special occassions, etc. I’ve ordered Swerve and can’t wait to try it – and I think with this cake!
Carolyn says
I hope your daughter likes it! Let me know if you have any questions.
Jeanette says
Love the idea of tucking in some zucchini in a chocolate cake – I remember making bundt cakes as a kid, it’s been too long.
Kelly says
what kind of liquid stevia do you use and would stevia glycerite work? if so, would the amount be the same?
Carolyn says
What is the equivalent of stevia glycerite to sugar? My NuNaturals stevia extract is about 1/4 tsp to equal 1/4 cup sugar.
Deborah @ Delicious Happens says
Gorgeous cake! Definitely making it!!
cori says
Could you just use egg whites instead of whey protein powder?
Carolyn says
Egg whites are quite liquidy…you can use them, but you may need to offset with a little more coconu flour. Perhaps a few tablespoons?
Brenda says
I’m not sure what I did wrong, but this cake turned out dry with a bitter aftertaste and the glaze was a spectacular failure. The glaze was fine, if a bit too unsweetened, until I added the cocoa powder, and then it turned into a chunky mess that no amount of stirring or adding of fats could remedy. Unlike other zucchini cakes I’ve made, the batter was very thick, and there was virtually no rise. And the fine grating of the zucchini seemed to make it disappear a little too much. I could probably blame stevia for the bitter taste, but it was only 1/4 tsp. I baked at the correct temp and for the alloted time…any idea where I went wrong?
Carolyn says
Hi Brenda,
Sorry to hear it. What sweetener did you use besides stevia? If anything, this cake should be overly moist. Unfortunately, when it comes to gluten-free and low carb recipes, the brand you choose for almond flour, coconut flour and sweetener can make a difference. Did you use almond meal or almond flour? I know there has to be a difference here, because I’ve made this cake twice without issue.
As for the glaze, it sounds like your chocolate seized. Working with unsweetened chocolate is tricky…it doesn’t like too much heat and it seizes with extra moisture. Oddly enough, though, the best remedy for seized chocolate is continuing to add a bit more moisture and a bit more oil, 1 tbsp at a time, until it unseizes. Sounds counter-intuitive, but it works.
Brenda says
Yep, I’ve had chocolate seize before, so I knew to add fat…I added heavy cream, and even butter and it just would not come out of it. I used erythritol, which I ‘ve used before without problems. I can’t explain the glaze, but like Kelly, I did let the zucchini drain for quite a while…maybe it turns bitter if it sits for a long time?
Carolyn says
Hmmmm, interesting on the zucchini. I will have to experiment a bit.
Cecelia says
I also baked this cake and it stucked to the pan, and it fell apart and the glazes was bitter. No one really liked it . I followed the recipe to a tee. I know I won’t be making this again. I will try the pizza next and I hope it turns out good. Some people may have had success with this but I didn’t . Sorry 🙁
Kelly says
I had the same experience as Brenda. I used Honeyville almond flour, Bob Red Mill coconut flour and Swerve for sweetner (other than stevia). The batter was unbelievably thick, so thick in fact that I ended up adding more almond milk (probably 2x), and it was still VERY thick. The cake was a little dry and a little bitter. (FYI…I didn’t have this problem when I made your other chocolate zuchinni sheet cake recipe from low carb friends book). The glaze seized up on me as well as soon as I added the cocoa powder. It was also bitter. So what do you add to unseize it? More butter? What liquid do you add?
Carolyn says
Hmmm, I am stumped. Unless it’s the zucchini somehow and yours and Brenda’s was more dried out than mine. Because mine was very moist. I took copious notes for this recipe and I just checked them against what I wrote and it all looks good. I might have to test it for third time to see if I can re-create the issue. As for the ganache, I know it works because it also is a recipe I’ve used time and again, with slight variations. But since both you and Brenda had the same problem, I am going to lessen the amount of cocoa powder a bit. In future, you can add more butter or any oil (grapeseed works well) and pretty much any liquid…cream or water would be fine. 1 tbsp at a time, whisking until it thins out.
Kelly says
FYI…I grated my zucchini and let it drain while we went out to dinner, so it probably drained for about 3 hours, then I squeezed out all the liquid I could afterwards.
cora says
Looks delish! Can I substitute GF all-purpose flour for the almond flour?
Carolyn says
No, not at all, they behave completely differently. Almond flour has tons more fat in it. I’d actually suggest taking a similar, flour-based chocolate zucchini bread recipe and adapting that instead. Sorry, it’s just not a great substitution for this one!
Angela says
Ok- so, I didnt get a chance to make this over the weekend and am still planning the baking of it. The area I live in is VERY limited as to healthy baking ingredietns so it took the weekend just to hunt it all down. One thing more I need to ask & I HOPE I am all set… I didn’t want to spend the $20- $30 each, average on a bottle of whey protein before trying this out and seeing if it was worth keeping on hand for possible future baking, so, I found a GNC that had 1-3 servings size of it- but only in chocolate, vanilla or strawberry. I bought a couple of the vanilla flavored and was wondering if that should be ok, and maybe omit the vanilla extract in ingredients? Or would you still put that in?
Carolyn says
That sounds good, Angela. Also, some people said they had difficulty with the cake and the glaze. Do 3 cups of zucchini instead of 2 and don’t let it drain longer than an hour. I suspect that might help. For the glaze, hold back on the cocoa powder until you see how much it thickens. Do 2 tbsp, then decide whether it’s thick enough. If not, add another tbsp.
Angela says
OMG! I just have too many questions, I’m sorry. What do you grease your bundt pan with – I have 3 options. PAM original, Coconut oil, or butter- what would you suggest of the three?
Carolyn says
I always use butter. I find it releases the best.
Chris says
I had the same experience as Kelly and Brenda….the cake was so dry that it crumbled when served. I used honeyville almond flour, swerve, bob red mill coconut flour, etc. but I’m thinking that I pressed too much moisture out of the zucchini. The cake looked beautiful coming out of the oven, and when I snitched a pinch as it was cooling it was moist and delicious. But by the time it had cooled, it was the driest cake I’ve ever made! Bummer!!
Carolyn says
Well, I think I’d better amend the recipe to make note not to squeeze too much moisture out then. I have made this cake twice and had no problems whatsoever. Thanks for your feedback!
Allison says
Hi Carolyn, I was wondering how you felt about not salting and draining the zucchini whatsoever. I have added shredded zucchini and carrots to regular muffin recipes for my children before as a way of packing extra veggies into them. These were AP flour recipes however. I was wondering how this might affect the overall result in this particular recipe. Maybe help with some of the issues others reported? Thanks!
Carolyn says
It might, but I’ve already adjusted the recipe to add more zucchini and to drain it less, to correct those issues. So I think you could do this, but I wouldn’t put in more than 2 cups of veggies and I would hold back on the added liquid until I saw the consistency of the batter. It should be thicker than regular flour batter (because almond flour batters already are). You should be able to spoon it into the pan but it wouldn’t be pourable…does that make sense?
Allison says
Hey Carolyn, Just wanted to check in and say my cake turned out great! I didn’t salt and drain the zucchini. I added salt in with the dry ingredients and folded the zucchini in as the last step. Everyone loved it! Great recipe. Will make again. Thanks.
Allison says
Also, my oven temp is way off. I always have to adjust the temps and baking times for recipes. Maybe those that came out dry need to buy an oven thermometer! Thanks Again!
Carolyn says
Great to know. Oven temps do vary a lot so that could be part of the issue.
Holli says
It looks so good but after the difficulties reported in all the comments I am afraid to waste the ingredients. Why would you even have to drain the zucchini. I would just peel the zucchini and grate it and add to recipe. Also, did you use almond meal instead of the flour. I noticed you didn’t use Bob’s almond flour. What is the difference? I think I will go and look at the zucchini chocolate bread instead and maybe I could put this glaze on it! I have so many ingredients that I want to buy to make your recipes, it takes time though. Thanks for all your work!
Angela says
This was well worth the effort! The zucchini is drained because of all the liquid it produces,. If you follow the instructions closely, youll have an awesome , rich cake u wont even want to share! Lol. Or maybe thats just me. 🙂
Holli says
sounds good Angela, thanks for the info. Now to find out about the almond flour vs. almond meal? Can you interchange them or will that compromise the recipe?
Holli says
me again! I just searched online for the difference between almond flour and meal and your post came up about all the questions about almond flour/ meal. Glad I found it! I came to find out that I have been using Bob’s and it says on the bag almond meal/flour. I am new to this so I didn’t even notice when I bought it at the grocery store. Your post said Honeyville was the best for real almond flour which means buying it online. Thanks Carolyn for all your work, bringing us good recipes, I never thought I’d be able to eat baked goods again now that I have to be gluten and sugar free.
Carolyn says
Hi Holli…Bob’s is pretty good so don’t write it off completely. But I find it better for muffins and scones than for finer-textured cakes. That’s just my experience.
Carolyn says
As I mentioned above, it will depend on the recipe…
Susanne says
I was so looking forward to trying this recipe. I hate to say this but it was a rather large disappointment and a waste of some expensive ingredients. I used Lucy’s Kitchen almond flour (which I have used in many bread, cake and cracker recipes before without a problem) coconut flour from Natural Grocers, and erythritol (NOW real foods brand) and Wholesome powdered stevia. The cake has scarcely any flavor, certainly not a sweet one. I even tasted the batter and doubled the amount of stevia. The texture is fine but my cake does not have the dark color in the photo (I used Scharffenberger cocoa.) I also more than doubled the amount of stevia (I used liquid stevia for this) here and added a dash of salt to balance it. I am sad as I was really hoping for something awesome. Other than the aforementioned alterations, I followed the recipe exactly and only made those changes I mentioned. Wondering where I went wrong.
Carolyn says
It’s really hard to say what exactly went wrong but NOW erythritol is a lot less sweet than Swerve, in my experience and I can see how you’d need to add more stevia to make up for it. I’ve never used Lucy’s kitchen almond flour either, I honestly can’t say how that would behave. But I’ve had people say they found this recipe TOO sweet, so remember that sweetness is a matter of taste and every palate is different. So I suspect that just the variation in sweeteners and almond flour played the biggest role here.
If you want a dark colour from your baked goods, Hershey’s Dark Cocoa powder is the way to go. It’s gluten-free too, I was happy to find out!
Rachelle says
Would vanilla protein powder work? That is what I have on hand, besides bushels of garden fresh zucchini. Thanks, very excited to try this recipe.
Carolyn says
Sure, vanilla would be fine. Leave out any additional vanilla extract.
Carrie says
Is there a substitute you would suggest for the whey protein that is dairy free and egg free?
Carolyn says
Hemp protein would work.
Cecelia says
Can I make this in a 9 by 12 pan?
Carolyn says
I am sure you can. The baking time will change but i don’t know by how much. Start with 25 minutes and check every few minutes after that.
Tia Stevens says
I had 2 cups of zucchini before I added the salt. after squeezing the water out, I have about 1 1/2 cups. Do I need to add more, or just have the 2 cups in the beginning? Also, I’m using xylitol/stevia (homemade) truvia. Would I still use the same amount as Swerve?
Carolyn says
Nope, no need to add more. 2 cups/8 ounces BEFORE salted and squeezing. I really don’t know about the homemade Truvia but I guess it would be about the same.
Judy says
Is the stevia, liquid or pure powder?
Carolyn says
Liquid.
Sherry says
I made this recipe yesterday! Wow! Loved it! I am so grateful for your recipes, and for the fact that you share them! Chocolate zucchini cake is my very favourite cake and I was sad about having to lay it down to do THM. Thank you for an incredible recipe!
Azu says
I just came across your page while I was searching for healthy bundt cakes. I really like the combination of zucchini and almond flour. looks delicious!
Maria says
HI, I would like to know if the whey protein is essential or could be avoided. In case it is essential, is there something else I could use to substitute it?
Thanks and great job! Lovely blog and recipes 🙂
Carolyn says
It helps baked goods rise and hold their shape, but you can use powdered egg whites instead.
Maria says
Thanks Carolyn! 🙂
And what about psyllium (Husk)? Do you know it? Could it work in a similar way?
Carolyn says
Yes, I use psyllium in some recipes and have a great pizza roll recipe coming with it. But I don’t think it’s a good replacement for the dry protein powders in cakes. It makes things too gummy.
Maria says
Ok, thanks for your great help Carolyn! I will use the protein powders then 🙂 Thanks again!
Jackie says
i just made this! I did not drain the zucchini and I used HWC instead of the almond milk. It came out great!
Sandra Wright says
Is there some other flour I can use to replace the Almond Flour? I am allergic to Almonds and Hazelnuts. I haven’t really started gungho on this diet yet because I feel so much has the nuts. I also have diverticulitis so a lot of seeds and nuts are out. any suggestions? Thank You.
Carolyn says
You could try sunflower seed flour. I’ve found it to be a good replacement for almond flour recipes.
Ellen Kittredge says
this recipe looks amazing! Can almond flour be substituted with a non-nut flour? I have two grandchildren allergic to nuts, but would like to try the cake when they might be having I it with the family?
Carolyn says
You could try sunflower seed flour. I’ve found it to be a good replacement for almond flour recipes.
Debbie says
Made this recently. Didn’t want to spend $30.00 on a big container of whey protein but I found hemp protein powder while I was looking for it. Bobs Red Hemp protein powder 1 lb bag was around $11.00. And I can add it to smoothies. The cake turned out awesome. I greased my bundt heavily with pure butter. Took it out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack on my countertop, set the timer for 12 minutes, let it cool till then, and then set a plate on top and inverted to dump the cake out. It came out beautifully! So moist and yummy. In regards to chocolate seizing, don’t add cream, you’ll end up with ganache that way. Add oil, stir, heat, stir. If even a DROP of water gets in, your glaze is toast. Avoid getting your glaze wet at all costs! Thanks for a low carb cake that is heavenly!
Char says
I would like to try this in the slow cooker. Your other slow cooker cakes turn out so good. Do you think I should alter any ingredients or quantities for this to work in the slow cooker.
Thanks
Carolyn says
Here’s what I think you should do. I think you should follow the recipe for the slow cooker chocolate cake but replace the 3/4 cup milk with the drained, shredded zucchini. Then add in just enough liquid to have a spreadable batter.
Char says
I tried this and it worked perfectly. Thanks
Brenda says
I made this cake and it turned out amazing!!!!! Best gluten free cake I’ve ever made. I used organic maple syrup in place of the Swerve and it was still sweet enough. Even my picky toddler gobbled it up and she knew there was zucchini in it!!!! Thanks for this recipe, it will be my go-to when we feel like making cake.
Sheen says
I just made this today. I had zucchini to use up and have been eating THM and my husband has hated all the desserts I’ve made (9!) but this? He LOVED. So did I! Super moist and yummy; love the hint of cinnamon. The glaze was a little bitter (I think it was my chocolate) so I added a little heavy cream and a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. Amazing! Thanks for all your yummy recipes. Going to make the zucchini ricotta recipe tomorrow!
Carolyn says
Glad everyone loved it!
Kristin says
What are some good egg substitutes for this recipe?
Carolyn says
I don’t use egg replacers so I am really not sure but you could try flax or chia eggs.
Cassondra says
I’ve been following your site for awhile & I just had to leave a comment about this recipe. I’ve made many of your delicious recipes, but this one is sooo YUMMY! I followed the recipe exactly except I just squeezed the moisture from the zucchini rather than wait for the salt to do it’s thing (mainly bc I’m impatient!) & it is so wonderfuly moist & delicious! Thank you for all your hard work & for taking the time to share with all of us!
Anne O says
This recipe is so versatile & delish! I did not follow precisely & turned out wonderful. I over baked it accidentally by 15 min. Not dry at all, dense but all is good. No bundt pan used an angel food pan, no dark cocoa powder used regular cocoa powder- what I had on hand. And forgot to add the liquid stevia. And sliced it then topped with a mocha frosting. It stores well in the refrigerator and I can’t believe I used 2 whole zucchini in this cake! Thank you Carolyn for another excellent recipe.
Anne L. in Texas says
Carolyn, wondering did you use a mixer in the “beat” instructions or just beat by hand.
Carolyn says
If I say “beat”, it means with a mixer or hand beater. It helps incorporate things better.
Anne L. in Texas says
Just finished my first slice of this cake. It came out exactly like the picture and it is delish! I only had to cook mine for 40 mins. I’v had great success with all your recipes but this is the best cake of the GF / SF variety. Thanks for all you do for all of us.
Carolyn says
So glad you like it!
Karrie says
So… I shredded 2 cups but then saw the 8oz. I weighed it and had too much so I went down to 8 oz. It’s baking now and I sure hope I didn’t mess up ?
Holly says
OMG people! Just make the cake without the thousand questions! You need to experiment yourself!
Carolyn, delish as always! Have never had a recipe fail from you! Thank you for all your hard work!!
kay says
i’m not used to using cups in recipes can the recipe be converted into grammes or ounces please
Carolyn says
There are many sites that will do this conversion for you.
Sharon L says
I made this cake over the weekend and it is so moist and delicious. However, my glaze was very bitter and I followed the directions exactly and used the confectioners Swerve but was unsure what brand of unsweetened chocolate. I used
Ghiradelli Unsweetened 100% Cacao. Did I use the wrong brand of unsweetened chocolate?
Carolyn says
I have used Ghirardelli many times but I love dark chocolate (really dark chocolate) so perhaps you need more sweetener in yours.
Angelique says
I had tons of zucchini, I had a huabamd with a birthday, and this was the best birthday cake ever! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Priscilla says
My husband recently got diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, I need to radically change my ways of cooking. I’m learning about low carb and sugar-free baking. Is it necessary to add whey protein powder? Can I leave it out or substitute for something else? We’re on a tight budget and after shopping for many new pantry staples, I’m unable to purchase the protein powder, the one I was looking at was over $20. I might buy it later in the future though. What brand of unsweetened chocolate did you use for the glaze? Can I also add raw cacao powder for the cake or unsweetened dark cocoa powder? Would monk fruit sweetener be okay for the cake instead of granular swerve? I’m so interested in trying your recipe, we have plenty of garden zucchini harvest and my family loves chocolate. This looks delish and the many other recipes you have. Thanks! 🙂
Carolyn says
Hi Priscilla. I understand the tight budget and you can skip it but… things rise better with it. Here is a video I did on Facebook to show readers why I use it. https://www.facebook.com/AllDayIDreamAboutFood/posts/1798732540154127
Raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder should be fine for the cake, although the raw cacao may be more bitter. Monk fruit would be fine, I just don’t know the conversion of it. Hope that helps!
Priscilla says
Great video, thanks for sharing! Now it makes sense. However, I use a lot of organic and non-GMO ingredients in baking. I try to avoid too much dairy, I can tolerate some but not all. Like I can do cheese, yogurt, etc. but not dairy ice cream. If I eat too much dairy, I get sick. I noticed you use Bob’s Red Mill whey protein powder, is that free from GMOs? I found goat whey protein powder online, woud that work? Also what brand of unsweetened chocolate did you use for the glaze? I usually like semi-sweet and semi-dark chocolate but I have to make everything sugar-free for my husband. I apprediate your time.
Carolyn says
You can use any protein powder here and goat whey or egg white protein is a great choice. For unsweetened chocolate, I typically use ghirardelli or Scharffenberger.
Priscilla says
Thank you so much! I had to use some of my savings, I ordered the goat whey protein powder. I can’t wait to try your cake recipe.
Anita says
This is delicious. Needs just a bit more sugar, but is moist and flavorful. I’m so glad to find a great cake recipe, thanks.
Carolyn says
Thank you!
Nicole Pelletier says
A couple of questions, i only have chocolate protein mix on hand, can i use that maybe double and omit the cocoa powder? And could this be cupcakes instead?
Carolyn says
Yes, it makes great cupcakes. No, just add the chocolate protein powder in addition to the cocoa.
Stephanie Morgan says
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it! I am allergic to coconut. Do you have any suggestions as to what I can substitute for the coconut flour? Would you increase the almond flour by the same? Or the protein powder? Would I need to reduce liquid or egg? Thanks so much!
Carolyn says
Use another cup of almond flour in place of the 1/3 cup of coconut flour.
Cheryl says
I’ve been making a flour chocolate zucchini cake for 20+ years. I actually don’t grate the zucchini fine, just shred in the processor and put in strainer. I squeeze it by hand just before stirring in batter. It’s made like a snack cake in a 9×13 pan with a sprinkle of chocolate chips and walnuts on top (no icing). Also 3 eggs, buttermilk, cinnamon and cloves. I am looking forward to trying your recipe just didn’t have enough swerve left. I want to try to do similar to my old recipe, thinking about adding vinegar to my cream? Had great success with your brownie cheesecake!
Carolyn says
I think you could take this recipe and bake it in the same pan with similar results. And I can’t see why souring your cream a bit wouldn’t work.
Laura Pierson says
I followed the recipe to the letter and I have to say that this cake is so moist and it has an absolutely lovely texture! The ganache is heavenly. Thank you Carolyn for making it so much easier and more satisfying to live a Keto lifestyle. How can you say that you’re missing out on anything when you provide us with recipes like this! ??
Jackie Mack says
This cake is the most amazing cake ever! Made it three times! Perfect every time! I don’t use any salt and I don’t squeeze out moisture. I just put a paper towel in the bottom of the container I use to store the grated zucchini in overnight in the frig and that’s it. This cake makes me not miss the one from the local bakery anymore! Thank you Carolyn!!! You Rock!
Rhea says
Hi,
Almost your recipes call for Whey Protein Powder and since I am totally against adding extra protein to my diet can it be substituted by anything else such as flax seed meal or extra egg whites. If possible something easy to find.
Carolyn says
In the absence of gluten, which is a protein itself, substituting another dry protein powder like whey or egg white protein helps the baked goods rise and hold their shape. I add no more than what is a single serving (scoop) of protein powder, which has about 18 to 20g of protein per scoop. This means that over a whole cake which serves 12 to 16, you are adding no more than one or two grams of protein to your daily diet.
However, if you choose to leave it out, I do not guarantee your results. Flax seed meal ALSO has protein and you’d be adding about 8g of protein with a similar amount of flax seed and it won’t have the proper consistency. And of course, adding egg whites also again adds protein and you’d throw off the liquid content of the batter and it would be a disaster.
Robin says
Hi Carolyn,
I made this cake for the first time 2 days ago. So nice, great texture and very moist. I can’t get Swerve, so I used erythritol and added a bit of liquid stevia, both in the cake and in the glaze. We really love this cake! Thanks again for all your recipes. I did get you cookbook for Christmas, and I love it too.
Carolyn says
Thanks, Robin.
Jennifer Blake says
I love a good chocolate zucchini bread, but a whole bundt cake? Yes please!
Jennifer Farley says
What a lovely cake! That ingredient list is amazing too! Must try!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
Baking with zucchini is the best, this cake is perfectly chocolate-y and moist!
Cookin Canuck says
This cake looks positively additive! I’m thinking it would be perfect with an afternoon coffee on the side.
gerry speirs says
Killer cake!!
marguerite lindemann says
I just made this cake. and it turned out great. I did use more sweetener as I like it sweet. I tasted the cake batter before cooking it .I also used more zucchini, almost 3 cups and it was super moist. The glaze was a little loose and I did it in the microwave instead of the stove top. no problems with it. My husband loved it and this will now be my go to cake. thank you for the recipe.
Lidia says
Carolyn, I just did this recipe yesterday, it got stuck a little in pan, also I would like to know how is the best way to store it, thanks
Jennifer Farley says
Amazing! I love the healthy ingredients!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
Put me down for a few slices of this!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
This recipe is making me look forward to that stretch of summer when I am swimming in zucchini from the garden! I can’t wait to try it!
Jennifer Blake says
So delish!
Angela P. says
Hi Carolyn,
I want to make this today but I only have vanilla protein powder, would that be okay or would it change the flavour too much??
Angela says
Can I use 90% whey protein isolate instead?
Carolyn says
Sure that should be fine.
Esther says
Thanks for sharing. Is temperature for baking for a fan forced oven?
Carolyn says
A regular oven.
Joanne says
Can you use canned pumpkin instead of the zucchini?
Carolyn says
It’s going to be a lot more moist so I don’t think it’s a great substitution.
Donna says
Made this recipe two days ago and it is the bomb. Family loved it. I did bake it in my convection oven and reduced the cooking time by 10 mins. Came out perfect. I’m assuming this needs to be refrigerated for storing?? Thanks for sharing all your hard work with us. Love following you.
Carolyn says
It should be okay on the counter for 2 days, if you don’t live in a super humid area. After that, refrigerate. Or if you think it will be around for a bit, refrigerate from the get-go.
Nicole says
I added some extra zuch just because; it turned out so good! Thanks for the creative way to use all that summer squash!