This keto zucchini cake is so rich and moist, it makes me do the happy dance. You know that dance, surely. That happy, spontaneous wiggle that can only come from putting a bite of something utterly delectable on your tongue.
I have multiple keto chocolate cake recipes on this website, each with a different twist. But every single one of them makes me do that happy dance.
And this is one of my favorites to make in the summer. It’s simple to make and turns out beautifully every time. I take this keto bundt cake to many parties and get togethers and it always meets with rave reviews!
Why you will love this recipe
Anyone who has ever grown their own zucchini knows how crazy it can get come mid-summer. You find yourself picking three or four large ones on a daily basis and you can’t keep up.
So any delicious recipe that includes zucchini is a good one! My classic Keto Zucchini Bread becomes very popular at this time of year. But this cake is a nice way to switch it up for a lovely dessert. With only 4g net carbs per serving, it fits well into a keto diet.
This keto bundt cake is not overly sweet, but the chocolate glaze makes it extra appealing. And I’ve simplified the recipe so that you can whip it up quickly and easily. It’s perfect for summer gatherings!
It even freezes well too. You can freeze it with or without the glaze.
Reader reviews
“This cake was absolutely incredible! It wasn’t dry in the slightest and even got two thumbs way up from my sweets-loving 7 year old (who could NOT believe there was zucchini in it). You truly are the queen of keto baking!” — Courtney
“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! ??” — Laura
“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.” — Robin
Ingredients you need
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- Zucchini: This is a wonderful recipe to use up some fresh zucchini. You can grate it with a box grater or a food processor. And with this updated recipe, there is no need to salt and drain it!
- Keto flours: I use a combination of almond flour and coconut flour for this cake. The coconut flour helps offset the moisture of the zucchini. For a nut-free option, you can substitute with sunflower seed flour.
- Sweetener: You can use almost any sweetener you like best for the cake, but the glaze requires a powdered sweetener like Swerve Confectioners. See the Expert Tips section for more sweetener options.
- Cocoa powder: I prefer Dutch process cocoa for its deeper chocolate flavor.
- Protein powder: Like many of my other keto cake recipes, I use unflavored whey protein to help it rise and be more fluffy. You can also use egg white protein powder or pea protein powder.
- Heavy whipping cream: The glaze is a ganache-style glaze so it uses heavy cream as the base. You can also use coconut cream for dairy-free.
- Unsweetened chocolate: Make sure to use 100% unsweetened chocolate, which means no sweetener whatsoever. If you do choose to use keto chocolate like ChocZero, you will need to add a bit more to thicken the glaze.
- Pantry staples: Eggs, butter or oil, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract.
Step-by-step directions
1. Grate the zucchini: Use a box grater or a food processor with a grating disk to grate the zucchini finely. Measure out 2 cups, do not pack it. No need to salt and drain it either.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, cocoa powder, coconut flour, whey protein, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add the wet ingredients: Add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract, then add the zucchini and stir until well combined. If your batter is very thick, add liquid one tablespoon at a time. It should be easily spreadable but not pourable.
4. Bake: Spread batter in a well-greased bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake at 325ºF for 45 minutes or until the top is just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool 30 minutes before flipping out onto a platter to cool completely.
5. Prepare the glaze: 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.
6. Drizzle over: Let the glaze cool for a few minutes to thicken, then drizzle over the top of the cake and let set.
Expert tips
Bundt pans can be tricky, especially if they have lots of small crevices that cake can stick in. I highly recommend getting a real good non-stick, non-toxic bundt pan like this one from USA Pan. It’s pricier, but it lasts forever and always releases the cakes easily.
You can make the cake in other pans, like a 9-inch springform pan or a 9×13 rectangular pan. It would even make great low carb cupcakes. But the baking time will vary depending on what pan you use so keep your eye on it. It’s an incredibly versatile keto cake recipe, so sock this one away in your arsenal for all that summer zucchini.
Dairy-Free Option: Use egg white protein powder or a vegan protein powder in the cake, and swap butter for coconut oil or avocado oil. Then use coconut cream for the glaze.
Sweetener Options
The cake can be made with your favorite sweetener of choice, but do keep in mind that allulose can make it cook faster and darken more on the part that touches the pan. It can even taste a little burned. So keep your eye on it if you swap sweeteners.
The glaze needs a powdered sweetener for the right consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Zucchini is very keto friendly. One medium-sized zucchini has only about 4 grams of net carbs. Now you know why it is so popular with those who follow a low carb diet.
Leftovers can be kept on the counter for up to 2 days in an airtight container. I recommend covering the leftovers and refrigerating it for up to a week. You can also freeze this cake for up to 3 months.
This keto chocolate zucchini cake recipe has 7.5g of and 3.8g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.7g net carbs per slice.
More delicious keto bundt cakes
Keto Coconut Cake
What could be better than this fluffy white Keto Coconut Cake? It’s easy to make, and it’s so light and airy, it’s like biting into a fluffy coconut cloud. Nut-free and sugar free. If you love baking with coconut flour, this is the cake for you!
Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Keto lemon poppy seed cake is a classic dessert and perfect for Spring. This bundt cake recipe is low carb and grain free so it fits in well with your healthy keto diet.
Keto Gingerbread Cake
Heavenly keto gingerbread cake! This tender cream cheese pound cake is flavored with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves for a classic low carb holiday dessert.
Keto Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (248 g) finely grated zucchini, about 10 ounces
- 2 cups (210 g) almond flour
- 2/3 cup (121.33 g) granular sweetener
- 6 tbsp (6.09 tbsp) cocoa powder, Dutch process
- 1/3 cup (40 g) coconut flour
- 1/3 cup (36 g) unflavored whey protein powder
- 1 tbsp (1.01 tbsp) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Cold coffee or water, as needed
Glaze
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup (48 g) powdered sweetener
- 2 oz (56.7 g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 325ºF and grease a large bundt pan (9 to 12 cup capacity) very well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener cocoa powder, coconut flour, whey protein, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract, then add the zucchini and stir until well combined. If your batter is very thick, add liquid one tablespoon at a time. It should be easily spreadable but not pourable.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is just firm to the touch.
- Let cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack or cake platter to cool completely. Do not let it cool in the pan longer than 60 minutes or it will start to stick again.
Glaze
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit a few minutes to melt, then add the sweetener and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
- Let the glaze cool for a few minutes to thicken, then drizzle over the top of the cake and let set.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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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!
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?
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!!
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!
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?
I always use butter. I find it releases the best.
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?
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.
Looks delish! Can I substitute GF all-purpose flour for the almond flour?
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!
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
Hmmmm, interesting on the zucchini. I will have to experiment a bit.
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 🙁
Could you just use egg whites instead of whey protein powder?
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?
Gorgeous cake! Definitely making it!!
what kind of liquid stevia do you use and would stevia glycerite work? if so, would the amount be the same?
What is the equivalent of stevia glycerite to sugar? My NuNaturals stevia extract is about 1/4 tsp to equal 1/4 cup sugar.
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.
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!
I hope your daughter likes it! Let me know if you have any questions.
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) 🙂
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.
Yes, I Did mean Swerve- thanks again! 🙂
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.
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.
Xanthum Gum? I don’t see that listed.
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.
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!
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.
I love a good zucchini cake and this one, with that gorgeous glaze, has me drooling!