Got zucchini? Add a boxed cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, water, and chocolate chips and you’ve got this quick and easy Chocolate Zucchini Cake from a boxed mix. Serve it with vanilla or peanut butter ice cream for a fun summer treat.
This Chocolate Zucchini Cake from a boxed mix is a great way to use up all those late summer zucchini. Once summer ends, a great lunch box idea is to freeze cake in single slice servings for easy treats to add to school lunches.
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For years my mother-in-law made this type of cake from scratch. It was delicious, but I’ve found that it’s sometimes easier to lean on a boxed mix than to fuss with creaming butter and weighing flour or sugar.
This quick and easy chocolate zucchini cake recipe comes together in minutes and tastes delicious!
Why Make This
It’s simple. Using a boxed chocolate cake mix means that you only need to add the wet ingredients like eggs, zucchini, oil, and maybe some semi sweet chocolate chips.
It’s delicious. Zucchini adds nutrients and fiber, but in a cake it doesn’t taste like a vegetable. It tastes yummy! You can have your cake chocolate and eat your veggies, too!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Chocolate Zucchini Cake from a boxed cake mix:
unsweetened cocoa powder – This is for dusting the cake pans. It is optional, but will ensure that the cake removes easily from the bundt pan without being coated in flour.
devil’s food cake mix – You can use any of the chocolate flavor boxed cake mixes. These account for the flour, sugar, baking soda, and other cake ingredients.
sour cream – Sour cream adds a level of richness as well as fat to cake recipes. You can use Greek yogurt if you prefer. Both will keep the cake moist.
neutral oil – Any flavorless oil is fine, like avocado or sunflower. You can also use melted butter if you prefer.
ground cinnamon – Cinnamon is a great foil for zucchini and chocolate.
eggs – This is a rich cake. We use four eggs, but you can use three if you’re short.
zucchini – You’ll need enough for about 2 cups shredded zucchini.
chocolate chips – You can use any flavor chocolate chips you like, as well as mini chocolate chips to distribute the chocolate more thoroughly through the cake.
powdered sugar – This is for topping the cake, but is technically optional
Variations
This is a base recipe that you can doctor how you like. Consider some options:
- Stir in vanilla extract or chopped nuts to the cake batter.
- Top the cake with a brown sugar chocolate glaze or bake in a sheet pan and top with a chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Use a yellow or spice cake mix instead of chocolate.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make a Chocolate Zucchini Cake from a boxed cake mix:
1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, sour cream, oil, water, cinnamon, and eggs. Beat until well blended, about two minutes.
2. Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. If you like, dust the bottoms with cocoa powder. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for about 20 minutes in pan and then remove from pan and cool completely.
Dust the tops with powdered sugar, slice, and serve.
Storage
This cake will be fine at room temperature for a few days. I like to keep mine covered in a cake keeper, to keep it fresh extra long. Refrigerate it for longer lasting and firmer texture.
You can also store any leftover cake in the freezer, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.
FAQs
No, this does not have to be refrigerated, but since it’s so moist, it will last longer and have better texture if you do.
This is a great cake to freeze. For years I’ve been freezing slices in single serve packets for quick lunchbox treats.
This is a rich chocolatey cake that’s very moist, flecked with bits of the cooked veg
More Chocolate Desserts
Chocolate Zucchini Cake from a Cake Mix
Equipment
- Bundt cake pan
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- cocoa powder for dusting the cake pans optional
- 1 devil’s food cake mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 egg
- 1 zucchini for 2 cups shredded
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- powdered sugar for topping the cake optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. If you like, dust the bottoms with cocoa powder.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, sour cream, oil, water, cinnamon, and eggs. Beat until well blended, about two minutes.
- Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool for about 20 minutes in pan and then remove from pan and cool completely.
- Dust the top with powdered sugar, slice, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on July 18, 2008. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Heidi
OMG, a chocolate lovers dream. Awesome moist cake and so easy to make. Nobody will know that there are 2 cups of shredded zucchini in the cake unless you tell them.
Renee
Try the easy zucchini cobbler by Taste of home
Amy
I always liked my zucchini sliced thick [1″ or so] marinated in italian dressing, then grilled…
Lauren
I just adore chocolate zucchini cake! I’ve gotten it for the past two years for my birthday, one each from my mom and my grandmother.
You’ve got to stop this making me hungry thing. 😉
Amy K.
We got a smaller zucchini (gift from a neighbor), chopped it into 1-inch pieces, tossed with olive oil and italian seasoning, and roasted it on the grill next to the burgers. Delicious!
The larger ones may be too tough for that.
Also: we put a layer of foil on the grates, so we didn’t have to worry about the zukes calling through the space between the grates.
Another option (less healthy) for small tender zucchini: pan frying it. A favorite when I was growing up: Coat zucchini 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices of zucchini in seasoned flour (Lawry’s salt, pepper) and place in hot butter. Turn over after 2-3 minutes, cook ’til lightly browned on both sides.
Saph
I love zucchini. I grew up picking fresh ones from our backyard garden. I need to seriously start my own.
Cheryl
I put in my homemade mac and cheese – that and cauliflower all mashed up (the cauliflower is steamed, the zucchini is not, just shredded). I have a 2 year old who doesn’t like his veggies, but loves his mac and cheese. I’m going to try that chocolate cake though cause he loves his chocolate!
FishMama
And to think I thought I knew everything there was to know about freezing. I had no idea I could just freeze. That is a freeing idea! Thanks!
If there’s another sale on eggs next week, I may just have to do the quiche thing, too.
Wow! Thanks, ladies! Who knew you could do SO much with a zuke?!
Briana Almengor
we’re big zuchinni fans here, too. I just received a couple large ones from my sister and am going to be trying to use it up tomorrow myself. I also shred mine and freeze if I don’t have time to use it up right away. I then make either zuchinnin brownies or more often, bread, during the winter.
With the smaller zukes, I slice and throw into a pan to saute w/ olive oil, salt, pepper. We love it that way. My mom throws parm cheese on top of that.
I have a wonderful zuchinni herb casserole recipe (by DebiMcG), too…look that one up on allrecipes. I think I got it from there.
Zimms Zoo
zuchinni does freeze well. But so does the batter. So several times I have made up the batter and then froze it and popped it in the oven when a friend might need a pick-me-up or something like that.
Also try zuchinni fritters. There is a good recipe on Allrecipes.
Mary Ann
I shred zucchini and freeze in portions to use for zucchini bread later on. You just thaw it and dump it in as fresh; liquid and all since that is part of the zucchini.
I’ve been making zucchini quiche this summer using shredded zucchini. Basically put some cheese, shredded zucchini, some meat if desired(I’ve been using a little bacon or sausage and it is delicious), some onion or whatever in a greased pie plate. Beat 6 eggs and add some milk(probably one cup or so,maybe a little less) and seasonings. Pour over veggie mixture in pie pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 until set in the middle. Check after 45 minutes.
There are lots of recipes out there for zucchini. I have a whole post of recipes on my blog from last summer. It is a Frugal Friday post and is from July ’07 if you are interested.
Hope this helps!
diana
if our garden is any sign, we are about to BURST with zucchini. I am hoping you get a lot of good recipes that I can borrow
Shari
That cake looks yummy! will have to try that. 🙂
sheila howe
I don’t know if this is the most kid friendly, but it tastes great to me…slice the zuchini and saute with garlic and onions then add tomatoes and some mozzarella cheese. I don’t have an exact recipe, but just threw it together and I loved it!