Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Chocolate Cake Recipes Chocolate-Zucchini Sheet Cake With Cream-Cheese Frosting 3.0 (1) No one will guess this moist and tender cake sneaks in summer squash. Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 10 to 12 Jump to recipe Our chocolate-zucchini cake is just the thing for a summer party. It packs in four whole cups of shredded zucchini for a nutritional boost and plenty of moisture. (It’s also the perfect way to use up a bumper crop of the prolific summer vegetable.) Baked in a 13-by-9-inch pan, it’s easily sliced into squares, making serving a breeze. We love topping it with a tangy cream-cheese frosting and, for an eye-catching finish, a few sugared zucchini blossoms—but it would be just as delicious with the frosting alone or finished with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Tender, chocolatey, and just sweet enough, this summery cake is an all-around winner. 7 Easy Zucchini Bread Recipes for Anytime Snacking Credit: Jason Donnelly Zucchini Cake Dos and Don'ts Do thoroughly drain zucchini: Zucchini is 95 percent water, so it's essential to drain it well before adding it to your batter. The easiest way to do this is by placing the shreds in a clean kitchen towel, then twisting the ends tightly to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Once well drained, the zucchini should look dry and slightly wilted. Don't over-bake: Because this cake is on the slimmer side, it can easily become dry if baked for too long. You'll know it's ready to come out if it springs back when gently pressed and pulls away from the sides of the pan. To be extra sure, though, it's best to stick a cake tester or toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean, the cake is done. Do let cool before frosting: You may be tempted to frost and eat this cake while it's still warm (we don't blame you), but it's best to wait until it's completely cool before topping. Otherwise, the butter and cream cheese in the frosting will melt upon contact and run off the cake. Making This Cake Without a Jelly-Roll Pan This recipe calls for a jelly-roll pan, which is shallow like a standard baking sheet but slightly smaller in surface area. It's traditionally used for making jelly rolls—rolled sponge cakes filled with anything from jam to custard to whipped cream—and makes for thin, easy-to-snack-on slices. If you don't have one handy, you can still make this tasty cake. Use a 9-by-13-inch metal or glass baking pan. The cake will be slightly thicker, so plan to add a few extra minutes to the baking time. How to Make Ahead The frosted cake (without the zucchini blossoms) can be refrigerated, uncovered, for up to 8 hours before serving. The unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature—wrapped well in plastic—for up to two days. If you're topping the cake with the sugared zucchini blossoms, the decoration can be made up to three days ahead. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use. Directions Credit: Jason Donnelly Preheat oven and prep pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan. Line bottom with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides; butter parchment. Grate zucchini and squeeze to remove moisture: Place grated zucchini in the center of a clean kitchen towel, then gather ends and twist over a bowl to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside. Credit: Jason Donnelly Credit: Jason Donnelly Mix dry ingredients; combine eggs, butter, and vanilla: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, and vanilla. Credit: Jason Donnelly Let melted butter cool slightly before adding it to the eggs to ensure it won't cook them upon contact. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients: Using a rubber spatula, stir egg mixture into flour mixture until batter loosens, about 1 minute. Stir in zucchini and chocolate (batter will be quite thick). Credit: Jason Donnelly Transfer to prepared pan and bake; let cool: Spread evenly into prepared pan; smooth top with a spatula. Bake until a tester inserted into cake comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Remove from pan. Credit: Jason Donnelly Credit: Jason Donnelly Make frosting: Beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth, 2 minutes. Add cream cheese; beat to combine. Reduce speed to medium-low and add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until thickened. Beat in vanilla. Credit: Jason Donnelly Frost cake: Using an offset spatula, spread frosting over top of cake, leaving sides bare. Scatter with zucchini blossoms (if using) before serving. Credit: Jason Donnelly Credit: Jason Donnelly How to Store Chocolate-Zucchini Cake Refrigerate leftover frosted cake in an airtight container up to two days. (Because of the dairy in the frosting, this cake should not be stored at room temperature for more than two hours.) Other Ways to Top This Cake If you can't locate zucchini blossoms or prefer a simpler way to decorate this cake, try one of these toppings instead: Finely chopped or shaved semisweet chocolate (use a vegetable peeler to make shavings) Edible flowers Toasted and chopped walnuts or toasted whole pepitas 5 More Chocolate Sheet Cakes to Try Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sheet Cake Texas Sheet Cake Chocolate-Coconut Sheet Cake Chocolate Sheet Cake With Vanilla Buttercream Chocolate Sprinkle Sheet Cake Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.