Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are rich and fudgy chocolate cupcakes, with almost 2 cups of grated zucchini, cocoa and chocolate chips. Enjoy these zucchini cupcakes as a decadent muffin or top them with your favorite frosting!
I know, that seems like a lot of zucchini packed into 12 cupcakes, but I promise, you can’t taste it! Zucchini adds moisture to baked goods, like these almond flour zucchini muffins, so it makes these cupcakes extra soft and tender.
*This recipe was originally published in August 2018. It has been updated with new photos, text and adjustments to the recipe.
Zucchini season is in full swing here! While I don’t grow it myself, I always stock up at the farmer’s market. (When I’m not baking with it, I’m usually spiralizing it to make these zucchini noodle bowls)!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- These zucchini cupcakes are oil-based and made without butter or milk, so they’re dairy-free. (Just make sure to use dairy-free frosting and chocolate chips).
- You don’t need to press or drain the zucchini. Just shred it and add it to the batter. This helps create super moist chocolate cupcakes.
- There’s no electric mixer required. All you need are a few bowls, a whisk and a spatula.
- They taste so decadent, even without the frosting, as they have a rich and fudgy texture.
Details on the ingredients
Below is an overview of the ingredients used. For the exact quantities, please visit the recipe card at the end of this post.
Zucchini – You’ll need 1 ¾ cups of grated zucchini. Just use the larger shredding holes on your box grater.
Cocoa – For a rich and chocolatey cupcake, the recipe calls for ½ cup of Dutch-processed cocoa. I haven’t tested this recipe with natural cocoa.
Flour – While I normally use whole wheat flour for much of my baking, I decided to use all-purpose white flour for these cupcakes. You’ll need 1 cup, spooned and levelled.
Oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil in my baking, but you can use another type of oil like canola, avocado or olive oil.
Coconut sugar – This sweetener adds a rich, caramel flavor and is less refined than brown sugar. If you don’t have coconut sugar, you can substitute with lightly packed brown sugar.
Cinnamon – You’ll love the hint of cinnamon in these cupcakes. It really enhances the chocolate flavor.
Eggs – Two eggs will add moisture and help with leavening. Bring them to room temperature before whisking them with the other ingredients.
Vanilla – A full tablespoon is added to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients. Be sure to use real vanilla extract and not artificial.
Baking soda and baking powder – Both are used in combination for leavening.
Salt – Some fine sea salt is added as a flavor enhancer. You can also use kosher salt, if you prefer.
Chocolate chips – For extra chocolate flavor, I like to add 3 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips. You can leave them out if you prefer, but the chocolate chips melt into the muffins to create an extra fudgy texture.
How to make chocolate zucchini cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 325F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Whisk together your dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips).
In a separate large bowl, whisk together your eggs and then whisk in the remaining wet ingredients, adding the zucchini last.
Gradually, stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. (The batter will be thick).
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Divide the batter into the prepared muffin pan. (Each cup should be about ¾ full).
Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Let cool completely. Enjoy them unfrosted (like muffins) or top with your favorite chocolate frosting. (One of my faves is this chocolate avocado frosting).
Frequently asked questions
You’ll want the zucchini coarsely shredded so just use the larger shredding holes on a box grater (cheese grater). If you use the small holes and finely shred the zucchini, you will end up with too much.
No, you don’t need to do this. The moisture will ensure these cupcakes are soft and tender. Plus, it saves time!
No, you can leave the skin on the zucchini. Just try to choose zucchini without any dents or scratches on the skin, and wash well before shredding. The skin is thin so it really isn’t noticeable in the cake.
I’ve only tested this recipe as cupcakes, but if you’re looking for a cake recipe, you can try this chocolate zucchini cake!
Storage and freezing
Store these unfrosted chocolate cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay moist and tender for 3 days. If they’re frosted, store them in the fridge.
To freeze, place the unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer safe container in a single layer. They’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let defrost at room temperature before frosting.
Measuring ingredients
For convenience, US cup measurements are included in the recipe card for this recipe. To ensure greater accuracy, however, weight and volume measurements are also provided. So, if you see grams (g), you’ll want to use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, and if you see milliliters (ml), you’ll want to use a liquid measuring cup. Smaller quantities of ingredients are provided in teaspoons and tablespoons.
Key recipe tips
- Bring your eggs to room temperature as they’ll mix together with the other ingredients more easily.
- Don’t drain or press the water out of the grated zucchini. The moisture is needed in the batter.
- When measuring the flour for this recipe, use the spoon and level method. I’ve also included the amount in the recipe card in grams.
- When filling the cupcake pan, each cavity should be about ¾ full.
- The cupcakes should be fully cooled before frosting. If they’re still warm, the frosting will melt off.
More cupcake recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Print
Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are rich and fudgy chocolate cupcakes, with almost 2 cups of grated zucchini, cocoa and chocolate chips!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose white flour, spooned and levelled (or 125 grams)
- 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa (or 45 grams), sifted if lumpy
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup coconut sugar (or 180 grams)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or 80 millilitres)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups coarsely grated zucchini (or 190 grams)
- 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (dairy-free if necessary)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the coconut sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring well after each addition.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter evenly into the 12 cupcake liners.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy on their own or top with frosting like this avocado chocolate frosting.
Notes
- Bring your ingredients to room temperature as they’ll mix together more easily.
- Don’t drain or press the water out of the grated zucchini. The moisture is needed in the batter.
- You’ll want the zucchini coarsely shredded, so use the larger shredding holes on a box grater (cheese grater).
- You can substitute lightly packed brown sugar for the coconut sugar.
- When measuring the flour for this recipe, use the spoon and level method or weigh it.
- Use dairy-free chocolate chips and frosting to keep these cupcakes dairy-free.
- When filling the cupcake pan, each cavity should be about ¾ full.
- The cupcakes should be fully cooled before frosting. If they’re still warm, the frosting will melt off.
- Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
This looks like a very good recipe. I wonder if I could make these as mini muffins? How many mini muffins would it make? How long would I bake them?
Hi Becki! I haven’t tested these cupcakes in a mini muffin pan, but if you give it a try, I would reduce the baking time to 10-12 minutes.
Leeanne, thank you for sharing this incredibly delicious receipe. This by far is one of the most delicious chocolate chip zucchini cupcake receipe’s I have made. It’s not heavy, but packed with flavor!
I made this receipe with the substitutes as provided:
Hershey’s cocoa in place of Dutch processed cocoa; lightly packed light brown sugar in place of coconut sugar; Canola oil in place of extra virgin olive oil & added sliced almonds.
Hi Patty! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know and for sharing your substitutions.
Amazing recipe! The batter was just perfect. The cupcake was sooo good, like something from the store. I am going to frost it tomorrow using the chocolate avocado frosting.
Thanks Jay! So glad you like the recipe and hope you enjoy the avocado frosting too!
Ok, they are now cooked, cooked and sampled. Once called, they fell in the centre so they do not have a very attractive appearance. They taste ok but not outstanding.. on the whole, I have to wonder f maybe the ingredient proportions were not quite right as written.
Hi Leslie. I’m sorry the cupcake recipe didn’t work out for you. The recipe was tested multiple times with the measurements noted in the recipe card. The batter will be thick when incorporating the dry ingredients, but it won’t be very thick. If your batter was extremely thin, it may be from the moisture in the zucchini. Did you coarsely grate the zucchini? If it is finely grated, this will add too much zucchini to the batter, which could cause the batter to be thinner and the cupcakes to sink in the middle. I hope that helps. Thank you for providing your feedback.
I have just put these in the oven and so cannot comment on taste but I found the batter to be extremely thin despite the recipe note that the batter would be very thick. Mine was thin to the point of runny and I wonder if the measurements noted in the recipe, which I followed EXACTLY are correct?
I’ve never been a big fan of Fall (mostly because I don’t like the shorter days—I need lots of sun!) but as I’m getting older I am finding that I am liking the season a little more. I think part of that is liking the summer humidity a lot less than I used to (haha!) and of course, Fall Baking is one of the best times of the year for us bakers!! These sound so wonderful Leanne and I love the cooconut whip topping! I’m not a huge fan of overly sweet buttercreams either and I often use coconut whip on cupcakes or carrot cake as well. I actually haven’t tried a chocolate coconut whip yet, I need to try that ASAP!!
Sneaky zucchini is the best, isn’t it? Pinning and making these soon, sprinkles and all!! 😀
Thanks Dana! I hope you get a chance to try these! The chocolate coconut whip is the best! Fall has always been my favourite time of year. While I love a warm summer day, by the time August rolls around, I’m longing for the changing season and cool fall days!
These are just beautiful! I can’t believe how healthy they are – I’d eat the whole batch!
Thanks so much Kelly! It’s definitely hard to eat just one!
I love virtual baby showers! So fun!! And these cupcakes look so chocolatey and decadent but with good got you ingredients! Yum 🙂
Thanks Kelly! Yes, these cupcakes are the best of both worlds – some decadence with some wholesome ingredients!
Leanne! These cupcakes are absolutely GORGEOUS and include so many things I love–zucchini, chocolate, gorgeous frosting and sprinkles! Seriously. So good, and I feel so flattered that y’all got together for this sweet surprise!
Thank you so much for participating in this shower to welcome Baby Speckle—she and I feel so loved and supported! Now if there was a way for us to share all this food via the Internet so I could have a bite of everything, that would be amazing…
Thanks Erin! I was happy to participate and celebrate the soon-to-be arrival of Baby Speckle! And yes, wouldn’t it be amazing to actually share all of this food! What a shower that would be! Hope you’re doing well!