Chocolate Courgette Cake

This Gluten Free Chocolate Courgette Cake is the ultimate way to use up a harvest of courgettes! No-one will ever guess this fudgy chocolate loaf cake is packed with secret veg – it’s a great way to convert even the hardiest of courgette (zucchini) haters!

A Fudgy Chocolate Loaf Cake with Hidden Veg!

• Why choose this recipe? This Chocolate Courgette Cake (or Chocolate Zucchini Bread for US readers) is so easy to make, and deliciously fudgy! The grated courgette makes this zucchini loaf super moist.
• Top Tip: Using homemade buttermilk in this chocolate courgette cake also makes the texture SO good – just like in my gluten free chocolate cake.
• But can you taste the courgette!? Nope! Adding grated courgette helps add moisture to the cake without a ‘veggie’ taste. You’d never know it’s there!
• Overrun with Courgettes? Once you’ve made this cake, try my Courgette and Lemon Risotto, Courgette Soup and Courgette and Halloumi Fritters. Perfect for using up a glut of courgettes from the garden when they’re in season (June – Oct in the UK).

Ingredients and Substitutions

There’s a printable recipe card below for this chocolate courgette cake with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps.

• Courgette / Zucchini: Yellow or green courgettes both work well in cake.
• Caster Sugar: also known as baker’s sugar or superfine sugar in the US.
• Vegetable Oil: it’s important to use a flavourless oil, such as vegetable oil or sunflower oil. You could also use melted butter but I find oil gives a better texture.
• Eggs: I use large UK eggs in this recipe so in the US you’ll need XL eggs.
• Gluten Free Self-Raising Flour: if you don’t have this, you can use a plain or all purpose flour and add 1 tsp baking powder per 100g of flour, plus a quarter of a teaspoon of xanthan gum. You want a free from flour blend, not a single flour.
• Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder or even Dutch processed cocoa for a darker cake. Always sieve cocoa powder into the cake mix to get out any big lumps.
• Milk + Vinegar: or use buttermilk instead. For dairy free, use a vegan milk alternative.
• Dark Chocolate: Use milk chocolate if you want it a little sweeter.

How to Make a Chocolate Courgette Cake

There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free courgette loaf cake is to make.

More Easy Gluten Free Cake Recipes

If you like this Chocolate Zucchini Bread make sure you check out these other gluten free cake recipes too…

• Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
• Gluten Free Carrot Cake
• Vanilla Loaf Cake
• Gluten Free Hummingbird Cake
• Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake
• Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake

5 from 6 votes

Gluten Free Chocolate Courgette Cake Recipe

By: Sarah Howells

This easy gluten free chocolate courgette cake is the perfect way to use up a glut of courgettes (zucchini). A rich and fudgy chocolate loaf cake recipe everyone will enjoy!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 12 slices

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Equipment

• 2lb Loaf Tin
• Loaf Tin Liners

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 150 g courgette, (zucchini)
• ▢ 175 g caster sugar
• ▢ 150 ml vegetable oil
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 175 g gluten free self-raising flour
• ▢ 30 g cocoa powder
• ▢ 100 ml milk
• ▢ 1/2 tbsp app cider vinegar
• ▢ 100 g melted dark choc

Metric – US Customary

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 180C / Fan 160C / Gas Mark 4. Line a 2lb loaf tin with a loaf tin liner and set to one side. Mix the milk and apple cider vinegar together in a small bowl and leave for 5 minutes to curdle (this creates buttermilk).
• Coarsely grate the courgette and then, one handful at a time, squeeze as much of the liquid from it as possible (otherwise your cake will go soggy!).
• Add the sugar, oil, milk/vinegar mixture and eggs to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 30 seconds until combined.
• Add the courgette and melted chocolate and stir to mix with a wooden spoon or spatula. Sift in the gluten free flour and cocoa powder and fold in. Don't over-mix – just keep folding until there are no pockets of dry ingredients left. You should have a nice, runny batter.
• Pour the cake batter into the lined loaf tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 60-65 minutes until a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Video

Notes

• Storing and Freezing: This courgette cake can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, and can also be frozen.
• Top Tip: Don’t skip squeezing the water from the courgette, otherwise your cake will be too wet. If you struggle to use your hands for this, you can pop it in a clean tea towel then twist until it is tight enough to squeeze out the liquid.
• Weighing Scales vs Cups: You can toggle this recipe card to convert the ingredients into cups. However, I always recommend using weighing scales – these are cheap to buy and much more accurate. And in gluten free baking, a tiny variation can make a huge difference!
• Like this Recipe? It would mean SO much to me if you could leave a 5* review and a little comment telling people how much you enjoyed this Chocolate Courgette Cake! It makes a huge difference in supporting my website, thank you xx

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g

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