Rich, moist chocolate chocolate chip zucchini bread with tart dried cherries dressed up as a bundt cake. Chocolate zucchini bread is my favorite way to eat zucchini.
As soon as my son saw the giant zucchini on the counter he begged me to make him his favorite Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread with dried cherries. We all love that zucchini bread recipe, but I always feel a pull to make something new for the blog. I decided a fun way to change it up was by baking it in half sized bundt pans.
When I went to the pantry, all the dried cherries were gone. I usually have a Costco size bag on hand, so I substituted Craisins (another huge Costco bag that’s always in my pantry.) The dried cranberries tasted great, but the dried cherries add just a little bit more flavor.
I always sift cocoa when I’m using it, to avoid having lumps of cocoa in my batter. And when make zucchini bread, I always get out the salad spinner and spin out as much water as I can.
The zucchini bundt cake was a big hit. My son even hid some in the back of the pantry goodie bin so there would be some left for him to take to work the next day.
If you wanted, you could even add a simple chocolate glaze to dress up the bread even more.
Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 3 cups grated zucchini*
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips can use mini as well
- 1 cup dried cherries cut in half or dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 half size or a full size bundt pan and set aside.
- Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. Add sour cream and beat until well blended.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combine. Mix in zucchini, chocolate chips coated in 2 tablespoons flour, and dried fruit.
- Divide batter between pans. Bake half size bundts for 35 minutes; full size bundt for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
Notes
Marie
I wish this cake had lived up to its expectations. The texture was dense and gooey, rubber-like. If you’re looking for a fluffy sponge cake, this isn’t it. The icing recommended was on the thick size and came on clumpy instead of as a glaze. Will not make again.
Barbara Schieving
Sorry you had troubles with the recipe. No, you’ll never get a fluffy sponge cake with a zucchini cake. It’s meant to be dense and more pound cake like. It shouldn’t have been rubber-like however. I don’t know what went wrong for you, my guess if overmixing. I’ve made it many times and never had that problem.
bee
This bundt cake is awesome. I followed all directions but omitted the cherries, and substituted vanilla yogurt for the sour cream. I frosted it with a chocolate drizzle. It tastes devine…super chocolatey and moist.
Yum.
Dawn White
This is a great tasty recipe. My family loved it. I dusted it with powdered sugar and it
Was a hit!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks so much Dawn! Glad it was a hit.
Ann Adams
Made the cake………won’t make it again
Barbara Schieving
Hi Ann – sorry you were disappointed with the cake. Maybe you could leave more information so I can see what it was you didn’t like about it.
angela@spinachtiger
Barbara, I love dried cherries with chocolate. This is chocolate lover’s dream for me.
Nutmeg nanny
Wow! This cake looks so incredible, I can not wait to make this myself, I bet it’ll be gone fast 😉
Barbara
Wonderful, Barbara. Love the cherries and chocolate in there too. I well remember all those HUGE zucchini left in my garden. You can only give so many away. 🙂
gloria
Barbara this cake look awesome!
Laura
Great idea with the dried cherries!
Nessa
This looks incredible!
Annalise
I have so much zucchini in my garden, I’m already sick of it! Time to put it in a cake! 🙂
kelley {mountain mama cooks}
Oh girl, I’d dig into this with just a fork and a cold glass of milk to wash it down. This looks amazing!!
Cookin Canuck
Chocolate and cherries with a zucchini cake? Now that sounds heavenly!