Super Moist Chocolate Cherry Zucchini Cake

Chocolate and cherries are a classic flavor combination that has stood the test of time. They also happen to be my mother’s favorite. Since I made this super-moist chocolate cake for her, using this timeless combination was a no-brainer. You can skip the cherries if you don’t like them, but they add a special something that takes this cake over the top.

This cake has more secrets under its frosting than just cherries.

I wanted the cake to be super moist and super chocolatey, with a subtle cherry undertone. So, I did what any baker would do. I reached for a zucchini. Seriously. Zucchini is one of the most magical ingredients used in baking. It imparts a subtle, lightly sweet flavor and a lot of moisture. (Apple sauce and bananas are two of my other favorite moisture bearers for baking.)

Don’t skip the zucchini. Besides the moisture, this green summer squash adds a lot of nutrients to this cake. Zucchini is loaded with antioxidants and vitamin B6. It’s low in calories and high in fiber, so it makes any dish more satisfying. And in this cake, you need the texture and the moisture it brings.

Since this is a chocolate cake that isn’t frosted on all sides, I use cocoa powder instead of flour when preparing my pan. I really recommend cocoa powder when you will be able to see the sides of the finished cake. It ensures there won’t be any white streaks of flour. You can combine a little flour with the cocoa powder if you’re worried about the cake sticking, but it really isn’t necessary.

Here, I used plain cocoa powder and no parchment since I was planning to serve this cake straight from the pan. If you plan to remove the cake from the pan, I strongly suggest you slip a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. That will make it much easier to remove the cake without breaking it.

Sift your dry ingredients together. Why sift them? This method ensures there are no clumps of flour, cocoa powder, or leavening agents. You can use a crank sifter. I don’t have one, so I use a simple fine sieve to sift.

Just measure your ingredients into the sieve and gently tap the side of it with the heel of your hand to sift the ingredients into your bowl. Be careful to keep the sieve over the center of the bowl and don’t shake it too hard, or you’ll end up with cake mix all over your workspace instead of inside the bowl.

If you don’t have a fine sieve or hand sifter, you can use a whisk. Just be sure to break up any clumps of cocoa powder so the chocolate flavor will be evenly distributed throughout your cake.

Even if you sift your ingredients, you will want to whisk the dry ingredients together until they’re just combined. Don’t over-stir them. The less you work the flour, the less gluten you will activate. Gluten makes things chewy (think French bread and pizza crust). This is cake, so you’re going for tender.

Make sure the wet ingredients are well mixed. When the eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla come together properly, the mixture will increase in volume and be pale yellow.

When you remove the paddle, the eggs will ribbon—that is, the egg mixture will fall from the paddle into a flat, ribbon-like pattern that slowly dissolves into the rest of the mixture. This recipe is very forgiving. So, if you don’t get a perfect ribbon, it’s okay.

Once you begin to combine the dry ingredients with the egg mixture, you’ll want to stop the mixer several times to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. This will ensure your batter mixes evenly, and you develop the right consistency without activating too much gluten.

It’s almost ironic that this cake relies on zucchini for a lot of its moisture. You can shred your zucchini or finely chop it as I did here. You can’t really taste it in the final cake, but you will notice the moisture it brings to the party.

I add cherries to the cake because my mom loves cherries. It’s easily her favorite fruit. Cordial cherries (also called chocolate-covered cherries) are her favorite candy. So, adding a nice pop of cherry flavor was a no-brainer.

I opted for softened dried cherries because I didn’t want to add too much moisture to the batter. By softening the dried cherries, I can be sure they won’t drink up the moisture I need for the cake. Canned or fresh cherries are too wet and could make the cake mushy.

This super moist chocolate cherry zucchini cake is also super chocolatey. I like to add mini chocolate chips because they spread out in the batter and melt while baking, bringing a lovely hit of rich chocolate throughout the cake. Larger chips might not melt fully, leaving little chunks of chocolate in the finished cake. Hey, if you don’t mind, neither do I.

Alternatively, you could use chopped chocolate in place of the mini chips. I have made this with a finely chopped bar of 70% cacao, and it turns out really rich. But if you aren’t a dark chocolate fan, stick to semi-sweet chocolate.

I baked my chocolate cherry zucchini cake in an eight-inch glass baking dish, but you can use a square or round metal cake pan if you like. A heart-shaped pan will also work.

If you plan to remove the cake from the pan before slicing, you will want to line the bottom with parchment paper. Because this cake is so moist, it may stick to the bottom of the pan if you don’t line the pan. You can run the parchment paper up the sides of the pan if you want to lift the baked cake out, or simply invert the pan onto a plate to remove the cake in one piece.

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with no wet batter on it. A few moist crumbs are okay. Don’t overbake the cake, or it will be dry and might taste a little burnt.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan.

TIP: To remove the cake from the pan, cover the pan with a large plate. Holding the plate in place, turn the pan upside-down. You should feel the cake shift. If not, gently tape the bottom of the pan to loosen the cake. Lift the pan away, and your cake should be sitting on the plate.

Since I served this cake from the pan, I didn’t attempt to remove it to a plate. I just moved forward by poking holes and brushing the top with the cherry jam. After that, I simply poured the chocolate glaze over the cake and smoothed it with a small offset spatula.

I prefer to leave the cake in the pan if I am transporting it to a party or picnic. But it is prettier if you take it out of the pan before glazing and frosting.

Alternatively, you can skip the cherry jam and chocolate glaze if you like and dust the top with powdered sugar. It’s excellent served warm with a scoop of cherry ice cream!

Whether you serve it from the pan or plate it before finishing, use a thin serrated knife, like a tomato knife or bread knife, to cut it. A perfect cake is tender, so a straight blade may crush it instead of cutting through it.

Serve this super moist chocolate cherry zucchini cake on its own, with a little whipped cream alongside or with a scoop of ice cream. It’s super moist and delicious any way you serve it.

Super Moist Chocolate Cherry Zucchini Cake

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

9

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Baking time

40

minutes

Cooling u0026 finishing

1

hour 

This super-moist cake uses the timeless flavor combination of chocolate and cherries. But it’s the secret ingredient (zucchini) that makes it so moist and gives it a hidden nutrition punch.

Ingredients

• For the Cake

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• ½ teaspoon vanilla

• ¾ cup light-tasting oil (like canola, safflower, or vegetable oil)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 ½ cups zucchini, finely grated
  

• ½ cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped (optional)

• ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Finish Option #1 Sweet and Simple

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• Finish Option #2 Chocolate Glaze

• ¼ cup cherry jam (optional)

• ⅓ cup cocoa powder

• 2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 3 tablespoons milk (any kind)

Directions

• Make the cake
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare a cake pan. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper if desired. Spray an 8″ square baking pan or a 9″ round cake pan with cooking spray. Dust the pan with cocoa powder until the bottom and sides are coated.
• If using cherries, soften them a bit by placing them in a cup or bowl with ½ cup hot water. Let sit.
• Finely grate fresh zucchini, or shred zucchini in a food processor, reserving the liquid.
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Using a mixer or whisk, combine the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil in a medium to large bowl until well blended.
• Slowly mix in the dry ingredients, working in batches. Once combined, beat on medium speed until smooth (about 1 minute)
• Fold the zucchini and zucchini liquid evenly into the batter. Drain the cherries (if using) and add to the batter. Add the mini chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.
• Pour batter into a prepared baking pan.
• Bake 40-50 minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with a few crumbs but no wet batter.
• Allow cake to cool. Run a knife around the outside edges of the cake pan to loosen the cake. Remove from pan and finish as desired.
• Finish Option #1 Sweet and Simple
  
• Sift about 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar over the top of the cake. Slice and enjoy. (This is a great option if you want to serve the cake warm alongside a scoop of ice cream!)
• Finish Option #2 Chocolate Glazed
• To add an extra pop of cherry flavor, heat cherry jam in microwave for 30 seconds to loosen it. Using a fork, pierce the top of the cake. Brush loosened cherry jam over the top of the cake.
• Combine cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk in a bowl.
• Whisk until smooth. The frosting should be loose enough to drip from the whisk, but not watery. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of milk. If it’s too thin, add a few teaspoons of the sugar.
• Pour chocolate glaze over the cake from the center, allowing it to run down the sides.

Notes

• This basic cake recipe is very versatile. Once you’ve made the basic chocolate zucchini cake batter, you can dress it up any way you like. Try adding chopped walnuts, or skip the cherries and swap the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips. It’s your cake. Make it your way. We’d love to see what you come up with in the comments below!