These chocolate zucchini cupcakes are incredibly moist and fudgy thanks to grated zucchini folded into the batter. They have a balanced chocolate flavor—not overly rich—and a smooth chocolate frosting on top makes them perfect with a cold glass of milk. No one will guess there’s zucchini inside!
If you want chocolate cupcakes that stay tender and moist, this recipe is an easy winner. The finely grated zucchini melts into the batter during baking, adding moisture without leaving visible pieces or a vegetable taste. The result is soft, slightly fudgy cupcakes with a delightful texture. The recipe is simple to follow and reliably produces excellent cupcakes every time.
Making Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes – Step-by-Step Photos
This is a straightforward recipe made mostly by hand (the frosting benefits from a mixer). Below are step-by-step tips and photos to guide you.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C or 170°C fan). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Because cupcake batter is thinner than muffin batter, liners are recommended rather than greasing the pan.
- Grate the zucchini on a fine grater so it integrates smoothly into the batter. Gently blot the grated zucchini with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid—don’t dry it out completely, just remove any pools of water.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. If your cocoa is lumpy, sift it first to ensure an even mixture.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk until smooth. Make sure there are no brown sugar clumps or visible bits of egg.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until the batter is smooth and uniform. The batter will be fairly thin; this is expected for tender cupcakes.
- Fold in the grated zucchini. You’ll see small strands at this stage, but they bake away and add moisture rather than texture.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds to three-quarters full. You may have enough for 12–14 cupcakes depending on how full you fill the cups.
- Bake for 16–22 minutes, or until the tops look set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Removing them too soon can cause them to lose shape while still warm.
Frosting, Decorating & Variations
I topped these cupcakes with a rich chocolate buttercream for a double dose of chocolate. The frosting recipe makes enough to pipe tall swirls (I used a 1M tip). If you prefer a thinner layer of frosting or plan to spread it with a knife, you can halve the frosting recipe—measurements and an alternate smaller batch are noted in the recipe notes.
For a slightly tangier, less sweet option, a chocolate cream cheese frosting also pairs nicely with these cupcakes.
If you’d like to add chocolate chips, use mini chips rather than regular-sized ones. The batter is thin, so regular chips can sink to the bottom. Use about 1/2 cup mini chips; adding chips may stretch the batch closer to 14 cupcakes.
These cupcakes are fudgy, tender and wonderfully moist—an ideal way to use fresh zucchini from the garden while keeping the final treat indulgent. Below are the complete recipe details, ingredients, instructions and notes to help you bake them easily at home.
Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
Equipment
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12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup finely grated zucchini
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 g)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (40 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (80 ml)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk (80 ml)
Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 g), softened
- 2–3 cups powdered sugar (220–330 g)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (40 g), sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4–6 tablespoons whipping cream or milk (60–90 ml)
Instructions
Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C or 170°C fan). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
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Blot the grated zucchini with paper towel to remove excess moisture. It should not be bone dry—just free of pooled liquid.
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Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift the cocoa if it’s lumpy.
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In a large bowl whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk until smooth with no lumps.
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Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until combined and smooth.
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Stir in the grated zucchini until evenly distributed.
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Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about 2/3–3/4 full. You may make up to 14 cupcakes depending on batter distribution.
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Bake 18–22 minutes or until the tops are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Chocolate Frosting
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Beat the softened butter in a large bowl until smooth.
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Add about 1 cup powdered sugar, the salt and vanilla and beat on low to incorporate.
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Add the cocoa powder and beat again, starting on low speed.
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Continue adding the remaining powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of cream or milk, until you reach your desired consistency and sweetness.
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Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting. Spread with a knife or pipe using a piping bag and tip (I used a 1M tip).
Notes
- Zucchini: Use one small to medium zucchini. No need to peel—just trim the ends and finely grate. Hold the zucchini perpendicular to the grater to produce short pieces rather than long strands.
- Cocoa: If your cocoa powder is lumpy, sift it before mixing.
- Frosting: The full frosting recipe yields enough to pipe generous swirls. If you prefer less frosting or plan to spread it, halve the frosting amounts. A smaller batch would include: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1–1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
- Storage: Cupcakes are best the day they’re made. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days or refrigerated for 3–4 days. If chilled, bring to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving for best texture.
- Nutrition: Nutrition info is an estimate per cupcake with frosting, assuming 12 equal-sized cupcakes and all frosting used.
Nutrition