Hi Elise,

Your desserts are just too tempting. I'm going to put on a lot of weight if I make them all. This one looks like another must try!

Hi Elise,

I took your advice and checked the cake at 45 minutes. It was done. The taste was perfect. Thanks for the recipe. It's now a keeper!

Dear Elise,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for the alternate recipe!

I just came across your websight recently and love it! I have just made the Chocolate Zucchini cake and it is fantastic. The addition of the orange rind really make it. I plan on trying many more of your recipes. Thanks!

Wow - I was so excited to find the chocolate zucchini cake from Sunset magazine! I used to make it a lot about 13 years ago, and lost the recipe. I did a google search typing in "Chocolate Zucchine Cake Sunset Magazine" and was so pleasantly suprized when I was immediately led me to your post on this web site - I couldn't believe it! This recipe is outstanding. I remember it being so moist and the chocolate flavor is perfect. I always considered the cinnamon and orange peel to be the secret to the wonderful flavor. Sunset magazine included an exceptional zucchini bread recipe in the same issue the chocolate cake was in. The zuke bread recipe includes wheatgerm and maple flavoring - it too is extremely moist and always a hit with my family and friends. Thanks for posting this fabulous old chocolate zucchini cake recipe - I can't wait to make it again!

I combined some elements of your cake and Clotilde's (your inside, her topping, her pan suggestion, etc.)
It turned out beautifully. I'm glad I found this recipe, and it was totally by accident.
Thanks!
Lindsay

Hi Elise -

I have moved my blog to MT and there is a new link i would like to provide you for the photo of the C&Z cake. perhaps you would like to update your site?

http://myjournal.pampoosh.com/archives/2004/12/chocolate_zucch.html

thanks for linking to me and thanks even more for having such a nice site, i really enjoy your work.
Talia

This is my all time favorite recipe! Whenever I tell people about it, they think it sounds so strange... now I have proof - it IS a real recipe, and one that many people like.

I made the Chocolate Zucchini cake and it is a heavenly. I can't wait to make it again. Thanks for the recipe.

i made this cake and it was delicious....

Hello!
This cake look good taste and I'm going try it!!
Thank you.
Coco

i made this for my office colleagues and they all seemed to love it a lot - it was very soft and moist! a wonderful, easy recipe :-)

Mmmmmm.... I made this today as someone gave me two huge Zucchini yesterday. This is such a moist and delicious cake, awesome. Thanks for having it here on the web (and findable by Google).

Is there any way to make this gluten-free?

I have a friend's b-day coming up and I want to make something special.

Any suggestions would help.

I made this cake from Sunset for my boyfriend in grad school, as a first special treat for him. It worked - he married me! I was just thinking of making this this weekend for a BBQ potluck I'm attending. We have about 5 lbs of "UFO" squash to use up from our CSA!

All I have to say is "wow" - thanks for sharing this recipe. You made our evening.

I have a similar recipe for a chocolate zucchini cake but it is not a bundt cake. I will have to try this one for sure as I love bundt cakes!! I also have a very good zucchini loaf recipe that I make in the fall when I am given a lot of zucchinis and don't know what to do with them all. Then I freeze them for winter time.

Spicy Zucchini Loaf

2 cups flour
1/2 (heaping) tsp. b. soda
1 tsp. (heaping) b. powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup b. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini, peel and all, but scoop out big seeds

Mix dry ingredients together. Beat eggs with oil, sugars, & vanilla till thick and creamy. Add zucchini, then dry ingredients. Fold in raisins, nuts or chocolate chips. Pour into a loaf pan and put into a 350* oven for 55 - 60 minutes. I prefer the raisins, but everyone likes different things. Enjoy!!!!

I tried this exactly as given, but without the orange rind or baking soda (didn't have) and with 1/2 cup less zucchini (to make sure my kids wouldn't taste it..) BUT it came out bitter. Any idea why? I'd like to give it another shot..

If your cake comes out bitter, don't forget to peel and seed the zucchini.

I wanted a cake and not a bread so I googled Zucchini cake and this was the first recipe. I could not wait to make this cake since I am a chocolate fan. That was 3 weeks ago and since then I have made 3 cakes, passed the recipe on to my coworkers who have also tried it. I LOVE IT. I am not a fan of orange so I did not put that in, nor did I put the frosting on. The moistness is incredible. I used a bit more than the 2 cups called for the first time, the 2nd time I didn't realize that I had a 4 cup measuring cup when grating the zucchini until it was to late. Still it was very good, I should have cooked it a bit longer but my coworkers did not even notice the difference, they thought it was more moist than the first one I made. Everyone was surprised that zucchini was even in the cake. I used zucchini from our garden and look forward to making a few more this summer. Thank You for sharing, I plan on visiting your site often.

mmm...yummy. Zucchini and chocolate in one. I never thought of this combination. :)

Summer colds are pure torture. Hope you are feeling better soon.

I'm not gonna lie: I would never make this. Sounds like a pairing that would not make much sense to my palate. I'll try anything (like if a friend made it and offered some), but won't be putting in the effort for this one.

The zucchini fritters from a few days ago however...I will be making alot of.

I hope you feel better soon!

Sorry to hear about the cold; summer colds are the worst. Hope you're feeling better soon.

It looks wonderful, Elise!

Elise -

Quick question for you - American-style or Dutch-process cocoa powder? I'm guessing American, especially since the recipe calls for baking soda, but I figured I would ask to see if you have any advice!

I hope you feel better soon. Summer colds are a pain!

Delightful! Thank you for another excuse to get rid of this huge pile of zucchini that is taking over my house!

I love this cake sooooo much. thank you xxx

Hope you are feeling better soon Elise.

This sounds like a great way tohave your cake and eat it too... and with chocolate for decadence and zucchini for moistness (and vitamins!) I am going to give this a try!

I hope your cold passes quickly... maybe some soup would do the trick!

Yum! This looks excellent.. just the thing for all the zucchini coming out of my garden. I don't have a bundt pan.. is there any way to alter the recipe for a standard loaf pan? Perhaps just make 2/3 of the recipe or..? Thanks!

I made this cake last night. It is wonderfully moist! I substituted half the butter with a mashed banana and instead of all that sugar, halfed it and added molasses. Eventho it tastes ok, definitely next time I'm putting in more cocoa and adding chocolate chips!!!

Elise,

Hope you are on the mend. I in allergy hell purgatory right now and awaiting Autumn to clear my head.

Great looking cake. I've noted it a few times while browsing your recipes and think that it may finally be time to make one.

Feel better soon! Summer colds are a big bummer.

What a delicious looking cake.

Feel better, Elise! As soon as I have an excuse to step off my diet for a couple days, I am SO making this cake!

I also would like to know how to make this gluten-free. Thanks, Julie

This cake is delicious! I made a double batch to take to a picnic. It turned out very moist and everyone loved it. When baking 2 cakes at a time, I had to leave them in for about 65 minutes, but I checked every 5 minutes starting at 45 to make sure they came out as soon as they were done. I made the glaze with 3 Tbsp of orange juice instead of the milk and the orange glaze complemented the mildly spicy orange flavor of the cake nicely.

I made this cake to take to a party and it was popular and when I retrieved my plate there was only one piece left.

This is a lovely food blog and this is the third recipe that I've tried since someone turned me on to your site and every recipe has turned out well. Judy

Hints for making it without a bundt pan?

thanks!

I don't bake, but the name alone was so intriguing I had to try it. Even after three solid days of interviewing job candidates (can you say brain fry), this was simple. I made it without nuts since one of my colleagues can't eat nuts. I also added some orange zest to the glaze for added oomph. The director of the kitchen, who's been an executive chef at some 5-star hotels and restaurants, RAVED about it. This is truly a wonderful recipe and I thank you for sharing it!

Thanks for the lovely recipe. I'm looking forward to making this with the bounteous bag of zucchini I picked up at the farmers market. I bought extra, just for this!

Total novice here... the orange peel - is that fresh or is dried? I've seen (I think) dried orange peel in the bulk spice bins at the local food co-op. Thanks.

Thanks so much for this recipe! It was delicious.
It turned out really crumbly though...I may have used too much zucchini. I will definitely try again.

Has anyone tried making a health-conscious version of this recipe? Is it possible to cut the butter in half, and substitute the rest with some vegetable oil or apple sauce?

Just found your CZ recipe and will try it today.
I love checking out the comments but it would be nice if you could arrange the most recent first. 2004 comments might be good for your records, while the most recent shows that you are current.

thanks, Iris

I'm pretty good at making cakes, but this turned out very disappointing...dry and not flavorful. I don't know if buying zucchini out of season at the grocery store would have made a difference or not. Years ago I had a chocolate zucchini bundt cake recipe that was outstanding. It had cinnamon in it and was very moist and flavcrful. Any ideas what was wrong?

Note from Elise: If it was dry, it may have baked too long. Also, if the zucchini was out of season, perhaps it wasn't as moisture rich as zucchini in season.

Wow, Elise, that is an amazing cake!
After 45 minutes at high altitude, it baked perfectly and was incredibly moist (still is, in fact, at least what's left of it).
My coworkers served as guinea pigs yet again for another one of your recipes, and we haven't disappointed yet! They were all surprised that it had zucchini in it, then concluding, "Yeah, you are pretty health conscious." Heck, I just wanted to try a new cake- who cares if vegetables or sticks of butter are included.

Anyway, thanks yet again!

Just curious, can I use a 9 x 13 pan and how long would I cook it for? Same temp.?