Description
Chocolate zucchini cupcakes blend garden-fresh vegetables with rich cocoa in a delightful dessert. Moist chocolate sponge with hidden zucchini offers guilt-free indulgence you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) shredded zucchini
- ¾ cup (180 ml) chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (180 ml) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (120 ml) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (480 ml) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsps milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and set up a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or cooking spray.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until perfectly blended.
- Wet Mixture: Combine vegetable oil with granulated and brown sugars, creating a smooth, unified base.
- Liquid Integration: Incorporate eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk into the sugar mixture, stirring until achieving a silky consistency.
- Batter Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, maintaining a delicate texture and avoiding overmixing.
- Final Additions: Carefully fold shredded zucchini and chocolate chips throughout the batter, ensuring even distribution.
- Baking Process: Fill muffin cups three-quarters full and bake for 20-23 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick that comes out clean.
- Cooling and Finishing: Rest muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack; prepare chocolate frosting by creaming butter and gradually blending powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and salt.
- Serving: Once completely cooled, generously frost the cupcakes and serve with enthusiasm.
Notes
- Moisture Management: Gently squeeze excess water from shredded zucchini to prevent overly wet batter and ensure perfect cupcake texture.
- Chocolate Chip Distribution: Coat chocolate chips lightly in flour before folding into batter to prevent sinking and create even chocolate spread.
- Avoid Overmixing: Stir batter minimally to maintain tender, light cupcake crumb and prevent dense, tough results.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free blend and add xanthan gum for similar structure and texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg