Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Top-8-free too!)

Moist, dense chocolate cake covered in a thick layer of dark chocolate morsels is what the end of your summer needs. Use up that zucchini your neighbor ding dong ditched you with and turn it into an amazing dessert. This allergy-friendly Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake is free of: gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts & tree nuts. It’s also vegan and top-8-free too! Cake for everyone!

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I’ve been having zucchini coming out of my ears–and I didn’t even grow any! Ever since we moved from an apartment to an actual neighborhood, it seems almost all of my neighbors are growing zucchini and need to get rid of some.

I’ve been ding dong ditched, offered some via text and then offered some more again. But I don’t mind! I think zucchini adds so much moisture in baked goods. My son wouldn’t mind if I made these gluten-free vegan chocolate chip zucchini muffins every day (and they’re great for school lunches!) and well, who can resist chocolate cake? Just these two reasons alone are worth begging your neighbors for zucchini if you need to.

I got this recipe from my mom and have found memories of her making it. I was excited to tweak hers to make it allergy-friendly. Thanks mom! Most good things come from moms, don’t you think so?

And, does it make me a bad mom that I don’t even mind if my kids sneak some for breakfast? The fact that this has ground flax seeds in it (hello Omega 3’s!) and vegetables in it–I figured it’s got to be better than a donut or sugar cereal. (And, if it’s not, don’t burst my bubble! Let me be the cool mom. Haha.)

One of my favorite things about this cake is the fact that I don’t have to make frosting! Making frosting can be a detriment to me when I consider making cakes. I don’t want the extra dishes, steps, ingredients or time sometimes. You know what I mean–sometimes you just really want cake and you WANT IT NOW. There’s still an added sweet sheen from the melted chocolate chips, but it’s as simple as pouring a bunch of vegan chocolate chips on top before you bake.

Another perk is that this makes a 13×9–perfect for sharing. Perhaps you can give your neighbors a piece of the finished cake, so they’ll be motivated to keep supplying you with that gorgeous green vegetable.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON MAKING CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE ALLERGY-FRIENDLY:

• How did you make it gluten-free? I swapped out the regular flour for gluten-free flour and add some xanthan gum. I find this blend works best, but you can use a store-bought pre-made blend. Just note that if it already has xanthan in it, then omit that from my recipe.
• How do you make the cake egg-free? Out of the various egg replacers, I enjoy flax eggs for this, as it helps give it even more moisture, plus the nutrient benefits.
• Can I use another oil? Yes–I go back and forth between using coconut oil or canola oil, depending on which I have on hand. Obviously, if you have a coconut allergy, you’ll want to use canola, or another neutral oil.
• Do I need to drain the zucchini? No–just shred and then measure the shreds. I prefer to use a food processor for less time and hassle. If you don’t have one, a box grater will do too!
• If you’ve never used grated zucchini in a recipe–simply wash the zucchini and grate everything. You use the skin and all. If I have an overly large zucchini with huge seeds, I’ll cut them out before grating, but most often I leave them in, as my electric food processor does a great job breaking everything down.
• What do I do with the leftover grated zucchini? I find it takes two small ones, or about half of a large for this recipe–which can often leave you with leftovers. Simply take the extra shredded zucchini and put it in an air-tight baggie and put it in the freezer. You can reuse this for baking anytime you wish. Simply thaw it in a colander, so that the excess moisture can drain before you use it again.
• If I can have wheat, can I sub out regular flour? Yes you can. Use the same amount as called for, and omit the xanthan.
• If I can have eggs, can I use them? Yes, simply use two eggs instead of the flax eggs.
• If you have leftover zucchini, and can do eggs, try my friend Katie’s recipe for chocolate chip zucchini bread.
• If you want a chocolate cake that doesn’t use refined sugar, check out my friend, Erin at FoodDooles for her Healthy Chocolate Cake.
• If you want to switch it up and have zucchini bread pancakes try The Helpful GF.
• See how to freeze zucchini if you have leftover zucchini.

I hope that this allergy-friendly version will help you, or whoever has dietary restrictions, enjoy a rich slice of choice cake. Because sometimes you need a decadent, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth slice of chocolate cake with a tall glass of (safe) milk! Happy desserting my friends! Be sure to share this with other gluten-free, vegan, or food allergies friends–sharing is caring and I want to make sure these recipes find those who need it!

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT. BE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT MY OTHER ALLERGY-FRIENDLY PINTEREST BOARDS!

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Looking for other allergy-friendly chocolate desserts? Look no further:

Gluten & Dairy-free Triple Chocolate Pie

Chocolate Sheet Cake (Top-8-free, Vegan)

The Best Gluten-free Vegan Brownies