Skip to main content

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes Recipe

Contributors: Stacey Antine, MS, RD, and HealthBarn USA

Published: February 15, 2017

Reviewed: July 31, 2023

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes Recipe
Rebecca Clyde, MS, RDN, CD

Cupcakes for breakfast? Yes, and they're made with zucchini! Tweet this This breakfast treat will be sure to get the whole family up and energized to start their day.

Ingredients

1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup agave nectar, divided
¼ cup brown sugar
1 cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
¼ cup flaxseed, ground
½ teaspoon baking powder, low sodium
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin cups with paper or silicone liners.
  2. Put grated zucchini in paper towels or a clean cloth and squeeze out as much water as possible. Set aside.
  3. In large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, vanilla extract, ¼ cup agave and stir thoroughly.
  4. Add flours, baking soda, baking powder, flaxseed, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and other spices, and mix well. Add cocoa and mix thoroughly.
  5. Add zucchini and stir thoroughly.
  6. Fill paper liners with chocolate zucchini batter to ¾ full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of cupcake.
  7. Mix ¼ cup agave with ½ teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Before serving, drizzle agave mixture over cupcakes as icing and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 cupcake
Serves 12

Calories: 150; Total fat: 1.5g; Saturated fat: 0g; Trans fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 105mg; Total carbohydrate: 31g; Dietary fiber: 3g; Sugars 17g; Protein: 3g

Freshly Picked

Person speaking to RDN about sex-specific nutrition recommendations and how to tailor them for transgender people

For LGBTQ

How to Approach Sex-Specific Nutrition Recommendations for Transgender People

Read the Full Story
Person holding a transgender flag shaped as a heart

Cardiovascular Health/Heart Disease/Hypertension

Nutrition and Heart Health for Transgender People on Hormone Therapy

Read the Full Story

Find a Nutrition Expert

Looking for credible nutrition information and recommendations? The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' network of credentialed food and nutrition practitioners are ready to help!