Skinny Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

You’ll love these moist Skinny Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes topped with chocolate cream cheese frosting! You’ll never suspect that they are whole wheat and loaded with healthy zucchini!

Do you guys remember last week when I posted a picture on Instagram of a tasty little chocolate cupcake? Well today is the day that I’m finally sharing the recipe for these Skinny Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes!

I know it hasn’t even been a full week since I shared the photo of the cupcake, but they were so darn good I couldn’t wait another day post the recipe. My garden is currently on zucchini/summer squash overload and I’m frantically trying to come up with recipes and ways to use it. I’ve already started giving some of it away to my aunt because I honestly can’t use it fast enough. I’ve also realized that going out and checking for new zucchini every 4 days isn’t often enough. The last two times I have gone out to do some harvesting a giant 5 pound, 14 inch long zucchini has been staring me in the face! Seriously, where did it come from? I was just out here a few days ago and there was nothing! I should probably just make everyone on our street a batch of these Skinny Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes then maybe I can get rid of one these beasts!

I called these cupcakes skinny because as far as cupcakes go they are on the lower fat side of the scale and I bumped up the nutrition not only by adding zucchini, but by using whole wheat pastry flour. You might be thinking, what the heck is a vegetable doing in a cupcake, but don’t judge until you taste one of them. I 100% guarantee that you will not taste the zucchini. Heck, my husband didn’t have a clue and he can spot when I made something healthy a mile away!

What you will taste is a super moist chocolatey cupcake! The moisture is all thanks to the zucchini and the Greek yogurt which also double as added nutrients and protein. Since this is a cupcake after all it needed some frosting and chocolate cream cheese frosting was the clear winner. I managed to keep the frosting on the lighter side as well by using low fat cream cheese and replacing the butter with Greek yogurt. The frosting is perfectly sweet, creamy, and full of chocolate flavor!

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4.43 from 14 votes

Skinny Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

By Danae Halliday

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Inactive Time: 20 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

Servings: 10 cupcakes

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Whole grain and full of zucchini, but no one will ever know because they taste so good!

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Ingredients 

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Cupcakes

• ▢ 1/2 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or melted coconut oil
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 egg white
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, or milk of choice
• ▢ 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeeze out any excess liquid with your hands
• ▢ 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• ▢ 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 4 ounces low fat cream cheese softened
• ▢ 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350° F. and line a muffin pan with 10 parchment paper baking cups or spray the inside of regular baking cups with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand held mixer, beat together the brown sugar and oil until completely combined. Add in the egg and egg white and beat again until combined. Add in the Greek yogurt, shredded zucchini and vanilla extract and beat for about 1 minute.
• Pour in a 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until just combined, then pour in half of the milk beating again until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then repeat the process ending with the flour mixture.
• Pour or scoop the batter into the cupcake liners until they are about 3/4 of the way full. Place the cupcakes on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting them.
• Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand held mixer add in all of the ingredients.
• Start the mixer on low then once the powdered sugar is incorporated turn it up to high and beat until smooth and combined. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl then beat again for another 1-2 minutes.

Notes

Because the cupcakes don't contain much oil they will probably stick to the cupcake liners which is why I recommend using the parchment paper liners. If you can't find them simple spray the insides of regular liners with cooking or baking spray.

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 7gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 244mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this? Leave a comment below!