As you hand your child something healthy to eat, they ask “What is thiiiiiis??” “Honey, it’s good, it’s really, really yummy,” you say as reassuringly as you can. Your child takes a long, scrutinizing look at it, makes a face and holds it out to you with an emphatic, “I don’t want it!” Does this conversation sound at all familiar?
None of us want to lie to our children (“No, that’s not zucchini, it’s…it’s…”). So we try to cleverly camouflage healthy foods by slipping them into smoothies, grinding them up in meats, stuffing them between the fork tines (well, maybe not the last one), hoping they won’t even notice in the first place. Sweet deception. 
Let me ask you something. If you showed this cake to your kids, would they turn it down? I didn’t think so. Now, come closer so I can whisper something in your ear…..this cake is the ULTIMATE DECEPTION! Would you believe me if I told you it was 100% whole wheat, made with honey and buttermilk, and had 2 whole cups of zucchini in it? Well, it’s true! I created this on a whim after my kids were in bed, envisioning a healthily deceptive treat I could offer them the next day. In examining this rich and decadent cake, I immediately decided to call it Chocolate Deception Cake.
So whether you’re trying to feed your kids healthier treats or eat healthier yourself, this chocolate cake is for you! A rich, moist, finger-licking dark chocolate decadent cake oozing with a drippy chocolate honey glaze.
Dig in…without all the guilt!
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Chocolate Deception Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This deceptively decadent cake is made with 100% whole wheat, honey, buttermilk, and 2 whole cups of zucchini. Dig in…without all the guilt! Ingredients
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
- 2 cup (480 ml) grated zucchini or yellow squash (leave the peel on and use the small holes of the grater. Thoroughly squeeze the liquid out with your hands, you will be left with about 1 tightly packed cup). Note: I used yellow squash in the loaf featured in the pictures. Your kids won't be able to detect a single trace of it!
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) brown sugar (1 cup if you prefer a sweeter cake)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) canola oil
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the Chocolate Honey Glaze:
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 2 tbsp water
- 3 oz. (85 g) unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp confectioner's suga
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- Using your hands, squeeze as much liquid out of the squash as you can. This will leave you with about 1 cup of densely packed zucchini. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the sugar and eggs and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the oil, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder and beat until combined. Add the buttermilk and beat for another 30 seconds.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the squash until the strands are separated and combined with the batter. Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter and gently fold it in, just until combined. Be careful not to stir too much. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and setting it on the wire rack to cool completely.
To make the chocolate honey glaze:
- Bring the honey and sugar to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate and let it sit until melted. Stir the mixture until combined. Add the sugar and stir until thoroughly combined and smooth. Once the loaf is fully cooled, poke some small holes across the top to allow the glaze to seep in, and pour the glaze over the entire top of the loaf, allowing it to run down the sides. Let the loaf stand for at least 20 minutes before serving. Note: The glaze will remain soft. Store in a cake saver.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I actually taste the zucchini in this cake?
No — the recipe uses 2 cups of grated zucchini (or yellow squash) that is thoroughly squeezed down to about 1 tightly packed cup before being folded in. Combined with ½ cup of cocoa powder and ½ cup of chocolate chips, the vegetable is completely undetectable, which is the whole point of the “deception.”
Why is it important to squeeze out the liquid from the zucchini?
The recipe instructs you to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the grated zucchini by hand, reducing 2 cups down to roughly 1 densely packed cup. Excess moisture would throw off the balance of the batter — the recipe already includes 1 cup of buttermilk — and could result in a soggy, underbaked loaf.
Why does the glaze stay soft instead of hardening?
The chocolate honey glaze is made with ¼ cup honey, 2 tbsp water, 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, and confectioner’s sugar. The honey keeps it pliable even after it sets, so the recipe notes it will remain soft — you should store the finished loaf in a cake saver rather than an airtight bag, which would smear the glaze.
How do I know when the loaf is fully baked?
Bake at 350°F for 45–55 minutes and test by inserting a toothpick in the center — it should come out clean. The wide window exists because zucchini moisture levels vary; start checking at 45 minutes and go longer if the center still looks wet.
There is honey in the loaf ingredients but it’s not used