John Deere Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are perfect for a John Deere or farm birthday party. No one will be able to tell that these chocolate cupcakes have zucchini hidden inside.
My child recently had a birthday party. I knew I was going to make a chocolate cake but I always add a little “healthy” twist to her cakes every year. I try to add something healthy to the cake part and use an icing that doesn’t have a crazy amount of sugar in it. This year’s party was farm themed so I decided to make Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes. I knew chocolate would be a hit plus farm product stands sell zucchini. I also wanted it to visually fit with the farm theme. Since chocolate is brown, I figured it looked like dirt and farms have fields so I made the cream cheese icing look like grass. Then I added some John Deere tractor cupcake picks. The cupcakes looked really cute and it fit the party’s theme perfectly. The Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes were really moist and no one could even tell there was zucchini in them!
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups white sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cups with cupcake wrappers.
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips. Mix in the eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla extract. Fold in zucchini until mixed throughout.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Allow to cool.
- In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter. Mix in vanilla and gradually add in confectioners' sugar. Frost cupcakes or refrigerate for 30 minutes before frosting.
- Enjoy!
If you want green icing, add green dye to the cream cheese icing.