Sweet cupcakes flecked with pretty green shreds of zucchini and mini chocolate chips with a rich, fluffy cream cheese frosting.
Even though Martha Stewart calls these cupcakes, the truth is they’re muffins. The method of mixing the batter, adding the wet to the dry, makes it a muffin. The frosting kind of turns them into cupcakes and who am I to argue with Martha Stewart? The Queen of everything.
The zucchini keeps them nice and moist and the chocolate chips and frosting makes them irresistible even to zucchini haters. I know I say that all the time about my zucchini recipes but only because it’s completely true. I’ve witnessed it many times with my very own eyes and have readers tell me the same exact thing.
Your kids, husband, dad, best friend, etc… all who passionately insist they hate zucchini will fall hard for these. And if you happen to have zucchini lovers around you they will thank-you up and down as they reach for a second one.
Cross my heart and pinky swear.
They’ll pass the test.
CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI CUPCAKES
Sweet cupcakes flecked with pretty green shreds of zucchini and mini chocolate chips with a rich, fluffy cream cheese frosting. My answer to the growing zucchini problem.
Ingredients
- 1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 + 1/2 cups zucchini (about 10 ounces), shredded
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces regular or light cream cheese, at room-temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more if needed
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners or grease with butter or non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together then mix in the chocolate chips.
In another bowl stir together the zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and mix just until combined - the batter will be thick - do not overmix or they will be rubbery.
Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes.
Cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely.
Make the frosting:
In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
Add a cup of confectioners' sugar at a time and beat until light and fluffy about 5 minutes.
Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread frosting on cupcakes. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1-3 days. Store in refrigerator.
