Name: Sugar-Free Zucchini Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 10 Servings
Cuisine: American

Jule’s Menu Verified

February 4, 2026

This healthy sugar-free zucchini cake tastes wonderfully moist, naturally sweet, and delicious. It’s perfect for zucchini season but can be baked all year round. Ground hazelnuts and baking cocoa add rich flavor, while a little rapeseed oil and applesauce replace the butter in this cake.

From the Cook

1/8

Sugar-Free Zucchini Cake

Jule’s Menu Verified

Ingredients

WarningMilk and 6 other allergens identified

Instructions

This recipe also lives on Jule’s Menu.Show them some love by checking it out! 😊

Check out original post! 😊

Original PostView

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) – top and bottom heat. Pit the dates, roughly chop them, and pour the hot water over them. Let soak for 10 minutes.

Wash the zucchini thoroughly and grate it finely. Set aside.

Cake Batter

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, and salt). Grease a loaf pan (if it’s not silicone) with a little butter, oil, or nonstick baking spray.

Drain half of the date water, then mash the date pieces with the remaining liquid using a fork until smooth.

Add the date puree along with the remaining ingredients (eggs, oil, and applesauce) to the bowl and mix until well combined. Gradually add the milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the batter reaches the right cake-like consistency (see photo – the amount of milk depends on the size and water content of the zucchini).

Baking the Zucchini Cake

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 45–55 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick before removing the cake from the oven.

Let the cake cool briefly in the pan before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Smart Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

0
Review & Earn

Be the first to review this recipe and earn a 20% Bonus

Level up & unlock free Premium by reviewing recipes!

My Notes

Your kitchen notebook is waiting.

Whether it's a recipe tweak or an inspiration burst — jot it down here.

Tips & Tricks (5)

Zucchini Moisture Management 💧
Always grate zucchini and squeeze out excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel to prevent a soggy cake texture and ensure optimal cake consistency.
Date Sweetness Hack 🍯
Soak Medjool dates in hot water for 10 minutes before blending to create a smoother, more uniform natural sweetener that distributes evenly throughout the cake batter.
Hazelnut Flavor Intensification 🥜
Lightly toast ground hazelnuts in a dry skillet for 3-4 minutes before adding to the recipe to enhance their nutty flavor and bring out deeper, more complex taste notes.
Cocoa Powder Integration 🍫
Sift cocoa powder with dry ingredients to prevent clumping and ensure a smooth, even distribution of chocolate flavor throughout the cake.
Moisture Preservation Technique 🍰
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before removing, which helps lock in moisture and prevents the delicate sugar-free cake from crumbling.

Intelligent Tags

About the Cook

Jule’s Menu

Hi, I’m Julia, and I’m the recipe developer, photographer, and author behind Jules’ Menu. I’ve spent the last eight years perfecting healthy everyday recipes so they strike the perfect balance between healthy and nourishing, simple and practical, and gourmet-level delicious.