A GAPS-Friendly, Beyond SCD Gut-Healing Dessert Inspired by Grandma
Some recipes aren’t just food—they’re memory keepers.
This chocolate zucchini cake came from my grandma’s handwritten recipe card. She made it every summer with zucchini from her backyard garden. Her version was soft and comforting, with just enough spice and a rich cocoa flavor that made it feel special but not fussy. Like many classic cakes, it used butter and oil, a touch of clove and cinnamon, and a scattering of chocolate chips across the top.
I’ve adapted her original to be grain-free, naturally sweetened, and gut-friendly—without sacrificing what made it so satisfying in the first place. It’s still spiced. Still tender. Still topped with chocolate. But now it fits into a GAPS-style or beyond-SCD healing lifestyle.
The full recipe is in the printable card at the bottom of this post, but first, let’s talk through what you’ll need and why.
Why Zucchini and Chocolate Are So Good Together
Zucchini adds moisture without adding weight—and when you chop it instead of grating it, it gives the cake body and structure. My grandma wrote “not grated” right on her recipe card, and I stuck with it. Chopped zucchini holds its shape better, distributes moisture more gradually, and gives the cake a rustic texture that’s far more satisfying than you might expect.
When paired with cocoa, cinnamon, clove, and vanilla, the flavor is rich but not heavy—like a chocolate spice cake with just the right amount of summer in it.
A Note on Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder is not part of the classic SCD protocol, but many who follow GAPS or a personalized gut-healing plan tolerate it well. The key is to introduce it slowly and at the right time of day.
If cocoa powder is new for you:
- Start with ½ to 1 teaspoon in yogurt or a room-temp smoothie
- Introduce it midday instead of first thing in the morning
- Monitor how your body responds over the next few days before increasing
Why midday? Because digestion is strongest then. Cold or stimulating foods early in the day—like cocoa powder—can sometimes lead to urgency or bloating. Starting slowly and at the right time helps you gauge tolerance and build confidence.
Once you know it works for you, this cake is a beautiful way to enjoy it.
Chocolate Chips: What I Used and What to Look For
In the video, I used a ½ cup of date-sweetened chocolate chips from HU (now discontinued). They gave the cake just the right amount of chocolatey richness and cooled into smooth, melt-in-your-mouth pieces once the cake was chilled.
A great alternative is the dark chocolate chips from Just Date. They’re sweetened with dates and don’t contain refined sugar. Just keep in mind that the “milk” version includes oat milk, which is not GAPS- or SCD-compliant.
You could also use unsweetened chips – they will blend with the flavors of the cake for sweetness.
Texture and Storage Tips
When the cake is first cooled to room temperature, it may seem a little soft or crumbly. That’s normal. Once it’s chilled in the fridge, the crumb firms up beautifully. For best results, store this cake in the refrigerator or freezer, and enjoy chilled or slightly warmed.
What You’ll Need
The full recipe is in the printable card below, but here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients:
Wet Ingredients:
- Butter and oil
- Honey
- Eggs
- 24-hour fermented yogurt
- Vanilla extract
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Dry Ingredients:
- Almond flour and coconut flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Ground cloves and cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Salt
Add-Ins:
- Finely chopped zucchini (not grated)
- Date-sweetened or unsweetened chocolate chips for topping
Room temperature eggs and almond flour help everything mix smoothly and bake evenly. If the zucchini is especially moist, give it a quick blot with a paper towel—no need to squeeze.
Watch the Video
I walk through every step in this recipe on video—from ingredient swaps to the reason we chop the zucchini. You’ll also hear a bit more about how I adapt old-school recipes for a gut-healing lifestyle. See below.
Get the Printable Recipe Card
Scroll down to find the print-friendly recipe card, complete with exact measurements and step-by-step directions. If you’d like to save it, you can print it or download it directly from the page.
Let me know in the comments if you try this one—or if you’ve adapted any family recipes to fit your own gut-healing journey. I’d love to hear your story.
Want to check out some of my SCD-friendly recipes? Get my cookbooks, Don’t Skip Dessert Volume 1 and Volume 2.
Grain-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Equipment
- chopper or food processor (for zucchini – you can also use a knife)
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp butter (softened)
- 2 tbsp oil (I used avocado oil)
- ½ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 2½ cups almond flour
- 3 tbsp coconut flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ – 2 medium zucchini
- ½ cup chocolate chips (I use date sweetened)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉/160℃
- Grease 9 x 13-inch cake pan with coconut oil
- Add butter, oil, honey, eggs, vanilla, yogurt, vinegar or lemon juice to medium mixing bowl
- Cream together on medium speed until well combined
- Add almond flour, coconut flour, spices, baking soda, and cocoa powder to large mixing bowl
- Stir to combine
- While beating on low, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry mix
- Increase speed to medium and beat for two to three minutes until completely combined
- Cut the ends off the zucchini, and then roughly chop and add to chopper or food processor
- Process so zucchini is finely chopped into little pieces
- Measure chopped zucchini to two cups
- Stir into batter so it is evenly mixed
- Batter should be fairly thick
- Spread batter in even layer in pan
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over batter
- Bake for 45 – 50 minutes until cake is firm on top and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean
- Cool in pan on wire rack to room temperature and then refrigerate for a couple of hours (you can eat the cake once it is cooled, but it may be crumbly until it's chilled)
Video
Notes
Chopped zucchini holds its shape and releases moisture more slowly than grated zucchini. It gives this cake a slightly rustic, structured crumb that holds together beautifully and resists getting soggy. Fat Balance: Why Butter and Oil
This recipe uses 5 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil—less total fat than the original but balanced for almond flour’s naturally high fat content. Too much oil in a grain-free cake can lead to a greasy or heavy texture. This ratio keeps the crumb moist and tender without being wet. However, you can substitute all butter (or ghee) or palm shortening if you like. I wouldn’t substitute all liquid oil as it may be too wet. Room Temperature Ingredients Matter
Using room temp eggs and almond flour helps everything blend smoothly and bake evenly. Cold eggs can make the butter seize and create a lumpy batter, while cold almond flour can clump and resist mixing.
Nutrition
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