Chocolate Zucchini Bread
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This rich chocolate zucchini bread makes the perfect afternoon snack whenever you’re in need of a chocolate fix.
This chocolate zucchini bread makes the perfect afternoon snack whenever you’re in need of a chocolate fix. It has a deep chocolate flavor from unsweetened cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips, yet it’s not so sweet that it tastes like dessert. Plus, it’s loaded with zucchini, so there’s some virtue in it.
What you’ll need to make Chocolate zucchini Bread
How to make Chocolate zucchini Bread
Begin by grating the zucchini. I use a food processor as it’s a bit quicker, but you can also do it by hand with a box grater.
Next, melt the butter in a large mixing bowl.
Add the brown sugar.
And stir until smooth.
Stir in the eggs and vanilla, then set aside. (Note: it’s important to stir the brown sugar into the melted butter before adding the eggs, as the hot butter alone could cook the eggs.)
Next, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
Add it to the wet ingredients.
And stir to combine — it will be very thick.
Next, add the grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
Stir until well combined. It will still be very thick — that’s okay.
Transfer the mixture to a greased loaf pan, and spread the batter evenly with a spatula.
Bake for about an hour, then let the loaf cool in the pan for about ten minutes.
Turn the loaf out onto a rack to cool completely. It’s delicious right out of the oven but it’s best to wait at least an hour to slice it, otherwise it may crumble a little. Enjoy!
Note: My starting point for this recipe was this recipe from King Arthur Flour. I replaced the vegetable oil with butter, swapped out the honey for more brown sugar, and reduced the salt.
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Chocolate Zucchini Bread
This rich chocolate zucchini bread makes the perfect afternoon snack whenever you’re in need of a chocolate fix.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⅔ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
- ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (ok to substitute natural cocoa powder)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee (optional)
- 2 cups shredded zucchini, gently packed (you'll need about 2 medium zucchini; do not wring out the liquid)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees and grease an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the butter in a large microwave-safe mixing bowl and microwave for one minute, or until just melted. Stir in the brown sugar until completely smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until incorporated. (Be sure to add the eggs after the brown sugar is mixed in, as the hot butter alone could cook the eggs.)
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and instant coffee (if using) in a medium bowl. Add to the butter mixture and stir until well combined. It will be very thick.
- Stir in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips. (It will still be thick -- that's okay.)
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (save for perhaps a smear from the melted chocolate chips). Let the loaf cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 1/2-inch slices servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 231
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Sugar: 21g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 184mg
- Cholesterol: 41mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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what a great web site…my very first blog! your pics make me want to try more recipes. I love the loaf…very delicious thank you
This bread looked questionable going into the oven but looked great coming out. It was a huge hit. Dense and moist. Everyone loved it and now the whole neighborhood is making it.
Do you have the calorie count for this cake? It is delicious by the way! 😉
Hi Vanessa, The nutritional data has been added; you can find it underneath the recipe. Hope that helps!
the family loved it. this recipe is a keeper:)
Made this recipe in Ecuador. Living at nearly 10,000 ft, finding recipes that hold up and don’t over-bake or under-bake can be a challenge – but makes for some FUN baking adventures. Oh Altitude!
I typically change some ingredients in recipes to find what will hold up best here – so I tweaked this recipe (just a little) and it turned out delicious!
(they don’t have baking soda here, so I added a pinch of extra baking powder)
+ 1/3 c. flour
+ 1/8 c. water
+ 1 egg
+ a little extra cocoa powder
+ 1/4 c. zucchini
I added some of these wet ingredients to help compensate for the extra flour needed for high-altitude.
Also, cooking times can vary greatly from sea-level to higher altitudes, so I checked this recipe at 30 minutes to be safe…and continued cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It is indeed rich and delightful!
I have shared this zucchini bread and recipe with many. Our 3 1/2 year old grandson loves this ” chocolate cake”.
This recipe is wonderful! Baked it for the first time and it’s so easy. Had a small/medium sized zucchini from a friend’s garden and when shredded with a regular box grater, came out to 2 cups. The bread was moist and decadent! I even substituted the 1/2 cup oil with 1/2 cup of applesauce and still the loaf came out great. Thanks for sharing!
So happy to have found your site. Tried my 1st recipe today (the chocolate zucchini bread) which was absolutely delicious. Will be making again for sure. One little item I added was a sprinkle of chia seeds on top of the bread. It is a keeper!
i notice that this recipe says :
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
By Jennifer Segal
Servings: One 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
NOTE: COOK TIME 20 mins. in reading the reviews i think this may have cause some to under cook. I just made this and it is wonderful!
Robbin, Thank you for solving the mystery! I love this recipe so much and have not been able to figure out what the issue was with some of the reviews. I have tested it over and over again with no issues at all. I think that typo might explain it; it has been corrected now. Thank you again!
This chocolate zucchini bread is outstanding. It sounded great and tastes even better. For the chocolate lover, it is a wonderful dessert. Everyone is requesting the recipe. Definitely a keeper.