Name: Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 cup canola oil; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed; 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini, drained; 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

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This chocolate zucchini bread is quick and easy to make and everyone loves it. It’s the perfect way to use up that garden zucchini!

My family managed to go through two loaves of this chocolate zucchini bread in a weekend. Actually, I don’t think it even took us the whole weekend.

It’s delicious.

Soft and tender zucchini bread, filled with chocolate flavour, and super moist from all the zucchini – this chocolate zucchini bread is perfect.

You’d never even know you’re eating vegetables, so it’s a great option if you have kids that won’t eat anything green.

Plus whenever you can have what is basically chocolate cake for breakfast and call it good, we’re all happy around here!

This chocolate zucchini bread is amazing if you’re looking for a way to use up all that garden zucchini this year!

Do you squeeze water out of zucchini for bread?

I never bother squeezing a lot of the water out of zucchini for bread.

I do like to grate it before starting the bread and let it sit and drain in a colander while I mix up the batter.

Pressing it with a spoon in the colander before adding it to the batter gets out enough liquid that I don’t find it necessary to wring it out any more than that.

Do you use the skin in zucchini bread?

There’s no need to peel the zucchini when making zucchini bread.

If your zucchini is really large, quarter it and scrape out the seeds with a spoon before grating it.

I like to shred zucchini in my food processor. This is the fastest way, but you can also use a box grater (use the large holes).

Chocolate zucchini bread with chocolate chips

Does zucchini bread freeze well?

I freeze zucchini bread all the time!

Let the bread cool completely after baking, and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze it for up to 3 months.

How to make Chocolate Zucchini Bread:

Make sure not to over-mix the zucchini bread batter. If you mix the batter too much your zucchini bread may be a bit dense. Simply stir with a spoon until the ingredients are just combined.
You can make this chocolate zucchini bread healthier by using half whole wheat flour, or by decreasing the sugar and using 1/4 cup granulated sugar instead of 1/2 cup, or both. I’ve made them this way and they’re still delicious, although less sweet (obviously).
I don’t recommend omitting the chocolate chips as they add quite a bit of sweetness and I found the bread a bit bland when I tried this.
I use Dutch process cocoa powder for this zucchini bread and have not tried it with regular cocoa powder.

Here are some more great quick bread recipes for you:

Yield: 1 loaf

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This chocolate zucchini bread is quick and easy to make and everyone loves it. It's the perfect way to use up that garden zucchini!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini, drained
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well combined.
In another bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and well combined.
Stir in the grated zucchini.
Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan, then remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can substitute with milk mixed with 1 teaspoon of vinegar and allowed to sit for 5 minutes.
Grate your zucchini first and let it sit in a colander and drain while you mix up the batter. Press out any excess liquid with the back of a spoon, but there is no need to wring out as much liquid as possible.
You can replace half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour if you like.
If you want the bread to be a bit less sweet, decrease the granulated sugar to 1/4 cup.

Source: Adapted from my Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.