Description

This rich and moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread combines the goodness of fresh zucchini with decadent dark chocolate for a fudgy, flavorful treat. Perfect as a snack or dessert, this loaf is tender with melted chocolate chunks and a subtle hint of cocoa, making it an irresistible twist on classic zucchini bread.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables

3 cups grated zucchini (2 large or 3 small)

Dry Ingredients

1 3/4 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably dutch processed
1.5 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate)
1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/4 cup (275g) white sugar
2 eggs
100g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Other

300g (10 oz) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (keep some larger chunks)

Instructions

Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C (320°F) if using a fan oven to ensure the bread bakes evenly.
Prepare loaf pan: Grease and line a large loaf pan measuring approximately 28 x 15 x 6.5 cm (11 x 6 x 2.5 inches) with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Drain zucchini: Squeeze handfuls of grated zucchini to remove excess moisture, then place in a colander to drain further while preparing the batter, ensuring the bread isn’t soggy.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until light. Then add the melted butter and vanilla essence, whisking until fully incorporated.
Combine mixtures: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and stir gently with a wooden spoon until just combined – the batter will be thick.
Add zucchini and chocolate: Fold in the drained zucchini and chopped dark chocolate, mixing until evenly distributed. The batter will initially be very thick but will loosen into a thick, spreadable consistency.
Bake the bread: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then cover the loaf loosely with foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean aside from melted chocolate streaks.
Cool the bread: Let the bread stand in the pan for 15 minutes to set, then remove it from the pan and cool it on a wire rack for another 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve: For an extra indulgent treat, serve warm to enjoy the melty chocolate chunks and fudgy texture.

Notes

When preparing zucchini, squeezing out excess water is crucial to prevent the bread from becoming soggy.
Dutch-processed cocoa powder offers a smoother, less acidic chocolate flavor but you can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder as an alternative.
Baking soda helps the bread rise and tenderize the crumb.
Using a mix of chopped dark chocolate pieces including larger chunks gives wonderful melty pockets and texture.
Allowing the bread to cool slightly before slicing helps it hold together better.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Category: Baking
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chocolate zucchini bread, zucchini dessert, chocolate loaf, moist zucchini bread, baked chocolate bread, vegetarian bread, zucchini chocolate cake