Description
This rich and moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread combines the subtle freshness of grated zucchini with the deep flavor of dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Perfect as a sweet treat or dessert, this loaf balances indulgence with the added moisture and nutrients from zucchini, resulting in a fudgy texture with chunks of melted chocolate throughout.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 3 cups grated zucchini (from 2 large or 3 small zucchinis)
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
- 1 1/4 cup (275g) white sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 100g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
Add-ins
- 300g (10 oz) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (reserve some larger chunks)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C (fan assisted). Prepare your baking pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Zucchini: Take handfuls of grated zucchini and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Place the squeezed zucchini in a colander to drain while you prepare the batter, ensuring your bread won’t be too watery.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth. Add the melted butter and vanilla essence, and whisk again until fully incorporated.
- Combine Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a wooden spoon just until the flour is incorporated; the batter will be quite thick at this point.
- Add Zucchini and Chocolate: Fold in the drained grated zucchini and the coarsely chopped dark chocolate pieces. The batter will initially be very thick but will loosen into a thick, spreadable consistency after mixing.
- Transfer to Pan and Bake: Scrape the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes, then cover the top with foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, allowing for melted chocolate streaks.
- Cool the Bread: Let the bread stand in the pan for 15 minutes to set before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool for a further 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve: For an extra indulgent treat, serve the bread warm to enjoy melty chocolate chunks and a fudgy texture in the middle.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture from grated zucchini to avoid soggy bread.
- Using Dutch-processed cocoa powder enhances the chocolate flavor and results in a richer color.
- Reserve some of the chopped dark chocolate in larger chunks for pockets of melted chocolate inside the bread.
- Covering the bread with foil partway through baking prevents over-browning while ensuring the center cooks completely.
- This bread is best enjoyed within 2-3 days at room temperature or can be frozen for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
