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Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Moist double chocolate zucchini bread with chocolate chips. You won’t even know there is zucchini in this decadent chocolate bread!
Let’s make a pact to keep a secret? The kids will never know there is zucchini in this bread. As far as they know, this is double chocolate bread or dark chocolate chocolate chip bread. I mean what they don’t know can’t hurt them so let’s bring on the zucchini…and hide it!
This is the time of year when zucchini is growing like crazy. My Mom talked about the years she had a huge garden in our Scottsdale home. She would try so hard to get certain fruits and vegetables to grow but there was one “steady Eddie” in the bunch — the zucchini. It would grow so big and so fast that she had zucchini coming out of her ears!
She would get out her cookbooks, thumb through and find every single zucchini recipe known to man, and make it. This is where the sneaking in the veggies came from. She was the master at it! We had no idea what she had up her sleeve.
How to make moist chocolate zucchini bread:
This Chocolate Zucchini Bread is the epitome of a decadent baked good that actually has some health benefits! Who knew? The zucchini not only brings a healthy factor, but it also helps to make it moist. Now that is a vegetable which deserves some accolades! They key is to FINELY shred the zucchini. When I use my box grater, I use the fine grater option. The zucchini magically disappears when it is baked.
This double chocolate bread is so moist because it has a combination of both butter and oil. It is the perfect marriage as the butter brings the rich flavor and the oil creates a moist texture.
This chocolate bread recipe calls for a mix of both brown sugar and sugar. They both sweeten the bread but the addition of the molasses in the brown sugar creates a chewy texture.
The chocolate chips are a must in this chocolate zucchini bread recipe! It is what brings the extra dual layer chocolate flavor which makes it so rich and decadent. By folding the majority of the chocolate chips into the batter and then sprinkling the top of the bread with the remaining chocolate chips, you get creamy chocolate in every bite! I usually reach for semi-sweet chocolate chips but if you want a sweeter bread, use milk chocolate chips.
To ensure the double chocolate zucchini bread is fully cooked in the center, insert a toothpick in the center to check for doneness. Since oven temperatures can vary, I would suggest checking the bread at the minimum time listed (40 minutes), and put a toothpick in to check for doneness.
So here’s to sneaking veggies into a decadent chocolate bread without our kids even noticing! This bread can be served with some sweet cream butter or even a spread of Nutella, chocolate hazelnut spread. Now, we are talking!
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Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter (melted and cooled)
- 1/4 cup Oil (canola, vegetable, or coconut)
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups Grated Zucchini * (tightly packed)
- 1 cup Flour
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 - 1 cup Chocolate Chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 (or 8 x 4) pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, brown sugar, and sugar until completely dissolved. Stir in eggs and vanilla and whisk well.
- Add zucchini (see notes about blotting zucchini with a paper towel to soak up some of the moisture) to bowl and stir.
- Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Fold in a heaping 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Reserve the remaining chocolate chips to sprinkle on the top.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Check after 30 minutes, if it is getting too done on the sides of the bread, lightly place foil over the top to allow the center to become fully cooked. The bread may need longer to cook once the foil is placed over the chocolate zucchini bread.
- Set aside to cool for at least 15-20 minutes. Let cool before slicing. Serve with sweet cream butter or chocolate hazelnut spread.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Bake up a loaf of this chocolate zucchini bread and share with a neighbor or friend! They will LOVE it!
I made this today, doubled the recipe, because I have so much zucchini! This is so delicious and simple. My husband doesn’t like zucchini bread so I didn’t tell him it had zucchini in it. He loved it! Then I told him about the zucchini. He still loved it! Thanks for another great recipe!!
Thank you so much for making this recipe Heather!
OMGH! This recipe – and the resulting bread – cake is out of this world! Moistness I did not think possible in a baked good. I did not follow directions saying – “lightly dot it to remove excess moisture…” I put the zucchini in the paper towel and wrung it out! OOPS! It was still super moist and I cooked it forever. Well, not forever, but about 65 minutes.
I substituted a 1:1 Gluten Free Flour and the recipe turned out beautifully! My husband and sons loved it soo much, we made it twice more in the following weeks.
Hi! I was wondering what the suggested bake time is if I were to double this recipe and bake it in a larger, flatter cake pan? Should I be weary about how I bake it? Thanks!
This was the best! Made a few changes for my family and in one meal it was devoured. Used 1/4c honey for white sugar, coconut oil was amazing and used an additional 1/4c bread flour. This was like eating a brownie & cake together. Definitely a keeper! Thank you for the recipe.
I love those simple substitutions, Rose! I am so glad that you and your family loved the recipe so much. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, I really appreciate it!
I noticed you said you substituted 1/4 cup honey for the sugar. Was this total….1/4 cup honey total in place of both granulated and brown sugar? I’ve made this recipe before and it’s so good. But I’d love to try subbing the sugar for honey. Thanks!