If you're looking for a way to get a serving of veggies while eating chocolate cake...then you've absolutely got to try my easy recipe for chocolate zucchini bread. There is no flavor of zucchini at all...zip, zilch, nada. All you'll taste is fluffy chocolatey goodness. No one will ever know there's zucchini hiding in there. And I'm a chocoholic...I should know.
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For the rest of you chocoholics out there, this will satisfy your craving. Not only is there cocoa mixed into the batter, but I've also added chocolate chips both in the batter and sprinkled on top! It's death by chocolate zucchini bread. Yes, yes, yes!
Yes, it's called "bread," but it's no more bread than banana bread or lemon blackberry bread. It's a cake, baked in a loaf pan. I didn't come up with the name.
While I wouldn't go as far as saying that this chocolate zucchini bread is "healthy," there are a few healthy ingredients, namely zucchini and applesauce. So you're getting your fruits and veggies while satisfying your sweet tooth, all at the same time!
Each year, August 8th is National Leave a Zucchini on Your Neighbor's Porch Day. I kid you not. So for all you fellow gardeners out there, which would your neighbors appreciate more? A regular old zucchini left on their porch or a delicious loaf of Chocolate Zucchini Bread? I thought so.
π§Ύ Ingredients
- Egg
- Butter
- Applesauce
- Vanilla extract
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- All purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Zucchini
- Chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt, like Maldon
- Vegetable shortening (for greasing pan)
See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
π₯ Tip on shredding the zucchini
**Before we get started, one note on shredding the zucchini: I've found that by using a very fine shredding grater and using short strokes, the strands of zucchini stay fine and short. You don't want long strands of zucchini in your cake (which would be a dead giveaway that there's healthy ingredients in here, and we definitely don't want that!).
π₯£ Making the bread batter
Preheat oven to 350Β°F. Using a stand mixer with a flat beater attachment, mix together egg, butter, applesauce, vanilla extract, and both sugars until smooth.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
With the mixer turning, add dry ingredients to wet and mix just until all ingredients are mixed together well. Don't overmix!
Once batter is mixed, add zucchini and mix again. Finally, fold in Β½ cup chocolate chips.
Grease a loaf pan with vegetable shortening and pour batter into pan. Trust me on this step. I tried greasing the pan with butter then dusting with cocoa...disaster. The cake wouldn't release from the pan, wound up breaking apart in several pieces, and I had to start from scratch.
On the second attempt, I used vegetable shortening to grease the pan...and I didn't even have to cut around the edges...it slipped right out, easy peasy. See the video above!
β²οΈ Baking
Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are fine).
Let cool on the counter for 10 minutes. Once slightly cooled, release from the pan and top with chocolate chips while still hot. They'll melt just a little bit this way.
Finally, when the zucchini bread is completely cooled, sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Serve and enjoy!
Love desserts? Check out a few more of our delicious recipes now!
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Did you make this Chocolate Zucchini Bread? Let us know in the comments below!
π Recipe
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ΒΌ cup salted butter, melted (but not hot)
- ΒΌ cup applesauce
- 1 Β½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Β½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- Β½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- Β½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ΒΌ teaspoon baking powder
- ΒΌ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups zucchini, peeled and finely shredded (2 cups packed)
- 1 cup chocolate chips, divided
- Flaky sea salt
- Vegetable shortening (for greasing pan)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350Β°F.
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- With the mixer turning, add dry ingredients to wet.
- Once batter is mixed, add zucchini and mix again.
- Finally, fold in Β½ cup chocolate chips.
- Grease a loaf pan with vegetable shortening and pour batter into pan.Β
- Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool on the counter for 10 minutes. Once slightly cooled, release from the pan and top with chocolate chips while still hot. Theyβll melt just a little bit this way.
- Finally, when the zucchini bread is completely cooled, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.Β
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Shredding the zucchini: I've found that by using a very fine shredding grater and using short strokes, the strands of zucchini stay fine and short. You don't want long strands of zucchini in your cake (which would be a dead giveaway that there's healthy ingredients in here, and we definitely don't want that!).
- Greasing the loaf pan: Grease a loaf pan with vegetable shortening and pour batter into pan. Trust me on this step. I tried greasing the pan with butter then dusting with cocoa...disaster. The cake wouldn't release from the pan, wound up breaking apart in several pieces, and I had to start from scratch. On the second attempt, I used vegetable shortening to grease the pan...and I didn't even have to cut around the edges...it slipped right out, easy peasy.
- Suggestion: If you enjoyed this, you're gonna love our banana nut bread!
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