One of my all-time favorite family recipes growing up was chocolate zucchini bread. Though called bread, it is more similar to a chocolate loaf cake than a quick bread. Don’t let the name fool you, you don’t really even taste the zucchini (I pretend it makes it healthier)! The veggies make this cake extra moist without having to add any water or milk. This recipe is perfect as both a snack with your morning coffee, and as dessert served with fresh whipped cream.
My number one tip when baking this loaf is to make sure you squeeze out all of the excess water from your shredded zucchini. I personally do this by straining the zucchini and pressing it down with a spatula. Then, I squeeze out any remaining water by wrapping the zucchini in paper towel. I also recommend sifting your cocoa powder and flour before adding them to your wet ingredients.
Chocolate Zucchini Loaf
Recipe by
Servings
12
Prep time
10 minutes
Cooking time
1 hour
Chocolate zucchini bread can be made as either a breakfast, snack, or dessert loaf. My favorite way to eat this is by simply snacking on it throughout the day as I drink my coffee. If serving for dessert, serve with homemade whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups zucchini, shredded and squeezed (about 3 zucchini)
- 2 1/2 Cups flour
- 1/2 Cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 Cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
Directions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one large loaf pan, or three small loaves.
- Prep Zucchini: Grate zucchini with a cheese grater, into a small bowl. Place the grated zucchini into a strainer on top of a small bowl, and press down with a spatula to remove excess water. Then, squeeze out any remaining water using towels or your hands. You will need 2 cups of squeezed zucchini. Set aside.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift your cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a medium bowl. mix with a fork or whisk. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl, until combined. Add in the squeezed zucchini. Stir to combine.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add in your sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture until no streaks of flour or cocoa remain. Do not overmix. The batter should be slightly runny, and resemble a loose brownie batter.
- Bake: Pour your batter into the greased loaf pan. It should be almost full. Bake for about 1 hour if making one large loaf, and 45 minutes for mini loaves. To test if the loaves are done, insert a toothpick into the center of the pan. There should be some tight crumbs sticking to the toothpick. Do not overbake. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Flip the loaf onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store: This loaf is best served the next day. It can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or at room temperature for about three days. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap after cooling completely.
Notes
1. Make sure to squeeze out all excess water from your zucchini to ensure your dough isn’t too runny. It should be a fairly wet dough, similar to brownie batter in texture.
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