It is interesting to me how zucchini makes it into breads quite a bit where I have never heard of any of its gourd cousins following suit. Ever hear of “yellow squash nut bread”? Check out Maggie’s post below…
As I’ve moaned about in many a post, daughter #2 is a picky eater. Makes me crazy. Everyone told me she’d grow out of it. 12 years and still waiting. Ugh.
So, color me surprised when a friend presented us with several massive zucchini, and she states that she “loves” chocolate zucchini bread. Did not know that. Apparently someone made it at her school once, and she just never told me. So, off to Google land to find a recipe. I stole this one from Simply Recipes. Easy ingredients, and it baked up beautifully. Smelled amazing too. It is very moist and good.
When I make it again, I’ll probably increase the sugar by ¼ cup, and perhaps add chocolate chips or a little more cocoa. I just want it wee bit more sweet and chocolately! Mmmmmmm!
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
What you need:
- 4 cups grated zucchini (from about a pound and a half of zucchini)
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (use natural unsweetened cocoa, NOT Dutch processed)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (12 Tbsp or 1 1/2 sticks), melted
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
What you do:
1 Place the freshly grated zucchini in a sieve over a bowl to catch any excess moisture as it drains, while you work on prepping the other ingredients and preparing the recipe. If for some reason your zucchini is on the dry side, hydrate the shredded zucchini by soaking it in water first, and then place in sieve.
2 Preheat oven to 350°F, with a rack in the middle. Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans with baking spray or butter.
3 Vigorously whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk until there are no more clumps and the ingredients are well combined.
4 In a separate large bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs until smooth, about a minute. You can do this with an electric mixer on medium speed, or by hand with a wooden spoon. (I’m lazy and use a mixer but it’s easy enough to do by hand.) Add the melted butter, instant coffee granules, and almond extract and beat until smooth.
5 Mix the shredded zucchini into the sugar egg mixture. Add the flour to the zucchini mixture in 3 additions, stirring to combine after each addition.
6 Work quickly, and divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans. (Work quickly because once the dry ingredients have mixed with the wet ingredients, the leavening has begun.) Place into the oven. Bake for 50 minutes at 350°F, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and easily. Remove to a rack. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife around the edges to separate the bread from the pan. Remove from the loaf pans and let cool completely on a rack.
Note that if you try to slice the chocolate zucchini bread before it has completely cooled, it will be rather crumbly. It’s also easiest to slice with a bread knife.
Yield: Makes 2 loaves.
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
I don’t often think of the two together and yet the idea of both, as bread … sounds awesome
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I just made regular zucchini bread yesterday. It always turns out pretty good, but this recipe sounds like a whole other level.
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Sounds yummy – I think I’d add some brown sugar, since you said you’d probably add a bit more sugar. Also, I think I’d add walnuts & choc. chips…. only because I’m a choc. chip fanatic! Thanks for the great recipe – it’s a keeper !!!
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Muffins, not bread, although I am sure the recipe could be made in a loaf pan…but I have put yellow squash in bread and it is delicious! http://eatwilmington.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/07182012/
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looks awesome!
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Sounds delicious ! I love anything with chocolate.
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Hadn’t thought of that combination, but sounds & looks delicious!
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It looks delicious and that is why I can not have it.
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Hmmm… Brand new idea for me to use zucchini in bread dough. And chocolate in bread. And two of them combined together. This is a bizarre thing I most certainly must test myself! 😀
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