Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This amazing chocolate zucchini bread is perfect for anyone who wants to sneak some veggies into their day while enjoying something sweet and delicious. Kids and adults will absolutely love how rich and chocolaty it tastes, plus it’s so moist you won’t believe there’s zucchini hiding inside!

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes, Serves: 12 people.

Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Vegetarian.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 212 Calories, 10g Fat, 26g Carbs, 4g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Eggs: You’ll need 2 large eggs at room temperature. They help bind everything together and make the bread nice and fluffy.

Light brown sugar: Half a cup packed tight gives you that perfect sweetness with a hint of molasses flavor. So much better than regular white sugar!

Greek yogurt: A third cup of whole-milk plain Greek-style yogurt keeps this bread super moist. You can use regular plain yogurt if that’s what you have.

Neutral oil: One third cup of canola or avocado oil works great here. This keeps the bread tender and moist for days.

Vanilla extract: Two teaspoons of pure vanilla makes everything smell amazing and taste even better.

Salt: Just half a teaspoon brings out all the chocolate flavors perfectly.

All-purpose flour: Three quarters cup gives you the main structure for your bread.

Whole-wheat pastry flour: Half a cup adds a little extra nutrition and makes the texture even better.

Cocoa powder: One third cup of unsweetened cocoa powder gives you that rich chocolate flavor we all love.

Baking soda: One teaspoon helps the bread rise up nice and tall.

Baking powder: Half a teaspoon works with the baking soda to make everything light and fluffy.

Zucchini: Two cups of loosely packed grated zucchini is the secret ingredient that makes this bread so incredibly moist.

Chocolate chips: One third cup of bittersweet chocolate chips on top creates those amazing pools of melted chocolate goodness.

How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper, leaving about 1 inch hanging over the long sides.

Step 2: Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, oil, vanilla and salt together in a large bowl. Keep whisking until everything looks smooth and well combined.

Step 3: Sift the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder right into your wet ingredients. Gently stir everything together until you still see just a few dry streaks.

Step 4: Fold in the grated zucchini until it’s just combined. Don’t overmix or your bread might get tough.

Step 5: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle those chocolate chips evenly over the surface.

Step 6: Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Step 7: Lift the bread out using the parchment overhang. Remove the parchment and let it cool completely on a wire rack for about 1 hour before slicing.

Easy and Quick Chocolate Zucchini Bread Version

Want to save some time? You can use a box of chocolate cake mix instead of the flours and cocoa! Just use one box of chocolate cake mix, add your eggs, oil, and yogurt, then fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips. Bake the same way and you’ll have delicious bread in no time!

Serving Ideas

This chocolate zucchini bread is perfect for breakfast with a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt and fresh raspberries. You can also enjoy it as an afternoon snack with a cold glass of milk. It makes a wonderful dessert too, especially if you warm up a slice and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Storage

Store your bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. To serve frozen bread, just thaw it at room temperature for a few hours or warm individual slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Substitutions

No Greek yogurt? Regular plain yogurt or even sour cream works great. You can swap the whole-wheat pastry flour for more all-purpose flour if needed. If you don’t have bittersweet chocolate chips, semi-sweet or even mini chocolate chips work perfectly too.

Pro Tips

• Perfect zucchini prep: Don’t squeeze the water out of your grated zucchini – that moisture is what makes the bread so amazingly tender!
• Room temperature ingredients: Let your eggs and yogurt sit out for 30 minutes before mixing for the best texture.
• Don’t overmix: Stop stirring as soon as you don’t see dry flour anymore to keep your bread light and fluffy.
• Test for doneness: The toothpick should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

FAQs

Can I taste the zucchini in this bread?

Not at all! The zucchini just adds incredible moisture and makes the bread super tender. You’ll never know it’s there, which makes this perfect for picky eaters.

Can I use yellow squash instead of zucchini?

You bet! Yellow squash works exactly the same way as zucchini. Just grate it up and use the same amount.

Why is my bread sinking in the middle?

This usually happens if you overmix the batter or your oven temperature is too high. Make sure to fold ingredients gently and check that your oven is actually at 350°F with an oven thermometer.

Can I make muffins instead of a loaf?

Sure! Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups and bake for about 18-22 minutes. They’re perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts!

I hope you love this chocolate zucchini bread as much as my family does! Let me know how yours turns out – I always love hearing about your baking adventures. Happy baking, friend!