We are of the belief there is pretty much nothing better than a quick bread. Need something for breakfast? Make a quick bread. Need a quick one-bowl bake to take to a friend’s? Make a quick bread. Just feel like having something tasty? Make a quick bread… You get the idea. Quick breads are pretty much always the right answer and in this case, double chocolate zucchini bread is the perfect answer. This double chocolate zucchini loaf is moist, chocolatey, and insanely delicious.
Quick Bread Ingredient Notes:
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides the structure for the bread, while still giving it a tender crumb. Do not substitute cake flour or another flour as it will change the texture of the bread.
- Cocoa: High-quality cocoa powder brings rich chocolate flavor to the bread. Choose an unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is the leavening agent in the zucchini bread. It helps the bread rise and become light and fluffy.
- Salt: We add salt to all of our baked goods. It is a must and will up your baking game. (We even always use salted butter). A touch of salt enhances the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness in the bread.
- Eggs: Eggs add moisture and act as a binding agent in the batter, helping the bread hold its shape. Use large, room temperature eggs.
- Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil makes the bread moist and tender. You can use other neutral oils like canola oil or even melted coconut oil if preferred. We use oil instead of butter here because we think it creates a moister cake.
- Water: Adding a little bit of water to the batter helps create a smooth batter.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar provides sweetness to the bread. We find this creates the best texture versus brown sugar or another sugar substitute.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract is another ingredient we add to just about every baked good. Vanilla enhances the overall flavor profile, adding a subtle sweetness.
- Zucchini: Grated zucchini is the star of this bread, providing moisture and texture without overwhelming the chocolate taste. It creates the best texture, but you barely know it is there. We choose firm zucchini but do not squeeze out the liquid. We find leaving the liquid produces the best results for this bread’s texture.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: These tiny chocolate morsels add bursts of chocolate goodness throughout the loaf. We prefer mini chocolate chips for dots of chocolate throughout.
- Regular-Sized Chocolate Chips (Optional): If you’re feeling extra indulgent (because more is more…), you can add regular-sized chocolate chips on top for a pretty finish.
Tips for the best Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread:
- Do Not Squeeze out Excess Moisture: After grating the zucchini, we do not gently squeeze out any excess moisture. Although some recipes call for this step to prevent the bread from becoming too wet during baking, this recipe is written for the zucchini to bring moisture to the cake.
- Avoid Overmixing: To achieve a tender crumb, mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can result in a denser texture.
- Chocolate Chips Distribution: When folding in the mini chocolate chips, ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter for a little chocolate in every slice.
- Toothpick Test: Use a toothpick to check for doneness. When inserted into the center of the bread, it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Cooling Time: Allow the bread to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing. This ensures that it sets properly and does not break when slicing.
Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread Variations
- Nuts: Add chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the batter for a little crunch and nutty flavor.
- Orange Zest: Enhance the citrus note by adding a teaspoon of orange zest to the batter. It complements the chocolate and zucchini flabors.
- Gluten-Free Option: If you are trying to make this gluten-free, we have not made it this way, but we recommend substituting the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour for a gluten-free version (1 for 1). Ensure the flour blend contains a binding agent like xanthan gum.
Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups flour all purpose 150 g
- 1/2 cocoa 60 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoons salt diamond kosher if using morton half
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil 110 g
- 1/4 cup water 60 g
- 1 cups sugar granulated 200 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 g
- 2 cups grated zucchini 12 oz
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips 170 g
- 1/2 cup regular sized chocolate chips for topping optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree fahrenheit
- Grate 2 cups of zucchini and set aside
- Prepare a 9×5” glass loaf pan. Pam the loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside
- Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk together until combined and the aside
- Add the eggs, oil, water, sugar and vanilla into a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just smooth.
- Add in the zucchini and mix again. After the zucchini is added, add in the mini chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepare loaf pan. Spread into an even layer and if using, top with more chocolate chips
- Baking for ~1 hour or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Let it cool for around 15 minutes before slicing.
