Chocolate Zucchini Bread – zucchini? What zucchini? Can’t taste it, can’t see it. All I see is the fudgiest, moistest, most decadent chocolate bread you will ever have. Full stop, period!
CHOCOLATE Zucchini Bread?? Are you MAD??
If you’re new to this whole Chocolate Zucchini Bread concept, here’s all you need to know: it is a “thing”.
Probably initially born as a way to use up an abundance of zucchini when they’re in season, dolled up to entice little people (and big people who are as fussy about greens as little people).
But then once people realised how ridiculously FUDGY zucchini makes it, the idea stuck.
And now it’s a “thing”
And we are very, very glad it is.
Because zucchini is the secret ingredient that makes this the fudgiest, richest, most insanely moist chocolate bread you will ever have in your entire life. And you cannot taste zucchini in it at all!!
Here’s what you need
When you cut into it and see the glistening, moist inside with drippy pockets of chocolate, it’s truly hard to believe there’s three whole zucchinis in this.
It can even take more. I find that the Chocolate Zucchini Bread starts getting a mild “this isn’t just chocolate!” flavour to it (iethe zucchini, but no normal human would guess that) but in terms of integrity of the crumb, rise etc., you can almost double the quantity of zucchini without compromising the recipe!!
Best chocolate?
I chose to use chocolate blocks which I would cut into some small and some large pieces because I wanted the wow! factor of little pockets of melty chocolate when I cut into it. For convenience, you can absolutely use chocolate chips instead, or in fact skip the chocolate all together!
The making part (super SUPER easy)
Usually when I cook with grated zucchini, like Crispy Zucchini Fritters, I salt the zucchini to draw out excess moisture followed by grabbing handfuls to squeeze out the excess liquid.
With this recipe, there is no need to do the salting step – just grate and squeeze. Get out what you can – you don’t need superhuman strength – because the residual liquid in the zucchini makes this chocolate zucchini bread super moist!
What it tastes like
It’s like fudgy brownies – in loaf form. It’s like Chocolate Fudge Cake – but fudgier. It slices like normal quick breads but it’s way more decadent!
Spot the Zucchini!
Can’t taste it.
Can barely see it – you’d have to inspect real close to spot a strand of what possibly could be a bit of zucchini…
Frankly, all I see is an outrageous chocolatey looking cake with drippy molten bits of chocolate. Any nutritional benefit from the zucchini is a freebie bonus!
But let’s be realistic.
Don’t make Chocolate Zucchini Bread to use up excess zucchinis.
Or to squeeze extra veggies into your diet.
Nope.
Just make this because you want to indulge in the most amazing chocolate bread you will ever make. Because I promise you, I have made plenty of chocolate breads in my lifetime and this is by far the most moist, and most chocolatey, and as crazy at it sounds, it’s because of the zucchini.
But if it makes you feel better to cling onto the concept of nutritional value as a basis on which you can justify making it for afternoon tea today, or to entice your “healthy” friends into having a slice, who am I to stop you? 🤷🏻♀️😂 – Nagi x
More amazing Zucchini recipes
Cheesy Zucchini Bread (No Yeast) – garlicky, cheesy goodness! (What zucchini??)
Crispy Zucchini Fritters – you’ll love how crispy these parmesan flavour fritters are!
Greek Zucchini Tots (Mini Fritters) – baked zucchini tots!
Super Low Cal Healthy Creamy Vegetable Soup – zucchini is the secret ingredient to an almost zero cal creamy soup!
Healthy Creamy Zucchini Soup – you’ll love how silky creamy this is
Watch how to make it
The most incredible Chocolate Zucchini Bread ever!
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Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups grated zucchini (2 large or 3 small) (Note 1)
- 1 3/4 cups (260g) flour, plain/all purpose
- 1/3 cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably dutch processed (Note 2)
- 1.5 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate) (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 1/4 cup (275g) white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 300g / 10 oz dark chocolate , coarsely chopped (keep some larger chunks!) (Note 4)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (160C fan).
- Grease and line a large loaf pan (mine is 28 x 15 x 6.5cm / 11 x 6 x 2.5″).
- Grab handfuls of zucchini and squeeze out excess liquid, then place in colander to drain while you prepare the batter. (Note 4)
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Then add butter and vanilla, and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Pour egg mixture into flour bowl and stir with wooden spoon until flour is just incorporated – batter will be thick!
- Add zucchini and chocolate and stir to mix through – it will be very thick at first but it will loosen into a thick, spreadable batter (see video).
- Scrape into loaf pan, bake 45 minutes. Cover with foil and bake a further 20 minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (except for melted chocolate streaks!)
- Stand in loaf pan for 15 minutes before removing. Cool on rack for a further 10 minutes before slicing.
- Extra amazing served warm – you get melty chocolate bits and it’s extra fudgy in the middle!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
This is how Dozer gets lectured for doing something naughty…….
….and this is how he responds…. rolling around with laughter. 😖
(OK, he’s asking for a tummy rub, but it looks like he’s laughing!!😂😂)
I’ve tried soooo many of your recipes (they are amazing and I never fail returning day after day to try something new or make again!) but this is the first time commenting.
I had zucchini’s I wanted to use so found this. I reduced the sugar as I simply didn’t have enough on hand and I only used a 200g bag of dark choc chips. I also added some cinnamon as I had run out of vanilla. Baked in a mini muffin tray so they were easier for the toddler to handle and quicker cook time Delicious!!!! I’ll make again!
That’s awesome to hear Natalie, love the idea of cinnamon – I bet they smelt amazing!! N x
Made this with homegrown zucchini and subbed white sugar for ground up raw sugar. It was DELICIOUS fresh and even more moist and delectable the next day. I served with thickened cream and raspberries.
I reckon I could cut down the sugar next time and it would still be excellent.
Hi, this zucchini bread looks totally amazing; however my husband and I are on the Keto diet. It is possible to sub the flour for almond flour and sugar substitute (like swerve) for the sugar? I am just not sure if I would use the same measurements or have to tweak it a bit. Thanks!
Hi Nikole, sorry I haven’t tried to be honest! N x
Hi. Zucchini is not very common here nor cheap. Is there any other vegetables i can use to replace it?
Hi Nagi!
I love your recipes. I’ve made the chocolate zucchini bread a few times and it has always gone down a treat.
My son is vegan though and I would like to ask what would you suggest I use instead of eggs for a vegan version?
Thank you.
Hi Nagi.
The recipe sounds awesome. Could I ask why I should not use unsweetened chocolate. My family and I usually only eat and use 85 – 90 % cocoa chocolate. So I think using other sort of chocolate would be far too sweet for us, especially that there is lots of sugar in the recipe. We also rather do not use sugar. Please tell me if the recipe will work with chocolate that we normally use and perhaps less sugar (or just I could use coconut sugar)? Thank you.
Hi Paulina, you can use unsweetened if you prefer! Enjoy! – N x
Can I substitute bananas for the zucchini in this recipe?
Hi Paula, I don’t think it would have the same effect here (but I haven’t tried to be honest) – N x
Hello, Nagi, thank you for a lovely shortbread recipe, detailed, thanks.
I am sure i will try it very soon now to give away as a little yummy gift.
Marie J. .
Thanks so much Marie!
Totally delicious! We had it warm out of the oven with ice cream, frozen and reheated and cold – and it was all yum. This is a great recipe and I’m making it again next week!
Wahoo! Perfect Beck!
This loaf is delicious and my partner begs me to make it again and again.
YESSSS! So glad you love it Lauren – N x
Can’t wait to try this. I have never used zucchini and dark chocolate in the same recipe. Anything you post is sure to be amazing!!!!
It truly is amazing Arathi!
Hi Nagi….
Im very keen to make this however do I really need use that much sugar?
What can I do to substitute?
regards Linda
I’ve used only e cup of sugar and I thought it was fine. I’ve also split the amount t to half 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup Splenda
Freaking awesome!
Thanks so much Jason!
Love this recipe! So moist, chocolatey and delicious! My husband asked when I’d be making it again, you cannot tell that it has zucchini in it at all. The thing I love about this is that as time goes on it gets more and more moist- day 3 is amazingggg
I cut one block of chocolate into smaller pieces, then another block into chunky pieces and push them in just before baking- so good
I’m so glad you loved it Bethany!!!
This recipe is perfect. Made it last week, very moist and chocolatey. Only got to eat one slice as my family beat me to it.
It doesn’t last long Trish! I’m so glad you all loved it!
20 minutes, then left them in the tin for 5 minutes before decanting them onto a wire rack to cool.
Oh my lord! SO GOOD! I made these as cupcakes (well, true confession time: I added white chocolate chips and mini marshmallows that I needed out of the house and called them “Rocky Road Muffins”) and my kids DEVOURED THEM. My 3 year old was even eating the batter (sssh, don’t tell Child Safety!) And no one made one peep about the zucchini! You could barely see it in the cupcakes, and definitely couldn’t taste it – all you could taste was fudgey, gooey chocolate-y goodness!! So I can sit back and chuckle to myself that while my kids enjoy the chocolate and the marshmallows, they’re also eating VEGETABLES! MWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!!
(For the record, this made 21 normal sized cupcakes, and I reduced the chopped chocolate by half to take into account the white chocolate and marshmallows I was adding. in future, I might reduce the chocolate further as some of the cupcakes were so chocolate-y that they wont’ come out of their wrapper without falling to delicious pieces)
That’s a great idea Bex!!!
I should also note, I used a 1:1 swap for gluten free all purpose flour, and had no issues!
How long did you bake them for?
20 minutes, then left them in the tin for 5 minutes before decanting them onto a wire rack to cool.
Amazing! I added a combo of 70% Lindt chocolate plus milk chocolate chips. Turned out so moist. Unlike some black beans brownies I made in the past, you don’t get that after taste.
One question, can you freeze a loaf? Sometimes I get batches of zucchini for cheap.
Hi Agill, that would have tasted great, you can definitely freeze it!
Looks wonderful!- I’m going to try it – just wonder if I can add in a Tablespoon or so of cacao powder? – Could that be in place of some cocoa powder or in place of some flour? Thanks!
Hi Elaine, I imagine you could sub in some in place of the cocoa if you prefer – N x
I made a mistake and used unsweetened baking chocolate. I didn’t have those “drippy pockets of chocolate,” I had bits of bitter bites! Can’t wait to make it again with the correct chocolate!