Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (Spoon and level when measuring.)
• 0.5 cup unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 0.75 tsp baking soda
• 0.25 tsp baking powder
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp espresso powder (Optional.)
• 0.75 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Add more for topping if desired.)
• 2 large eggs (At room temperature.)
• 0.25 cup avocado oil (Olive oil or melted coconut oil may be substituted; the author used avocado oil.)
• 0.333 cup plain Greek yogurt (At room temperature.)
• 0.667 cup granulated sugar (For a sweeter loaf, use 3/4 cup (150 g).)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups zucchini (Shredded; do not blot.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan, or an 8.5 × 4.5-inch loaf pan for a taller loaf. Set the prepared pan aside.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and optional espresso powder until evenly combined.

3. 3

   Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips to the dry ingredients and mix until distributed throughout.

4. 4

   In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, oil, Greek yogurt, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

5. 5

   Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk just until the ingredients are combined; avoid overmixing.

6. 6

   Add the shredded zucchini and fold it into the batter with a spatula. The finished batter will be very thick.

7. 7

   Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Add extra chocolate chips on top if desired.

8. 8

   Bake for 45–55 minutes. Loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil halfway through baking to keep the top from overcooking. A 9 × 5-inch pan typically takes about 45 minutes, while the smaller 8.5 × 4.5-inch pan takes closer to 55 minutes.

9. 9

   Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean with only a few small moist crumbs attached.

10. 10

    Remove the bread from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 1 hour.

11. 11

    Remove the loaf from the pan and place it directly on the wire rack to cool completely, or serve while still warm.

Notes

Store cooled bread tightly covered at room temperature for several days, or refrigerate for longer storage. The recipe makes 1 loaf; servings are not individually specified.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• sweet bread
• baked
• chocolate
• zucchini
• vegetarian
• summer baking
• make-ahead