I don’t say this often, but this recipe is what I would consider the ultimate double chocolate zucchini bread. It is absolute perfection and I am fully aware of how serious that accusation is. This zucchini bread is incredibly moist, tender, richly chocolate with balanced sweetness and no hint of the two huge zucchinis that are hidden inside.
Whether your zucchini plants were over achievers this summer or you bought too many during your last trip to the grocery store, there are no wrong inspirations for baking zucchini bread.
This recipe comes together in one bowl and there is no need to squeeze out the excess liquid in your zucchini. It couldn’t be easier! You can use the traditional long, thin dark green zucchini for this bread, but you can also use yellow summer squash or calabacitas (thicker, mild and slightly sweeter Mexican summer squash) as well.
Since I know just how good this double chocolate zucchini bread really is… I am getting excited about baking this up and you should be too!
Let’s get started…
The first step is to grate 2 large or 3 medium zucchini over a cutting board or mesh strainer bowl and set it aside for now. The zucchini will gradually release a little bit of liquid and this is fine, but there is no need to squeeze the liquid out of the grated zucchini like some recipes call for. This liquid is a big part of why this bread is so wonderfully moist and tender.
In a large bowl, whisk 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, 1/3 cup of a neutral oil (I usually use olive oil here, but any neutral oil will work fine!) and 1/3 cup of sour cream until completely combined.
Add 2 1/2 cups of the grated zucchini into the bowl and mix to incorporate.
Note: If you see excess liquid sitting on your cutting board, discard that, but it’s ok if your grated zucchini feels a little “heavy” with moisture. It will work, I promise.
Add 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of espresso powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix until just combined.
Fold in a cup of chocolate chips and transfer the batter into a greased and parchment lined loaf pan.
You can use any chocolate chips in this loaf. I prefer semi-sweet chocolate, but it all works!
If you wanna be fancy, sprinkle some extra chocolate chips over the top and bake your loaf in a 350 degree oven for 55-65 minutes.
This loaf is moist and tender, but it is very important… extremely important that it is fully baked before you pull it out of the oven. A toothpick should come out of the center clean and the middle should feel fully set and springy to the touch. If the middle feels loose or jiggly, let it bake a little longer.
When I say this double chocolate zucchini bread is fabulous… it is so fabulous. Moist, super tender, chocolatey, perfectly sweet and delicious.
Now I love zucchini and am all for healthy desserts, swapping out healthier ingredients and hiding vegetables to make them more palatable for those of us that don’t appreciate green things, so it doesn’t bother me one bit knowing that there are 2 large zucchinis in this loaf. But, I want everyone to know that you would never know that they are in there….
If you are looking for a very special treat this week, grab a few zucchini and make this double chocolate zucchini bread! You will be so glad that you did.
You may also want to try these quick breads…
Spiced Apple Cider Loaf Cake – Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Loaf – Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake – Banana Chip Bread
Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup of a neutral oil (I love olive oil here!)
- 1/3 cup of sour cream
- 2 1/2 cups of zucchini, grated
- 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of chocolate chips (I prefer semi-sweet, but any chocolate chips will work here!)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside for now
- Grate 2 large or 3 medium zucchini or calabacita squash and set them aside
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, 1/3 cup of a neutral oil and 1/3 cup of sour cream until completely combined
- Add 2 1/2 cups of the grated zucchini and mix to incorporate (no need to squeeze out the liquid, but discard any liquid left behind after grating)
- Add 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of espresso powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix until just combined
- Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet, but any chocolate chips will work here!)
- Transfer the batter into your prepared loaf pan
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick will come out of the center clean and it feels springy and set to the touch
- Transfer the loaf pan onto a cooling rack and let cool for about 20 minutes before transferring the loaf out of the pan
- Enjoy warm or at room temperature
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days
