Chocolate Zucchini Bread

In my humble opinion, it doesn’t need to be specific time of the year to enjoy chocolate zucchini bread. Having said that, I usually find myself making this recipe near the end of the summer when friends with larger gardens than mine supply me with enormous, alien-like zucchinis. 

This year my regular supplier didn’t have much luck with her zucchini crop, but she was kind enough to share some with me anyway and I was able to crank out a couple of these loaves of bread. Who am I kidding – this is just chocolate cakey goodness in a loaf form.

One of the things I really love about this recipe is the combination of cinnamon, allspice and chocolate – they complement each other very well. One of the other things I really love about this recipe is the addition of chocolate chips. You don’t really need the chocolate chips because this cake is very chocolaty to begin with – but when you bite into a slice and hit one of the little pockets of melted chocolate, it takes the cake ;-)

This recipe was taken from http://www.thejoyofbaking.com/. I have not made any major adjustments because it is fantastic just as it is.

Here’s what you need to make one loaf: 

1 ½ cups raw zucchini, grated

1 cup all purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (I use Frye’s and I never sift it because I am lazy)

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground allspice

½ cup safflower or canola oil (I use grapeseed oil because it’s what I always have on hand)

½ cup granulated white sugar (I often cut out the white sugar – you don’t really need it)

½ cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (don’t bother with the fake stuff)

¾ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray (or butter it if you insist). Pan should be 9 x 5 x 3 inches.

In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Get your zucchini grated. Put your dry ingredients and zucchini to the side and get out your mixer.

Beat the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well-blended (about 2 minutes). Fold in the zucchini. Add the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle some extra chocolate chips on top. You know you want to.

 

Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and cool completely.

This recipe makes one loaf of very yummy, very moist, delicious cake. And your kids won’t even know that there are vegetables in it. For real!