Chocolate Zucchini Bread
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Rich, deeply chocolaty, and incredibly moist, this chocolate zucchini bread tastes more like chocolate cake than vegetable bread. It’s easy to make with simple pantry ingredients, freezes beautifully, and is the perfect way to use up summer zucchini.
Every summer, when zucchini starts taking over the garden, I make at least one loaf of this chocolate zucchini bread. It’s one of those recipes that surprises people because, despite containing two whole cups of shredded zucchini, it doesn’t taste even remotely like vegetables. The zucchini simply melts into the batter as it bakes, creating an incredibly moist, tender loaf with an intense chocolate flavor.
Enjoy it as an afternoon snack, dessert, or even breakfast with a cup of coffee. And if you’re looking for more sweet ways to use up zucchini, don’t miss my classic zucchini bread and chocolate chip zucchini muffins. If you love chocolate quick breads, my chocolate banana bread is another reader favorite.
“This was ridiculously delicious! Moist and deeply chocolatey, using dutch processed cocoa plus espresso powder made a huge difference.”
What you’ll need to make Chocolate zucchini Bread
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure while keeping the loaf tender.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder: Gives the bread a deep chocolate flavor and rich dark color. Natural cocoa powder works, too, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness along with a subtle caramel flavor that pairs beautifully with the chocolate.
- Butter: Melted butter keeps the recipe simple while adding richness and flavor.
- Eggs: Add structure and moisture.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Working together, they help the loaf rise evenly.
- Espresso powder (optional): You won’t taste coffee—it simply deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Zucchini: You’ll need about two medium zucchini. There’s no need to peel them or squeeze out the moisture—the zucchini’s natural moisture is what keeps the bread so tender.
- Chocolate chips: Folded into the batter for pockets of melted chocolate in every slice.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Shred the zucchini. I use a food processor as it’s a bit quicker, but you can also do it by hand with a box grater.
Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients. Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl and mix in the brown sugar. Once combined, stir in the eggs and vanilla.
Pro tip: It’s important to stir the brown sugar into the melted butter before adding the eggs, as the hot butter alone could cook the eggs.
Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients. Next, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 4: Mix the batter. Combine the egg mixture with the flour mixture and stir to combine—the mixture will be quite thick. Next, mix in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
Step 5: Bake and cool. Transfer the batter to a greased loaf pan, and spread the batter evenly with a spatula. Bake for about an hour, then let the loaf cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a rack to cool completely. It’s delicious right out of the oven but it’s best to wait at least an hour to slice it, otherwise it may crumble a little. Enjoy!
More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (ok to substitute natural cocoa powder)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee (optional)
- 2 cups shredded zucchini, gently packed (you'll need about 2 medium zucchini; do not wring out the liquid)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) degrees and grease an 8½ x 4½-in (22 x 11-cm) loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the butter in a large microwave-safe mixing bowl and microwave for one minute, or until just melted. Stir in the brown sugar until completely smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until incorporated. (Be sure to add the eggs after the brown sugar is mixed in, as the hot butter alone could cook the eggs.)
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and instant coffee (if using) in a medium bowl. Add to the butter mixture and stir until well combined. It will be very thick.
- Stir in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips. (It will still be thick -- that's okay.)
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (save for perhaps a smear from the melted chocolate chips). Let the loaf cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can I use almond flour instead of all purpose flour?
I don’t recommend it, Sakshi – sorry!
Delish on my first go round. Used bobs 1:1 gluten free flour and made muffins. 20-25 min in a gas oven. Not too sweet. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed. It replaced my $2.50 morning muffin habit at the coffee shop at work. 🙂
I made it for a workshop and had several people ask for the recipe!
Great recipe, very good chocolate flavor. will make again. I like how there isn’t so much sugar. Good work.
Waiting for my first batch to cool, but it looks and smells so yummy! Can’t wait!
Note: On the second batch, I added my chocolate chips to the dry mix and the shredded zucchini into the wet mix. I found I had much better incorporation and an easier time mixing the batter the second time.
Can I substitute walnuts for chocolate chips
Sure — just dice them a bit (it will make the bread easier to slice). Hope you enjoy!
I was given three huge home-grown zucchini. After grating and using two cups for the recipe, I still had some left over for a savory dish I made.
This recipe baked into a delicious loaf cake. Not too sweet and wonderful with yogurt or without for breakfast, snack…anytime! I used ½ coconut sugar and ½ brown. Great for a light dessert with vanilla or coffee ice cream.
0mg where is the temperature listed for the OVEN????
Hi Linda, The first paragraph of the instructions indicates the oven temp (350°F/175°C). Hope you enjoy the bread!
I have made this recipe at least 4 times and each time it is delicious. I really like your format for the recipes with pictures and easy to follow instructions. I’ve also made the regular zucchini bread and it was delicious as well. Thanks.
Can’t wait to try! Would this recipe for muffins or would the ratios need to change?
Hi MuffinMan 🙂 You can definitely make these as muffins; the recipe will remain the same but the bake time will be different. I’d start checking them at 20 minutes. Hope you enjoy!