Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread | finding time for cooking

I’ve definitely been on a bread-baking kick lately—though not sure if this one qualifies as an actual “bread”. It’s delicious and moist and fiber-ful and CHOCOLATE. It’s breakfast and dessert. It’s so many things.

And the best thing about this?? It’s surprisingly healthy! No, really.

While there’s some brown sugar in it, and the chocolate chips (though I use at least half dark chocolate chips because I think they taste better), otherwise it’s made with oil and honey and zucchini. You could even try using whole wheat flour, though I haven’t yet myself.

The first time I made it, I thought it was done and pulled it out of the oven too early, so seriously everything but the edges was complete chocolate goo. Which sounds great, but actually was just too much. So don’t be like me. Never be like me. The second time I got it right.

Preheat the oven to 350. Grate about one very large zucchini or two medium ones. There’s no exact amount, and the recipe is very flexible.

Just waiting to make your chocolate bread delicious and moist and fiber-full.

In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs, oil, honey, vanilla) and brown sugar.

Add in the dry ingredients and stir.

I was worried about how dry the dough seemed at this point, it was really more of a dough than a batter. But don’t be alarmed—it will all work out.

Add in the zucchini and the chocolate chips. I use half or all dark chocolate chips, only a little bit of milk chocolate (makes it too rich for my blood).

Stir together for a couple minutes. This is where all the moisture from the zucchini comes in and makes the dough into a real batter. Like magic, except with water.

This is about what it should look like when it becomes a real batter.

Pour the batter into a pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake at 350 for 65-75 minutes. Test to make sure it’s done with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean and it’s after 65 minutes, you should be good.

The first time I made this recipe, the toothpick came out clean at around 50 minutes so I thought it was done—boy, was I wrong! I must have just hit a baked patch, because once I pulled it out of the oven and set it to cool the middle completely collapsed and the center was super gooey and fudgy and rich. Not bread-like at all. So the second time I made it, I didn’t even check until after 65 minutes, and once the toothpick came out clean I pulled it out. And it was awesome!

You can serve it plain (it’s delicious!) or go crazy decadent and put Nutella or something similar on it.

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Double-Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 large eggs
1/3 cup of honey
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder, optional
1/3 cup of cocoa powder (original recipe calls for Dutch-process, I’ll be honest & say I don’t know what the difference is)
1 2/3 cups of flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F; lightly grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan. Whisk the eggs, honey, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Then add the salt, soda, powder, espresso powder (if desired), cocoa, and flour. Stir together, it will be drier than you expect. Then stir in 1 cup chocolate chips (I use half dark chocolate, half milk chocolate), and 2 cups of shredded, unpeeled zucchini; this will be about about 1 large or two smaller zucchini.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the bread for 65 to 75 minutes (definitely don’t pull it out before 60 or 65 minutes), until the loaf tests done. A toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean, save for perhaps a light smear of chocolate from the melted chips. Remove the bread from the oven, and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes before loosening the edges and devouring.

Original recipe from King Arthur