Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread is a decadent, rich double chocolate chip zucchini loaf recipe that tastes as good as chocolate cake!
Fresh zucchini is one of many favorite summer vegetables that we can get in excess from our gardens at this time of the year! This is my favorite way to take those vegetables and make a sweet treat!
If you like banana bread and haven't yet tried zucchini bread, you are missing out! Put a different spin on classic zucchini bread with this delicious chocolate flare.
Something that makes this such a great recipe is that it makes chocolate zucchini bread without oil! It uses applesauce as a healthier alternative! You will love this double chocolate zucchini loaf!
Need another delicious bread recipe? Try my Kamut Flour Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- There is no vegetable oil or canola oil in this cocoa zucchini bread, but it is still soft and moist!
- This is a quick bread recipe that doesn't need to rise before cooking.
- It is a great way to use up those extra zucchini coming in from your garden!
- The best part is that you do not need to squeeze out the extra liquid from the zucchini!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread:
All-Purpose Flour is the same as plain flour and is most commonly used in baking.
Dutch Process Cocoa Powder is a darker cocoa with a softer flavor.
Baking Soda helps the bread to rise.
Baking Powder helps to lighten the texture of the bread.
Salt helps to make the gluten strands stronger and bring out the chocolate flavor.
Eggs add structure to the loaf and improve the fluffiness.
Melted Butter gives this bread a great flavor as well as texture.
Unsweetened Apple Sauce allows this to be an oil free zucchini bread recipe!
Brown Sugar adds sweetness to the bread.
White Sugar helps to make soft and delicious bread.
Pure Vanilla Extract enhances the flavors.
Shredded Zucchini helps the bread to be moist. You don't need to remove the extra moisture as it will add to the bread!
Semisweet Chocolate Chips top this treat off! Note that the cup of chocolate chips is separated into two parts.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Here are some quick visual instructions to make this easy recipe. The full recipe with ingredient measurements is below!
Preheat the oven and spray the 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, combine the first five dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, add the room temperature eggs, applesauce, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix well and then add the slightly cooled butter. Add the grated zucchini to the wet ingredients and gently mix.
Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in the large mixing bowl and mix until combined. Fold in some of the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. Test for doneness. When finished, allow it to cool for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan and allowing it to continue to cool on a wire rack or cooling rack. After cooling, cut into individual slices.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- If using an extra large zucchini, remove the tough seeds before grating it. You can cut the zucchini in half (the long way) and scoop out the seeds using a spoon.
- Cut out a small rectangular piece of parchment paper and add it to the bottom of the pan to ensure the bread doesn't stick to the bottom.
- This recipe calls for 1½ cups of shredded zucchini. A medium zucchini will yield about 1 cup.
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: If you happen to have leftover zucchini bread, store it in an airtight container.
- Freezing: You can wrap the entire loaf in plastic wrap and then place it inside a freezer storage bag. This will keep for up to 6 months.
Substitutions
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder can be a substitute for dutch-processed cocoa powder. Regular cocoa powder is a bit more bitter, and the bread may not be as rich, but it will still be delicious!
- Oil can replace the applesauce in this recipe.
- Whole wheat flour can replace some of the flour in this recipe. Replace ¼ cup with whole wheat flour and keep ¾ cups white flour.
Variations
Next time, try one of these Chocolate Zucchini Bread variations!
- Cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to give it a warm, comforting flavor.
- Dessert: Skip the chocolate chips on top and finish the cooled loaf with a decadent chocolate ganache. It may become your new favorite chocolate cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
It has been compared to chocolate cake! It's very moist with a deep chocolate flavor.
It is not necessary to do this for this zucchini chocolate bread. You can shred the whole zucchini and use it all.
Some zucchini bread recipes require you to squeeze out the extra moisture from the zucchini bread. However, there are many recipes that do not require this extra step. In those recipes, you do not need to remove excess water as that adds to the moisture of the bread.
For best results, remove seeds from an extra large zucchini. It is not necessary to do so for smaller zucchinis.
📖 Recipe
Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking power
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup butter (melted)
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups shredded zucchini
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. I like to add a small rectangular piece of parchment paper to the bottom of the loaf pan to ensure it doesn't stick.
- In a medium bowl sift the flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Use a whisk to mix it together.
- In a large bowl add the eggs, applesauce, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla. Mix it well. Add the melted butter (make sure it has cooled slightly) to the bowl and mix it well.
- Add the shredded zucchini to the wet ingredients and gently mix.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Do not over-mix them. Add ¾ cup of the chocolate chips to the batter and gently fold them in.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips on top of the batter.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean (except for crumbs or melted chocolate chips) then it is done baking. Use oven mitts to remove it from oven. Allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Let the bread cool on a wire cooling rack. Cut it into slices and serve.
Video
Notes
- If using an extra large zucchini, remove the tough seeds before grating it. You can cut the zucchini in half (the long way) and scoop out the seeds using a spoon.
- Cut out a small rectangular piece of parchment paper and add it to the bottom of the pan to ensure the bread doesn't stick to the bottom.
- This recipe calls for 1½ cups of shredded zucchini. A medium zucchini will yield about 1 cup.
- Storage: If you happen to have leftover zucchini bread, store it in an airtight container.
- Freezing: You can wrap the entire loaf in plastic wrap and then place it inside a freezer storage bag. This will keep for up to 6 months.
More Chocolate Recipes
- Chocolate Brownie Muffins are perfect for lunchbox treats.
- Dark Chocolate Cake is so moist and rich. It is my go-to for birthdays.
- Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are sweet and buttery and perfect for any occasion.
- Chocolate Babka is a soft and buttery bread filled with chocolate and twisted to make a beautiful sweet loaf.
Rachael says
The best chocolate zucchini bread I have ever made!!!
Kathleen says
A chocolate lovers dream right here! Love the addition of zucchini to keep the bread moist. Can't wait to enjoy a slice.
Jen Talley says
I really think you are going to enjoy it!
Michelle says
Such a great fudgy texture and dark chocolate flavor! And with such healthy ingredients, too 🙂
Jen Talley says
Thanks Michelle!
Cara says
This was perfect! The bread was so moist - definitely going to make it again this fall when I get tired of pumpkin spice 🙂
Jen Talley says
Hey Cara! I'm glad it will be become a regular on your menu! Enjoy!
kushigalu says
Drooling over this delicious chocolate zucchini bread. Thanks for sharing.
Jen Talley says
You're welcome!
Jess says
My kids who "hate" zucchini, love this bread. It's a win-win!
Jen Talley says
That's awesome to hear! Two of my kids will eat zucchini, but the youngest won't and they ALL LOVE this zucchini bread!