This easy Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe shows you how to make a moist chocolate loaf cake using fresh zucchini! Drizzle with a homemade vanilla glaze for a decadent finish. It's a moist, sweet and delicious vegetable cake.
You'll also love these Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies, Zucchini Pancakes, and Zucchini Soup.
You're going to LOVE this easy, 1-bowl Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread. It's a decadent loaf cake with a green-tinted vanilla drizzle. Delicious!
Zucchini is truly a wonder vegetable. It can be used as a side dish or thrown into soups and stews. You can grill it or bake it. You can even use it as a pasta substitute!
Zucchini is also a staple in veggie desserts because it helps create texture in baked goods while keeping them fresh and moist.
The bonus is that zucchini also contains fiber and nutrients that you can’t even taste in the final product.
This recipe for chocolate zucchini bread is the perfect treat to make when you have some zucchini to use and are also craving a rich chocolate dessert.
A simple batter is made in just one bowl with pantry baking ingredients and is mixed with unsweetened cocoa powder for the first layer of chocolate flavor.
Zucchini and chocolate chips are mixed in for a sweet and healthy combo.
After it's baked, a homemade vanilla glaze gets drizzled on top for a treat that makes a great dessert or on-the-go breakfast! I tinted my drizzle green with a drop of food coloring.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
An easy 1-bowl recipe.
This double chocolate zucchini bread has a great moist texture that is dense and fluffy.
It contains 3 zucchini which adds nutrients and fiber.
The entire zucchini loaf is mixed up in just one bowl for easy clean-up.
A great way to sneak in vegetables for kids and adults.
Make this recipe if you have an abundance of summer zucchini to use.
Ingredients
- Shredded Zucchini - Freshly shredded zucchini (courgette) gives this chocolate loaf lots of fiber, nutrients, and moisture.
- Eggs - Help set the bread while baking which keeps it together.
- Brown Sugar - Gives this chocolate bread a sweet flavor.
- Unsalted Butter & Vegetable Oil - Adds moisture and a rich buttery texture to the chocolate loaf.
- Plain Yogurt - Gives this zucchini bread an extra moist texture and more protein, plus it's healthier since the yogurt replaces some of the oil.
- Vanilla Extract - Infuses the bread with a vanilla flavor that pairs well with the sugar glaze.
- All-Purpose Flour (plain flour) - The main dry ingredient turns this loaf into a bread texture.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - Gives the loaf rich chocolate flavor and brown color.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder - Helps the zucchini bread rise and become fluffy.
- Salt - Balances the flavors in the bread and helps activate the baking powder and baking soda.
- Chocolate Chips - Sweet chocolate chips get studded throughout the bread for even more chocolate flavor.
Vanilla Glaze:
Powdered Sugar - Sweetens up the vanilla glaze and helps it harden.
Vanilla Extract - Adds a light vanilla flavor to the glaze.
Green Food Coloring - While optional, food coloring compliments the rich chocolate brown color.
Please see the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe? It's easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9x5 (2lb) loaf pan with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients: To a large bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Using a hand blender or stand mixer, beat all of the ingredients together until smooth and incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients: To the wet ingredients, sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine but do not overwork. Make sure there are no dry streaks of flour.
NOTE: I forgot the cocoa powder for the photo, but it needs to be sifted in too!
Fold zucchini and chocolate chips: To the batter, add the zucchini and chocolate chips. Fold into the batter using a rubber spatula just until combined.
Bake the chocolate zucchini bread: Pour the loaf batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly to the edges of the pan using a rubber spatula. Top with the chocolate chips, then bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Make the vanilla glaze: Add the vanilla drizzle ingredients to a bowl and mix until a smooth icing is formed.
Garnish and serve: Once the bread is completely cooled, drizzle the vanilla glaze on top using a fork or spoon, Let it harden before cutting the bread into slices and serving.
Top tips
When grating the zucchini, you want to remove excess moisture but not too much as it helps the bread stay moist while baking. Just give it a little squeeze.
Chocolate chip zucchini bread must be fully cooled before the icing is drizzled on top. This will ensure the icing does not melt into the bread.
Overworking the batter could cause the bread to not rise properly. Make sure you mix the batter just until combined.
A layer of parchment paper can be placed on the bottom of the loaf pan to help remove it easier after baking.
Instead of a mix, you can use just oil or just butter to make this zucchini loaf.
Variations
You can use yellow squash to make this chocolate loaf or a mix of yellow squash and zucchini.
Chopped walnuts or pecans make a great addition to this chocolatey bread.
White chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips can be used instead of milk chocolate.
Add a pinch of Pumpkin Pie Spice for a warming flavor.
Storage
Storing: Chocolate zucchini bread will last outside of the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. You can also store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezing: You can store individual slices or the entire loaf in the freezer by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of foil. Place in a freezer bag or airtight container for 3-4 months. Let it thaw on the counter before serving.
FAQs
There is no need to peel the zucchini before shredding as the skin is soft and edible. If the peel bothers you, you can remove it.
You’ll need about 3 medium-sized zucchini to make 1.5 cups of grated zucchini. Always buy one more than you think you’ll need just in case!
The best way to grate zucchini is by using a box grater and shredding by hand. You can also use the grater attachment on a food processor to get it done quicker.
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Equipment
- 9x5 Loaf Pan (2lb)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups packed shredded zucchini approx 3 medium zucchinis, (300 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar (130 grams)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled (60 grams)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (65ml)
- ¼ cup plain yogurt (65 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) (125 grams)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (75 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (160 grams)
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 5 tablespoons powdered icing sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Few drops of green food colouring optional
- 1 tablespoon water or more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 175°C. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inches (2lb) loaf pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Wash the zucchini, leave it unpeeled and shred with a grater. Give it a little squeeze to get out some of the excess moisture.1 ½ cups packed shredded zucchini
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, oil, yogurt and vanilla extract and beat together until fairly smooth.2 large eggs, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup plain yogurt, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently stir by hand to combine (don’t beat it, but ensure there are no streaks of flour.)1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour), ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Stir in the zucchini and most of the chocolate chips.1 ½ cups packed shredded zucchini, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Pour the chocolate zucchini bread batter into the greased pan and spread to the edges. Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate chips, then place into the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Leave the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, stir the glaze ingredients together until smooth, adding more water or sugar if needed for a drizzling consistency. When the zucchini bread is completely cooled, drizzle it over the top.5 tablespoons powdered icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Few drops of green food colouring
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Mindee Taylor
It was rich, chocolaty and delicious! The kids loved the green icing!
Beth
This zucchini loaf was absolutely wonderful and so delicious! It's a hit here. This drizzle was divine! So good!
Aimee Mars
I'm a sucker for zucchini bread and this recipe was incredible.
Megan Stevens
What a fun late summer fall recipe, so classic and exciting! Love how the yogurt gives a subtle tang to the chocolate and adds moistness.
Gina
The more chocolate the merrier! Love the fun glaze too. This is a great dessert or afternoon snack and perfect for using up the zucchini which I still have a ton of from the garden!