Triple Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This Chocolate Zucchini Bread is responsible for this summer being the summer of zucchini bread in my house. I first made this back in June, after swiping on to a chocolate zucchini bread recipe by Deb from Smitten Kitchen, with the knowledge that I had a fridge full of zucchini. When I use someone else's recipe and bake for my family for fun, I always make changes on the fly. So I used her recipe as a jumping-off point.

I wasn't meant to be "working" on developing any recipes that day. I was just making zucchini bread for my family (though mostly for me lol). It turned out to be the best chocolate zucchini bread I've ever had. Even my husband, who doesn't really like chocolate, ate half the loaf. It tasted like chocolate cake but one that didn't even need frosting.

When I went to make another batch, thinking I remembered the changes I made, I realized I should have written it down! It took two more months and dozens of loaves to get back to that first one, and this is it.

What makes this loaf so wonderful is the inclusion of black cocoa. It is a specialty item, but one I always keep in my pantry because it does something that standard cocoa doesn’t. It’s very dark and slightly bitter, and the resulting loaf comes out nearly black. The flavor reads less like a sweet bread and more like the cookie half of an Oreo in cake form.

And as I always try to do with all my baking recipes, everything comes together in one bowl, with as little cleanup as possible. It's good the day you bake it and better the day after, which is the whole argument for making a loaf instead of a cake.

Ingredients Overview and Substitutions

This recipe calls for two types of cocoa powder: black and natural.

Black cocoa is a type of cocoa powder that has been heavily "Dutched," a process that alkalizes the cocoa to neutralize its natural acidity. The resulting cocoa is very dark, almost black (hence the name!), and has an intense, smoky, slightly bitter flavor. It is used in other bakes (like Oreos!) to produce a deep, rich chocolate flavor. While it is more of a specialty item and isn’t available in most grocery stores, it can be easily purchased online at King Arthur Flour or you can find it on Amazon. I use this ingredient a lot (see: Dirt Pudding Cups or Black Cocoa Shortbread) I really recommend purchasing it, but if that is not possible it can be swapped with a regular Dutched cocoa powder. However, you’ll still need natural cocoa powder, as the amount of baking powder and baking soda is specifically formulated for both types of cocoa.

Here is a brief overview of the remaining ingredients needed for this recipe. The recipe card lists the full recipe with quantities below this article. If substitutions are available for this recipe, they'll be listed here. If you don't see a substitution you are looking for, please leave a comment below.

• zucchini or summer squash (you can peel it or not, but it must be shredded and you should not squeeze it)
• granulated sugar + brown sugar (if desired to streamline the recipe, just one sugar can be used, but I like the nuance that some of the brown sugar brings to the flavor of the bread)
• black cocoa and natural cocoa (see above if you missed the explanation for that)
• semi-sweet chocolate chips
• avocado oil or another light-tasting oil (oil is essential for keeping the bread moist and also allowing the chocolate flavor to shine)
• all-purpose flour
• vanilla extract
• eggs
• baking powder and baking soda (both are used, and the amounts are balanced to the two cocoa powders)
• coarse kosher salt (this recipe was tested with Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, reduce the amount by half.)
• coarse sanding sugar or turbinado sugar (sprinkled over the top of the loaf before it bakes for a crackly top)

This is a one-bowl recipe, so the instructions are very specific about when to add each ingredient. Because the batter comes together so fast, get everything ready before you start. Grease a 1-½-pound loaf pan, about 9 or 10 x 5 inches, and line it with parchment paper long enough to hang over the sides. Have the zucchini grated and measured, too, so you don't have to stop halfway through to do it. The shredded zucchini goes in as is; do not squeeze or wring it out. The moisture in it is accounted for in the recipe.

Here is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. If you are looking for the full recipe, keep scrolling!

Step 1: Whisk together the sugars, cocoa powders, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda.

Step 2: Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Then stir in the zucchini.

Step 3: Add the flour and stir until almost all of it has been incorporated.

Step 4: Add the chocolate chips, then stir in the remaining flour.

Step 5: Transfer to the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle on chocolate chips and coarse sanding sugar.

Step 6: Bake until the middle is cooked through.

How to Tell When It's Done

A fully baked loaf takes around 60 minutes. The center will be domed, and any cracks in the top should look dry and fully cooked through. The most reliable way to tell is with an instant-read thermometer. The center should register 200°F.

If you're going by toothpick or cake tester instead, the chocolate chips make it harder to read. Look for moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Storage

This chocolate zucchini bread is good on the day it's made, but it gets even better the next day and holds up well on the third, and sometimes longer, depending on how warm your kitchen is. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-4 days.

If you want to bake a few extra loaves while you have plenty of zucchini, this recipe freezes well for 1-3 months when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Defrost at room temperature before serving.