This is a delicious and super simple death by chocolate zucchini bread recipe. What it means is that it’s a very very very chocolaty zucchini bread. It also means that everyone is going to love it! Kids and adults alike.
I took the photos for this post last summer when I had more zucchini coming out of the garden than I knew what to do with. Remember that time of the year? If you have ever grown vegetables I’m sure you know what I’m talking about… The zucchini season.
It’s that time in early summer when the zucchini plants start to produce and in the first couple of weeks, you are so excited! You pick your fresh zucchini and make zucchini fritters, Mediterranean zucchini casserole, and seven million other zucchini recipes, then you harvest a few more and try a few other recipes… By the third week of harvesting zucchini, you can’t look at the thing anymore!
Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread…
There are a few ways to preserve zucchini, but my favorite way to use the boatload of zucchini I harvest during the season is to make zucchini bread and freeze it. I make two kinds of zucchini bread: low-sugar zucchini bread and this death by chocolate zucchini bread.
As the zucchini comes from the garden, I’ll make loaves of bread. Sometimes I’ll take some of the loaves to the farmer’s market but most of the time, I wrap them well and stick them in the freezer. Then, during the year, I take one loaf out at a time and use it as a snack during the day or sometimes as breakfast (a slice of zucchini bread, some cheese, and fruit make a great and super easy breakfast!)
Ingredients…
- Butter – melted. You can use salted or unsalted.
- Sugar – I use white granulated sugar.
- Eggs – large eggs at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – for a hint of vanilla flavor.
- Flour – we are only going to use one cup, you can use whatever flour you want to use. You can probably even try almond flour or other nut flour.
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Zucchini – grated, make sure it’s not too wet. If it is, squeeze it a bit before you add it to the batter.
- Chocolate chips – use semi-sweet or dark.
- Walnuts – or other kinds of nuts, or you can leave the nuts out.
Kitchen Tools That We Are Going to Need…
- Large mixing bowl
- Sifter – I love my simple sifter but if you don’t have one you can also use a strainer. Put the dry ingredients in there and tap the strainer on the side or stir the flour with a whisk until it’s all sifted into the bowl.
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A grater – I usually grate my zucchini by hand but sometimes, if I am making more than one loaf, I use my food processor.
- Mixer
- Spatula
- Loaf pan
- Parchment paper – you’ll see below that I didn’t line my pan with parchment paper but I usually do and it’s so much easier to get the bread out of the pan when I line it. So I recommend using parchment paper.
How to Make Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread…
Step one – mix the wet ingredients. To a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and sugar. Mix them together for a couple of minutes to combine. Next, add eggs and vanilla extract and mix again for a couple of minutes to combine.
Step two – add the dry ingredients. Place flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in the sifter and sift them right into the bowl over the wet ingredients. Use the mixer to mix the dry and wet ingredients together until you get a batter.
Step three – add zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts. Make sure that your grated zucchini is not too wet, add the zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts to the batter and fold them in.
Step four – bake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bread pan with parchment paper, add the batter and bake for 50-60 minutes. To check if the bread is done, insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf. If it comes out dry the bread is done, if it comes out wet bake for a few more minutes and then check it again. Once the bread is ready, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then, remove from the pan and set on a rack to cool a little more before serving.
How to Serve Chocolate Zucchini Bread…
- With your morning coffee – it’s a great companion for a cup of coffee!
- As breakfast – again, a good slice of bread with our without butter, a slice of cheese, and some sort of fruit. It’s an easy and quick breakfast that my kids love (I do the same with strawberry bread and sweet potato bread).
- As a snack – any time during the day.
- For dessert – warm a slice just a bit, set it on a plate and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or any other that you like) right next to it. It’s a yummy dessert!
How to Store Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread…
- At room temperature – allow the bread to cool, then, either wrap with food wrap or store in an air tight container. The bread should be good at room temperature for about 4 days.
- In the fridge – allow the bread to cool, wrap with plastic food wrap or store in an air-tight container. Place the bread in the fridge. It should last a week or even a bit longer. You can heat individual slices in the microwave for a few minutes before serving.
- Freeze – you can freeze the whole loaf or slice it and freeze individual slices so you can remove them one by one from the freezer later. Read more about freezing this bread below in the FAQ section.
Frequently Asked Questions…
Yes! In fact, I use this recipe as a method for preserving zucchini. Let the bread cool all the way, then wrap it in plastic food wrap and place in the freezer. It should be good for up to a year. When you’re ready to use it, remove it from the freezer and set it on the kitchen counter to thaw overnight. Reheat each slice before serving or heat the whole loaf in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
Try dry fruit like dried cherries or cranberries or apricot. Try different kinds of nuts or seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Try different kinds of chocolate chips or even peanut butter chips.
Yes, you can. Use 1/2 cup of coconut oil instead of the butter.
This bread only has 1/4 of a cup of sugar in it, however, if you want to make it without sugar and just use honey, you can easily do that. Use 1/4 of a cup of honey (you can even try maple syrup).
This Death by Chocolate zucchini bread is very easy to make. It’s dense and chocolaty and delicious! And it’s a great way to use and preserve zucchini during their season. I hope that you’ll give it a try.
More Baked Goods…
- Rosh Hashanah Honey Bread
- Low Sugar Pumpkin Bread
- Easy Apple Cake
- Healthy Banana Bread
- Delicious Almond Cookies
- Simple Granola Cookies
Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Easy, dense, chocolaty, and delicious death by chocolate zucchini bread.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups grated zucchini, squeezed to remove liquids
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet)
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- To a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and sugar. Mix them together for a couple of minutes to combine. Next, add eggs and vanilla extract and mix again for a couple of minutes to combine.
- Place flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in the sifter and sift them right into the bowl over the wet ingredients. Use the mixer to mix the dry and wet ingredients together until you get a batter.
- Make sure that your grated zucchini is not too wet, add the zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts to the batter and fold them in.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bread pan with parchment paper, add the batter and bake for 50-60 minutes. To check if the bread is done, insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf. If it comes out dry the bread is done, if it comes out wet bake for a few more minutes and then check it again. Once the bread is ready, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then, remove from the pan and set on a rack to cool a little more before serving.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions...
- Can I freeze this Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread?
Yes! In fact, I use this recipe as a method for preserving zucchini. Let the bread cool all the way, then wrap it in plastic food wrap and place in the freezer. It should be good for up to a year. When you’re ready to use it, remove it from the freezer and set it on the kitchen counter to thaw overnight. Reheat each slice before serving or heat the whole loaf in the oven for a few minutes before serving. - Do you have any other ideas for add-ins?
Try dry fruit like dried cherries or cranberries or apricot. Try different kinds of nuts or seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Try different kinds of chocolate chips or even peanut butter chips. - Can I substitute the butter for coconut oil?
Yes, you can. Use 1/2 cup of coconut oil instead of the butter. - Can I substitute sugar with honey?
This bread only has 1/4 of a cup of sugar in it, however, if you want to make it without sugar and just use honey, you can easily do that. Use 1/4 of a cup of honey (you can even try maple syrup).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 245mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 13gProtein: 6g
Hi! I’m Lady Lee. I help homesteaders simplify their homesteading journey while still producing a ton of food! I am a single mother of four, I was born in Israel and raised in an agricultural commune called a Kibbutz. Now I homestead in central NC.
It is absolutely delicious! I just made it this afternoon and it was a success. Very good recipe.
So glad to hear that you liked it!!
I’ve gained 3 pounds this winter but at almost 65 years old it feels like 10!
I have to save this for zucchini harvest time…when I can work it off!
This sounds absolutely delicious. I will make it in the future. I like to sweeten my cakes with chopped dates. I soak them and add them to many recipes. I am so proud of all your accomplishments. You are awesome. love you