Featured comment:
“Omg, wow wow wow!!! I made this yesterday and we just tried it tonight. I can’t remember the last time I’ve tasted anything this delicious. If anyone is on the fence about making this, do it! One of the best things I’ve ever had.” ~Joni
Beware ~ this Chocolate Zucchini Bread (it’s really a cake) is absolutely irresistible.
It’s shamelessly all about the chocolate, with a bunch of fresh zucchini thrown in to keep it legal. If you’re planning to make it for company, better bake two, you won’t be able to control yourself.
This classic zucchini bread has been transformed into a double chocolate zucchini bread with the addition of cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate chips.
We’re not even halfway through summer but I feel like I’ve gorged on all the salads, fresh veggies, and berries I could ever want…and there’s boatloads of zucchini hanging around, so now it’s time for a different kind of good eats. This bread would be fantastic naked — just sprinkle it with a bit of powdered sugar and call it breakfast or a coffee break.
But I don’t believe in doing things halfway, and adding a thick layer of bittersweet ganache really turns this zucchini bread into an experience.
Even though once you bake this bread you can’t see the zucchini (it doesn’t stand a chance with all that dark chocolate) it’s in there, and it gives this cake a great moisture and a nice loose crumb.
Do you peel zucchini for zucchini bread?
- Heck no! Just grate it up on a box grater and you’re good to go.
What kind of chocolate do you use for chocolate zucchini bread?
I’m glad you asked because I have strong opinions on this subject!
- I use dark chocolate for the cocoa powder, the chocolate chips, and the ganache.
- I like Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder, it’s a ‘Dutched’ cocoa powder formulated to give a super deep color to baked goods. Sometimes I’ll use half Special Dark and half regular cocoa powder if I don’t want it quite so intense.
- I like to use either Nestle’s Dark Chocolate Chips or sometimes I use Ghirardelli’s Bittersweet Baking Chips. I use these both in the batter and in the ganache. I think their flavor is superior.
What is ganache?
Chocolate ganache is a mixture of heavy cream and chocolate. When melted together they bond and form a thick creamy mixture than can be made with different proportions of cream to chocolate for various uses such as frostings and fillings or truffles. As ganache cools it becomes firmer.
- The ganache I use to frost this zucchini bread is made with 1/2 cup cream and 2 cups chocolate chips. The result is thick enough to spread on the cake without any dripping. As it cools, or if you refrigerate the bread, it takes on a fudge-like texture.
Can you make a vegan ganache?
- Yes! Use canned coconut cream instead of dairy cream.
- use dairy free dark chocolate or chocolate chips.
- Use everything in the same proportions, it works beautifully!
Be sure to check out my Chocolate Pumpkin Bread, too!.
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Video
Equipment
- standard 9×5 loaf pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, I used Hershey’s Special Dark
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
wet ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated zucchini, buy two medium
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips, I used bittersweet
ganache
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Lightly spray and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment, leaving the ends long so you can lift the cake out for slicing after it has baked.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together. I like to sift the cocoa powder to get rid of any lumps. Set aside.
- Whisk the sugar and eggs together until pale and smooth. Beat in the butter and vanilla, then fold in the zucchini.
- Blend the dry ingredients into the wet, in three stages, blending just until incorporated after each addition, and don’t over-beat!
- Fold in the chocolate chips and spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center doesn’t come out with wet batter clinging to it. Melted chocolate is ok!
- Cool completely on a rack before frosting.
- To make the ganache, heat the cream to a simmer, then pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, then stir until glossy and smooth. If you still see bits of chocolate, microwave it for 15 seconds and stir again. Then spread a thick layer over your zucchini bread. If your ganache seems too runny, let it sit or refrigerate for a bit to set it up.
Notes
- I made this with bittersweet chocolate and extra dark cocoa powder, and so it has a bittersweet flavor. If you don’t like that, be sure to use a sweeter chocolate.
- If you want to try a similar recipe without the zucchini, try my Chocolate Pound Cake.
Nutrition
So many zucchini bread recipes call for you to squeeze water out of the shredded zucchini before using; your recipe does not. Would it make a difference if water squeezed out first?
My recipe is formulated to account for the moisture in zucchini, so don’t squeeze.
CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE THIS! WITH THE GANACHE!!! Naturally…
Thank you for the recipe, the great photos, and your readers’ excellent feedback.
Hi there,
I am wondering if this cake should be cooled in the pan? Some recipes for quick breads/cakes suggest cooling in the pan for 10 minutes, then removing from the pan and finish the cooling on a rack. What do you do?
Thanks, Trina
I cool it briefly in the pan to allow it to firm up, then lift with the parchment to cool on a rack. Then I actually put it back in the pan, with the parchment, for adding the ganache, since the pan contains the ganache well.
Thanks so much–I know it’s a busy week!
Sue: Ive made this recipe several times as a loaf. Wondering if I doubled the recipe could it be baked as a cake? If so, what size pan do you recommend?
Its an amazing loaf and I’m constantly being asked for the recipe!!
Thank you…
You can use a 9 inch cake pan, and double the recipe for a layer cake or 9×13 cake. Hope this helps!
This is a fantastic chocolate-zucchini cake. Not heavy, not rubbery like some. I skipped the ganache and it was perfect as-is.
I made this to take to my brothers 4 th July bar b q. My sis in law called me the next day and said “ oh my GOD, you HAVE to make that again. We were all fighting over the one piece that was left !It was sooooo good! My lil grandaughter who is 2, loved it also and was literally covered in chocolate while she enjoyed the heck uut of her piece! I guess the zucchini made me feel a bit better that she was getting SOME type of vegetable !??. This was absolutely the best zucchini bread ( chocolate zucchini bread) I ever made!! Thanks for sharing your delicous recipe!!!! Margherita
You’re so welcome Margherita ~ glad it was such a hit!
This is absolutely the best chocolate “cake” ever!! It’s amazingly delicious and it is a big plus that it’s more nutritous than other cakes. I baked 2 this weekend: one of them I baked as a Bundt Cake for a birthday gathering! It worked! People loved it! Fabulous recipe Sue Moran ( as usual)!! Thank you!
I freeze my excess zucchini (already grated) every summer to use in recipes. Do you think I could use my frozen zucchini in this recipe if I let it thaw and squeeze out the extra moisture?
That should be fine Becky.
Does this recipe freeze well?
It should freeze fine, you might put it in the freezer unwrapped until firm, and then wrap, to avoid crushing the ganache.
Oops, I replied to this under the wrong post. Please see my reply under Dianne’s comment below.
Where do I find the metric conversions for this recipe?
Thanks…
Dianne
The link for metric is at the end of the recipe ingredients.
This bread freezes beautifully! I make it without the ganache, but if I were you and you DO make the ganache, I would freeze it separately, thaw, whisk it up to restore original consistency, then ice the loaf before serving.
Thanks so much for the useful feedback Rose!