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
Hi, I have been making this recipe for years, I am just wondering why you changed the name to ( Chocolate Zucchini Bread)? I have it printed out as Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread, I tell everyone who wants the recipe to look for that name, was told there isn’t one on this site, so i came to check it out. and you have changed the name. it really should be Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread. because this is by far the BEST recipe i have for Zucchini bread. thank you so much.
Interesting story ~ I changed the name because words that relate to violence or potentially offensive issues can be ‘blacklisted’ by Google or advertisers. It’s smart practice to avoid them!
Superb! Of note, I never use chips for my ganache. I use Caillebaut or Valhrona chocolate. The silkiness and smooth texture vs chips is sublime.
Excellent recipe with rave reviews. I only made half a recipe of ganache and found it to be just perfect. Making it again tomorrow.
Thanks!
Making it again tomorrow? That says it all 🙂
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. It’s going to be hard for me not to cut into it all day. If anyone is on the fence about making this, do it! One of the best things I’ve ever had.
Thanks for the recipe!!! ?
I made this previously and made a chocolate whipped cream and it was delicious. Now I have bittersweet chocolate chips and I’m getting ready to make it again. It is extremely addicting! I just tell myself I’m eating my veggies:-)
I have this in the oven, but didn’t have « any » chocolate chips, but had bittersweet baking chocolate that I chopped up, and I had toffee chips. I must have copped a little over ¾ biitersweet chocolate and finished with the toffee chip. Now, no chocolate to make the frosting?. I’ll figure something out, I’m craving frosting with it.
Can this be made with frozen zucchini? I froze all mine for now so will either have to wait till I have more or use frozen zucchini. With the cream icing do you keep it in the frig?
Looks great!
I’ve not made this with frozen zucchini James, is yours already grated? I’m just not sure whether using it in its frozen state would be best, or thawing and squeezing out excess moisture would work better. I would keep the bread in the fridge, after the first day.
Although I haven’t made this recipe yet (planning on it tomorrow for a weekend get away treat), I have made many other zucchini breads and cakes with frozen zuchinni. The trick is to take it out of the freezer at least two days prior to using it and thawing it and removing the excess moisture. I simply poke a couple small holes in the bag and put it in a bowl in a container, holes down, in the fridge. Once a day I drain the extra liquid from the bowl. When I am ready to use it, it has a very similar texture as fresh and works just as well. Can’t wait to try your decadent loaf. Thanks for aharing
Hi Sue,
Sorry if this question was already addressed. Did you develop the recipe to account for the added moisture from the zucchini? Or should I be wringing that moisture out?
No I don’t, the recipe accounts for the extra moisture.
Phenomenal! During the life and times of COVID-19, this chocolate zucchini bread is comfort in every bite. Sigh! No dying involved, but I think I heard the angels sing!!
Just made this waiting for it to go in my oven and my husband is a chocoholic but doesn’t like zucchini I peeled it so there is no green when cut. And I tasted the batter to die for can’t wait for the cake oops preheated I’ll be back in 50 minutes. I’m back and this has to be the best ever chocolate cake/bread whatever you wanna call it. And my husband is not wise to what’s in there he just sees Chocolate chips that’s enough for him. And a testament that he loved it…. thanks so much glad I found this… happy baking everyone. If you see this don’t scan by try it you will love it and the kids will eat their veggies trust me.
This is THE best chocolate zucchini bread recipe!! Super easy and it always turns out perfectly!!
I’m not sure what I did wrong, but mine looks nothing like yours. I didn’t have electric beaters so wondering if that might have been the reason. Tastes good. It didn’t rise like a loaf and it’s more like a molten lava cake inside. I cooked it longer than suggested too. Thoughts?
I can’t be sure what might have happened Felicia, but the molten interior sounds like it was under cooked…making sure your oven is at the correct temp with an oven thermometer is a big help.
I ring out my zuchini so it’s not so watery.