This Triple Chocolate Zucchini bread is perfectly moist and loaded with melty milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips!
Just like Carrot Cake, Zucchini Bread is one of those desserts that you don’t fully appreciate until you’re an adult. (If you can call me one of those.) Of course, there were probably several times throughout my childhood that I was given a slice of zucchini bread and had no idea I was eating something loaded with veggies since it tasted SO good. That’s the beauty (and witchcraft) of zucchini! It’s so easy to sneak into scrumptious baked goods, and you feel less guilt for eating a cake or pastry that it’s baked into.
So for those of you who want to enjoy something both heavenly and almost guilt-free, this Triple Chocolate Zucchini Bread is RIGHT down your alley!
Why You’ll Love This Triple Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Deep Dark Chocolatey Flavor: Thanks to a few special ingredients and helpful tips, this zucchini bread is brimming with intensely rich chocolate flavor. It also has a deeper richness, making it not overly sweet.
Incredibly Moist and Fudgy: This bread has the perfect balance of fluffy and fudgy. It’s not too dense and it has a light moist crumb.
Easy Peasy Zucchini Bread: The batter comes together in about 20 minutes, and it bakes up in one hour. Therefore the time it takes from start to mouth is less than 2 hours!
It’s healthy! Sorta…: This bread contains TWO heaping cups of fresh zucchini. In my sugar-laden book, that pretty much spells health food.
Key Ingredients for the Best Results
Zucchini: Thank you, Captain Obvious. I know this ingredient is a no-brainer, but this is in regards to how it’s prepared. First off, I prefer to use the a standard cheese grater to shred it up. There’s no need to use a finer grate, as it will dissolve and melt into the batter as it bakes. Secondly, although zucchini releases a lot of liquid, it’s not necessary to wring it or even blot it. In fact, you’ll need that extra moisture to create those extra fudgy slices!
Instant Espresso Powder: As with most of my recipes that involve chocolate, I like to add a little instant espresso powder to intensify the flavor of the chocolate. Only a 1/2 teaspoon is added to the batter, and you won’t taste it at all. What you get is a deep, richer, more sinful chocolate experience that’s simply irresistible.
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder–natural and dutch-processed. If you want to achieve that richer, more robust chocolatey flavor, Dutch-processed is definitely the way to go. It’s also less bitter and acidic than natural cocoa powder. My brand of choice is Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa. Not only is it less expensive than the fancy brands, but it tastes just as good and you can find it in most any grocery store.
Butter AND Oil: Even though most zucchini bread recipes predominantly call for oil, I prefer to use butter PLUS a little bit of vegetable oil. Butter yields a richer flavor and a more tender crumb. Adding a few tablespoons of vegetable oil prevents the bread from being too dense or heavy.
Semi-Sweet AND Milk Chocolate Chips: One kind of chocolate chip is good and all, but two kinds of chocolate chips is BETTER. Semi-sweet chocolate chips offer a deeper, richer flavor, while milk chocolate chips lend a sweeter, creamier flavor. The two chocolates work together in perfect harmony in this bread.
Tips For Making the Best Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Bloom the Cocoa: Blooming cocoa powder is a technique that involves mixing hot liquid (like water, coffee, milk, or butter) with cocoa powder to intensify its chocolate flavor. The heat and liquid allow more flavor compounds to be extracted from the cocoa, which results in a richer and more complex taste. Blooming also dissolves the cocoa powder and allows it to absorb moisture more effectively, leading to a softer, more tender crumb.
Let Batter Rest: Allowing the batter to rest for just 15 minutes will make a difference in how tall your bread rises as it’s baking. This quick rest lets the flour fully hydrate and absorb the liquid ingredients, preventing dry spots and resulting in a smoother batter. It also allows the gluten that was produced during mixing to relax, and gives the leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda) enough time to activate. This produces a better rise and fluffier bread.
Do I need to peel the zucchini first?
Nope! Peeling the zucchini is totally unnecessary since there’s no difference in taste or texture. Moreover, since the bread bakes up really dark, even the pickiest eater won’t notice any zucchini.
Can I freeze the bread?
Yes! In general, zucchini bread freezes incredibly well, and this bread is definitely no exception. If you have the willpower and want to freeze some for later, make sure that the bread is cooled to room temperature first. You can either freeze the entire loaf or you can freeze individual slices. For both options, you’ll need to wrap the bread in plastic wrap, then seal it in a freezer-safe plastic ziplock bag. Make sure to press out any excess air and label the bag with the name and date.
Triple Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces grated zucchini, about 2 cups packed*
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and oil together. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder until smooth and glossy. Stir in the espresso powder. Allow to sit and cool for a few minutes while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Toss in the grated zucchini until evenly coated.
- To the butter-cocoa mixture, whisk in both sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla, stirring until fully incorporated. Pour wet ingredients into the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in most of the semi-sweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips, reserving a few tablespoons for the top. Let batter sit for 15 minutes while oven is preheating.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Pour batter into loaf pan, smoothing out the top. Evenly sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the batter. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes.
- Run a butterknife along the sides of the pan to release bread from pan and use the parchment sides to lift the bread out and onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool 20 more minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy!