Zucchini chocolate bread always brings me back to crisp autumn days in Canada, when the leaves would turn brilliant shades of red and orange, and the scent of baked goods filled our cozy kitchen. My parents had an amazing garden in our backyard that was filled with every vegetable under the sun, including late-harvest, garden-fresh zucchini, which we would use in everything from salads to sweets. When I started baking as a little girl, I would often make different kinds of quick breads with my mom (think carrot, pumpkin, zucchini, and banana). They were so simple and we always had all the ingredients in our pantry. Sometimes, when we were craving a little extra indulgence, we would sweeten them up with handfuls of chocolate chips—just like in this recipe. It’s the perfect blend of nostalgia and comfort, with every bite taking me back to those cozy kitchen moments.

The best part about this zucchini chocolate bread recipe? It’s as simple as mixing and stirring, with very little else required. No need for fancy techniques or special tools—just a bowl, a whisk, and a spoon, plus the pleasure of creating something delicious with your own hands. It’s the kind of recipe that reminds me that sometimes, the simplest things really are the sweetest.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread – Makes two 9×5 inch loaves (one to eat now, and one to freeze for later!)

Ingredients

• 2½ cups all-purpose (plus more for flouring the loaf pans
• flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 medium zucchini (600 grams), coarsely grated
• 1 & 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
• Unsalted butter and extra flour for greasing the loaf pans

Position your oven racks so that one is in the center, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans with butter, and dust them lightly with flour. You can also line the pans with buttered parchment paper that’s been dusted with flour – this just gives you extra insurance that the cake won;t stick to the pans.

Whisk the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium-size bowl

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs to break up the yolks.  Add the sugar and continue to whisk until the eggs begin to pale in color .Add  the oil, zucchini and vanilla extract. Toss the chocolate chips with 2 teaspoon of flour to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the loaf, dusting off the excess. Stir in the zucchini, chocolate and nuts (optional)

Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until there is not a trace of flour left. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pans. Make sure to divide the batter equally between the two loaves, so that they require the same baking time. Place the loaf pans side by side on the center rack in the oven, and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted deep into the center of each loaf comes out clean.

Remove the loaves from the oven and let coo slightly.. Once cool enough to handle, place a cooling rack (or plate) over the top of the pan and quickly flip it so the loaf falls out onto the rack. Allow the loaves to cool slightly before slicing. These are their most delicious served at room temperature, and even better the next day or the day after that.

Happy Baking!

Find more delicious recipes like this zucchini chocolate bread here.