Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This healthy whole wheat Chocolate Zucchini Bread is moist, fudgy, and perfect as a breakfast or a healthy dessert. Made with simple, healthy ingredients, this zucchini bread is sure to become an instant family favorite.

Love homemade bread? Try some Chocolate Babka, Star Bread, Pumpkin Banana Nut Bread, Honey Oat Bread, and How To Make Challah Bread.

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

I just finished harvesting my last batch of zucchini for this year. And with all the bumper crops, I decided to use it in something I love and that's baking. Yes, baking is my passion, and I love to bake. Last, when I shared my Banana Bread recipe, I got many requests to share some more bread recipes. So, here's my healthy chocolate zucchini bread.

I love zucchini, it is one of my favorite vegetables. This healthy zucchini tastes great in curries, soup, making bread, muffins, or Indian flatbread called parathas. I use grated zucchini and add it to the paratha dough.

If you are craving some healthy soup, try my Olive Garden-inspired, Italian Minestrone Soup, loaded with veggies, and beans, and flavored with Italian spices. A great way to use up all the zucchini from the backyard.

I love this chocolate zucchini bread, made with whole grain, whole wheat flour, zucchini, and avocado oil. A great way to add veggies, and zucchini adds that extra softness and moist texture to the bread.

This recipe is so easy, that even my little one can make it. It does not require any fancy equipment or kitchen tools. You can easily grate the zucchini with the handheld grater, no need for any food processor. It takes just 10 minutes of your prep time and a spatula to stir this delicious goodness.

Why You'll Love This Chocolate Zucchini Bread -

- easy to make, no need for any special equipment

- made with healthy whole grain, whole wheat flour

- double chocolate fun - cocoa powder and chocolate chips

- uses avocado oil instead of butter

- bread that tastes like chocolate cake, only healthier

- your home will smell amazing

Pic Shown: Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

INGREDIENTS FOR HEALTHY CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

Whole Wheat Flour - I used King Arthur, 100% whole grain, whole wheat flour for this recipe. You can use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat.

Unsweetened Cocoa - I used Hershey's cocoa, 100% Cacao natural unsweetened powder.

Baking soda - rising agent. Makes bread, soft and fluffy.

Sea salt - sea salt or regular table salt, both work fine. If using regular salt, add ¼ teaspoon.

Eggs - large eggs, at room temperature.

Oil - I used Avocado oil for this recipe. You can use unsalted butter, ghee, or canola oil also.

Yogurt - Makes bread moist and soft. I used thick yogurt. Greek-style yogurt works fine too.

Brown sugar - love the nutty flavor of brown sugar. You can substitute it with granulated sugar. If using granulated sugar add ⅓ cup.

Zucchini - one medium size zucchini, about 1 packed cup. I used a medium grater, to grate the zucchini. Do not grate zucchini too fin, it will release a lot of moisture and the bread might turn soggy.

Chocolate chips - I used Ghirardelli, 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chip. If you like your bread sweet, use chips with less percentage of cacao.

Pic Shown: Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

DIRECTIONS FOR HEALTHY CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment and set it aside.

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients - flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients - eggs, oil, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined.

Then with a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Don’t overmix the batter. Stir in ½ cup of the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the batter.

Bake the bread for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Note: There may be slightly melted chocolate on the toothpick and that's fine.

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on the cooling wire rack for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a clean knife around the edges of the bread, and carefully remove it from the pan. Let the bread slightly cool on the wire rack. Carefully, cut the bread with a serrated knife. Enjoy a warm slice of this healthy chocolate zucchini bread with a cup of expresso!

Pic Shown: Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

TIPS FOR PERFECT CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

Gather all the ingredients before you start to bake.

Make sure the eggs and yogurt are at room temperature.

Before you start to bake, make sure to preheat the oven. It takes around 10-15 minutes for the oven to preheat.

Measure all the ingredients. Precision is important when baking. Please use the suggested measurements for this recipe. You can find measurements, both in US customary and in metrics.

Brown sugar adds a nice nutty flavor to the bread, you can use regular sugar. If using granulated sugar, add ⅓ cup for mildly sweet or ½ cup for sweet bread.

For less intense chocolate flavor, use a lower percentage of cocoa in the chocolate.

Use a large hole grater to grate the zucchini. Zucchini has a lot of water content, when grated fine, it releases lots of moisture, which can make the bread quite soggy and dense.

Grate the zucchini just before adding it to the bread batter. This way you can prevent all the extra moisture. Gently squeeze the zucchini before adding it to the batter. You can also use a paper towel and dab it to remove any excess moisture.

Pic Shown: Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

TIPS FOR PERFECT CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD (CONTINUED)

Make sure to check the expiry date of the baking soda. If it has past its expiration date, do not use it. The bread will not rise, and the bake will be a flop.

Avocado oil makes this bread quite light and healthy. It also keeps the bread moist, and soft. You can use unsalted butter or ghee for this recipe.

Yogurt helps balance all the flavors and makes bread less dense.

Do not overmix the batter. Gently fold in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and immediately pour the batter and bake. The batter should not be allowed to rest, it needs to be baked immediately.

Make sure to grease and dust with flour or line the baking pan or else the bread will stick to the pan, and will be hard to remove.

After 45 minutes of baking, insert a toothpick in the center of the bread and check for the doneness. There might be some chocolate sticky to the toothpick, but that's fine. But there should not be wet batter.

Once the bread is out of the oven, allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling wire rack. After 15 minutes, use a knife and run it through the edges of the pan to loosen the bread. The bread will still be warm, gently remove it from the pan.

Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the bread.

Pic Shown: Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

FAQ's

BUTTER Vs OIL

I have tried this recipe with butter and oil, to see if it makes any difference in the consistency of the bread. With butter, bread turns out slightly dense as compared to the one with oil.

Oil makes bread less dense and is also a healthier option. I love using avocado oil in this recipe. The bread is so soft, and moist even after days.

WHAT SIZE LOAF PAN TO USE

You can use a 9-by-5 inch or 8-by-4 inch loaf pan. Baking time will slightly vary depending upon the size of the loaf pan used.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE BREAD

For 9-by-5-inch loaf pans, it takes around 45-50 minutes to bake the bread. For an 8-by-4 inch loaf pan, bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

HOW TO STORE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

Who can resist this warm, decadent chocolate zucchini bread? In my home, it goes very quickly.

Any leftover bread stays good for 2-3 days at room temperature. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

CAN YOU FREEZE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

Yes, you can freeze this zucchini bread for up to a month. It can be stored as a whole loaf or as a single slice. Wrap the whole bread or a slice in a plastic or freeze

wrap first, and then store it in a Ziploc or freezer-safe container.

When craving something sweet, yet healthy, simply remove the slice from the freezer and pop it in the microwave for 15- 30 seconds. You have a decadent, moist, chocolate zucchini bread ready to be devoured.

Pic Shown: Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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