Hands-down, the best Chocolate zucchini bread recipe. It’s moist, fudgy and easy to make in one-bowl with simple ingredients. Makes two (9×5-inch) loaves, ready in 70-minutes.
Chocolate zucchini bread is just as decadent as chocolate cake, no one will ever be the wiser that it’s loaded with zucchini. You’ll want to save this recipe and repeat it often!
You’ll never guess this decadent chocolate loaf cake is full of zucchini. The batter comes together quickly and easily. Makes two (9×5-inch) loaves – ready in 70-minutes. They can also be made into mini loaves if desired.
If you love chocolate, be sure and try our chocolate cake recipe and homemade brownies.
Double chocolate zucchini bread will be your new favorite zucchini recipe. You’ll be asking neighbors for zucchini so you can make plenty of loaves of this bread. If you love zucchini bread, try my banana zucchini bread.
Why this recipe works
- Great recipe for zucchini – Easy quick bread recipe for when zucchini is in abundance.
- Freezer friendly – This recipe makes two loaves. Place the cooled loaves into bread bags with twist ties and freeze for later. They will last for several months in the freezer.
- Ease – Made in a bowl with an electric hand mixer or mixed by hand with a whisk.
- Moist & very chocolatey – Super moist, chocolatey and flavorful – with chocolate chips.
- Prep ahead of time – It becomes even more moist the second day.
What you’ll need
- Zucchini – Small or medium zucchini work best because they are more tender. For chocolate zucchini bread, we prefer to peel zucchini so it breaks down in the loaves better.
- Oil – Use a neutral oil of your choice or melted butter.
- Sugar and brown sugar – Sugar sweetens, brown sugar helps create a super moist banana bread!
- Flour – Use your favorite brand all-purpose flour.
- Cocoa powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Espresso powder – Espresso powder is available in most grocery stores or Amazon, it enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Eggs – Helps this quick bread rise nicely. I always use large eggs in my baking recipes. (Be sure to always crack eggs into a glass measuring cup or small bowl, then add to your batter!)
- Sour cream – Adds tanginess and moisture.
- Baking soda & powder – Leavening agents that help it rise perfectly.
- Chocolate chips – Semisweet or 60% chocolate chips are folded into the batter, adding double the chocolate flavor.
How to make chocolate zucchini bread
- Preheat oven – Preheat the oven to ensure loaves rise properly.
- Prepare loaf pans – Spray two 9 x 5- inch loaf pans with cooking spray or line with paper liners. (This makes cleanup very easy)
- Combine wet ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer or whisk, combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract to the mixture and combine.
- Add the dry ingredients – Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, stirring to combine.
- Fold in zucchini & chocolate chips – Fold in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. The batter will be thick.
- Pour batter into baking pans – Divide batter evenly into two prepared (9×5-inch) loaf pans.
- Bake – Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick when inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
How to prepare zucchini for chocolate zucchini bread
- For chocolate zucchini bread I prefer to peel zucchini with a vegetable peeler, so it breaks down better.
- Use a box grater to shred or grate zucchini. (smaller pieces will break down more during the baking process)
- Do not squeeze the zucchini, as the moisture is needed for this bread.
Divide the batter evenly into prepared baking pans. Place the baking pans on a half sheet pan, lined with parchment paper. (This helps make it easy to turn the loaves and keep any possible spills contained.) Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick when inserted comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs.
For chocolate zucchini bread that rises beautifully, preheat the oven to 375-degrees F. About 8-10 minutes into baking, lower the baking temperature to 350-degrees F for the remaining time.
Rotate your breads once through the baking process, so they bake evenly. Turn the loaf pans about half way through baking. Be VERY careful not to bang the pans around or the loaves will fall. Wait about 10 minutes before removing from loaf pans, let cool on baking racks.
Be sure and try my banana bread recipe. It’s a reader favorite. Cast iron loaf pans help banana bread, pumpkin bread and yeast breads rise better and bake more evenly.
Banana bread, banana zucchini bread and chocolate zucchini bread stay fresh by storing in plastic bread bags.
More breakfast and brunch recipes
- Banana bread muffins
- Banana bread recipe
- Banana zucchini bread
- Buttermilk biscuits
- Biscuits and gravy
- Jalapeno cheddar biscuits
- Blueberry muffins recipe
- Raspberry muffins
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Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil (or 2 sticks butter, melted)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 2 ½ -3 cups finely grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis, peeled & finely grated)
- 1 to 1 ½ cups semisweet or 60% chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375-degrees F. Spray two 9 x 5-inch bread loaf pans with cooking spray or line with paper liners. (This makes cleanup very easy)
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whisk or wooden spoon, combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract to the mixture and combine.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, stirring to combine.
- Once mixed thoroughly, fold in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. The batter will be thick.
- Divide batter evenly into two prepared (9×5-inch) loaf pans. Place the baking pans on a half sheet pan, lined with parchment paper. (This helps catch any dropped batter and helps easily rotate pans.) Bake for 8-10 minutes and LOWER the temperature to 350-degrees F.
- Rotate your breads once through the baking process, so they bake evenly. Carefully rotate the entire half sheet pan 180-degrees about three quarters through the baking process. (Be very careful not to bump the pans or your bread will fall!!)
- Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick when inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Towards the end of the baking process, monitor the loaves and rotate them a few times. (Every oven is different, so your loaves may take a few extra minutes)
- Remove loaves from the oven. Let cool in the baking pans for 10-15 minutes. Turn out of baking pans, place chocolate zucchini breads on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, package into plastic bread bags with a twist tie.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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