Moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Dark, tender, fudgy chocolate bread that hides a whole cup of shredded zucchini — and your kids will never know.
Equipment
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Box Grater
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Zucchini
- 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (browned then cooled)
- 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides.
- Shred & Salt: Shred 1 1/2 cups of zucchini (about 1 medium). Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Brown the Butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Swirl it occasionally. It'll foam up, then settle down, and little brown bits will appear at the bottom. When it smells nutty and looks amber, pull it off the heat. Pour it into a large bowl to cool slightly.
- Squeeze: Grab handfuls of the shredded zucchini and squeeze firmly over the sink. You'll be shocked how much liquid comes out. This is the step that keeps your bread from turning into a science experiment.
- Mix Wet: To the browned butter, add the brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in the vanilla and the squeezed zucchini.
- Mix Dry: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are okay — overmixing makes it tough. The batter should look thick and fudgy, like a brownie batter. If it looks runny, add a tablespoon of flour.
- Bake: Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it even. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (not clean, not wet batter).
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment to lift it out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing. If you slice it warm, it will crumble. Wait the full hour.
Notes
Make Ahead: Wrap cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap; stays moist up to 4 days on counter, or freeze for up to 3 months. Toast slices for breakfast. Don't overmix. Fold until flour disappears. Cool completely before slicing to avoid gummy texture. Check doneness with toothpick at 50 minutes; moist crumbs, not clean, not wet batter.