What’s tender, moist, chocolatey, great for breakfast or an afternoon snack, and a perfect way to use up an abundance of zucchini from your garden or farmer’s market?
Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
We returned from our anniversary weekend with a car full of fresh produce: blueberries, pickling cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, basil for pesto, cabbages for fermenting into sauerkraut and kimchi, and more zucchini than we knew what to do with. My first instinct was to make something chocolatey with that zucchini, and this loaf is the result.
This double chocolate loaf may be my favorite zucchini bread yet. It uses olive oil and whole wheat flour for extra nutrients, an entire shredded zucchini to keep the crumb tender and moist, and a generous half cup of cocoa powder for a deep, dark chocolate flavor. The top is crowned with large chocolate chunks that stay slightly soft in warm weather—almost gooey—making each slice feel indulgent.
Pro tip: chocolate chunks on top of the loaf deliver a better texture and experience than mixing them into the batter. Trust the process.
I tested a version sweetened only with maple syrup and found the center too sunk and overly moist, so I switched to sucanat (a minimally refined natural cane sugar with a hint of molasses). That adjustment gave the loaf the ideal texture: tender and moist without being wet. If you don’t have sucanat, coconut sugar or unrefined cane sugar will work well. I don’t recommend liquid sweeteners here, as they tend to make the loaf overly soft in the middle.
This bread works well for dessert, but I usually eat it for breakfast—spread with peanut or almond butter and paired with a latte. It’s made in one bowl with ten simple ingredients and can be ready in under an hour. There are easy swaps for vegan and gluten-free diets noted below the recipe.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out—leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram.
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or melted coconut oil or butter)
- 1/2 cup sucanat (or coconut sugar / unrefined cane sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour (or substitute)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate, for topping
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard loaf pan with olive oil or butter and set aside.
- Grate the zucchini using a box grater. You should have 1½–2 cups tightly packed grated zucchini for this loaf. If you have more than 2 cups, save the extra for a smoothie. Do not squeeze out the zucchini; its moisture keeps the loaf tender.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil, sucanat (or chosen sugar), and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients—flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt—then fold in the grated zucchini. Stir just until combined; the batter will be thick.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Scatter the chopped dark chocolate over the surface and press lightly so the pieces adhere without being buried.
- Bake 30–35 minutes, or until the loaf has risen and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean. If using a long, narrow 12″ pan, begin checking at 25 minutes. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and transfer the loaf to a rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Sucanat is a less refined brown cane sugar with a subtle molasses flavor. Use unrefined cane sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer. Avoid liquid sugars like maple syrup or honey in this recipe, as they can make the loaf too moist.
- White whole wheat flour has the nutrition of whole wheat with a milder taste. Regular whole wheat or all-purpose flour can be used instead.
- Gluten-Free option: use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend or a mix of oat and almond flours.
- Vegan option: replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water).