This chocolate zucchini bread is rich, moist, and secretly packed with veggies. It’s a delicious way to use up extra zucchini and a hit with kids and grown-ups alike.
Now that we've graduated from Queensland Health-run mothers' group, it's up to us to organise the meetings each week and so far we've been rotating around each other's houses. Last week, it was mine and Ollie's turn to host.
Have you ever seen so much cuteness in one photo? That wasn't even all the babies, there were 2 missing. They all had a great time playing together and this week they even started looking at each other which is totally adorable.
Anyway, back to the delicious morning tea. We all bring a little something to our group. Seeing as we chat away for hours, we need sustenance.
Because my lovely mother has been keeping our freezer pretty well stocked with dinners, I've had a bit of an oversupply of veges from my fortnightly delivery, in fact I had to cancel it and just order as I need things.
There were a few zucchinis threatening to go bad on me so after talking about wanting to make zucchini bread for at least a year, I finally did.
I was actually inspired by a tweet featuring chocolate zucchini bread that I saw earlier that morning from Lizzy over at Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things. It was just the push I needed.
I'll have to admit, I'm a bit lazy when it comes to recipes that include grated fruit or veges. Even though I have an electric grater it just seems like a lot of work but in this case it was worth it.
The zucchini made the cake so moist and fluffy and it was chocolatey but not so rich that you couldn't eat another slice (I held off though).
Instead of cocoa, I used raw cacao, partly because I was out of cocoa and partly because I've been using it in everything to up the healthiness.
I also substituted coconut oil for the butter and used a bit of coconut sugar instead of some of the sugar. You could use all coconut sugar but I find it a bit too bitter to be relied on for all the sweetness on its own.
It lasted pretty well in the container - I think I had my last slice on Friday after making it on the Monday. Enjoy!
What about you? What veges have you snuck into sweet recipes?
Recipe
Chocolate zucchini bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
- ¼ cup raw cacao
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 100 g 3.5oz coconut oil
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped orange zest
- 2 free range eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup grated zucchini about 3 zucchinis
- Dark chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (390F) fan-forced and grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper so that it extends over the long sides.
- In one bowl, combine the flour, cacao and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the coconut oil, sugars and orange zest until light in colour.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between then mix in the vanilla.
- Take the bowl off the stand and use a spatula to fold the remaining ingredients and the flour mixture into the batter.
- Spread the batter into the tin and bake for 30-45 minute or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave the loaf to rest in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- When the loaf is cool, melt the chocolate and drizzle over the top.
Suzie G says
Looks sooo good Claire! Do you reckon this could easily be paleo-fied? Since taking the plunge 7 months ago I've been using sweet potato alot as the main starch in baking with just a little coconut flour or almond meal so using zucchinis would be awesome too!
Do you think the SR flour could be subsititued by coconut flour or almond meal, the condensed milked swapped out for coconut milk and maybe use medjool dates and raw honey/maple instead of the sugars?
Claire says
Hi Suz. Hmm I'd say you can definitely use coconut milk instead of the condensed milk. Maybe up the coconut sugar a bit and use some honey in place of the brown. It's just the flour I'm not 100% on. Maybe try a combo of almond meal and coconut flour but add more coconut milk and eggs as the coconut flour really dries things out!
Danielle says
Love the babies on quilt shot (fab quilt too) and really love zucchinis so looking forward to trying this loaf with all its chocolatey goodness ;-)
Claire says
It's adorable isn't it? My mother-in-law made the quilt.
Hotly Spiced says
That's a lot of babies! And what a great shot of them all. I love your zucchini bread and you drizzled the chocolate over it beautifully. It looks gorgeous xx
Claire says
There are quite a few! Thanks Charlie x
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Hehe I'm not really a baby person but I have to say that that's a really cute photo with them all in a circle! :D Great looking cake bread too!
Claire says
Yes I think that photo might change anyone's mind!
My Kitchen Stories says
I love this kind of cake I have to admit. It looks like it is just chocolatey enough to be perfect
Claire says
Thanks Tania! It was quite delicious!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I'm not so good at sneaking vegetables into much of anything. Carrot cake? I must do better!
This lovely zucchini bread with chocolate looks like something I should start with.
Claire says
Carrot cake counts!