Chocolate Zucchini Bread
This rich and moist chocolate zucchini bread filled with chocolate chunks and a hint of spices is great for summer baking, and perfect for any occasion.
This is a chocolate cake masquerading as “bread” and I’m 100% okay with that. Does adding zucchini make it any healthier? Probably not. But it’s a delicious way to use up summer zucchini, the zucchini keeps the bread super moist, and it’s always a fun party trick to put vegetables in dessert!
This double chocolate zucchini bread has incredibly rich chocolate flavor, and is super moist without being too heavy or dense. You’ll love the extra chocolate bits studded throughout, and the hint of cinnamon and cardamom. Bake one loaf and watch it disappear, or bake two and freeze the extra for later or share with others.
Table of Contents
- Why bake with zucchini?
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to make chocolate zucchini bread
- Double the recipe to freeze or share!
- Get the recipe
- More zucchini treats
Why bake with zucchini?
I really think zucchini in baked goods started out as a way to use up extra garden zucchini in a fun, unique and sneaky way. One zucchini plant in your garden apparently can yield as much as 25+ zucchinis— wow! What do you do with all that? Answer: put in in chocolate cake. 😊
Zucchini adds a lot of moisture to baked goods without adding any fat, and its mild flavor means you can’t even taste that it’s in there. Win-win!
How to prep zucchini for baking: A good rule of thumb is that 1 medium zucchini = 1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini. Most recipes will call for shredded zucchini, and you can shred it either with a cheese grater or food processor. While this recipe doesn’t require you to squeeze out extra liquid from the zucchini, others may include that step.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Zucchini
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder (you can use natural unsweetened or Dutch-process)
- Baking soda, baking powder and salt
- Cinnamon and cardamom (optional)
- Oil (Use a neutral or mild oil like vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or melted coconut oil)
- Eggs
- Sour cream (or plain greek yogurt)
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
How to make chocolate zucchini bread
This is a “two-bowl” recipe, meaning we’ll combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls first, and then combine the two to make the batter. It’s super simple, no mixer required!
- Shred zucchini. Use either a box grater or a food processor with a fine shred blade.
- Combine dry ingredients. Stir flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large bowl.
- Whisk wet ingredients and combine. Whisk oil, eggs, sugars, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth, then stir in shredded zucchini. Add it all to the dry ingredients and use a spatula or spoon to bring it all together, careful not to overmix. Add the chocolate when only a few streaks of dry ingredients remain.
- Bake. Pour the batter into a greased 9×4-inch pan and bake until dry and cracked in the middle and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Enjoy! Let the bread cool in the pan for only about 10 minutes, then remove it. Let it cool completely on a wire rack, or slice it while it’s still warm if you can’t wait!
baking tip:Tips for baking quick breads
- Do not over mix the batter, or you’ll be left with a tough loaf. Mix just until everything is combined, but there will still be a few lumps.
- Lining the loaf pan with parchment paper ensures none of it sticks to the pan, and makes it super easy to lift and remove.
- If your bread browns too quickly as it bakes, cover with foil.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This will take about an hour, but start checking on it after 45 minutes. When the center is firm and no longer jiggles, use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Double the recipe to freeze or share!
This recipe uses only one medium zucchini, so if you have more zucchini to use up you might as well double the recipe! What friend or neighbor wouldn’t love a surprise delivery? You can also freeze the extra loaf for later.
To store chocolate zucchini bread in the freezer: Let the loaf cool completely, then wrap in two layers of plastic wrap (this will protect it from freezer burn). Store in the freezer for 1-2 months. When ready to enjoy, let thaw on the counter for a few hours.
Get the recipe
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup (180 g) fresh grated zucchini (about 1 medium)
- 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (40 g) cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom (optional)
- ½ cup (114 g) sour cream or plain greek yogurt , full-fat
- ½ cup (110 g) neutral or mild oil , vegetable oil, grapeseed oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (105 g) light or dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 4 inch loaf pan. If desired, line with parchment.
- Shred the zucchini with either a box grater or food processor, but do not squeeze out any excess liquid.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cardamom.
- In a separate bowl combine the sour cream, oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla and shredded zucchini. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing between each until the batter is just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. The center of the bread will be slightly puffed and cracked. Let the bread rest for about 10 minutes in the pan, then turn it out and cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.
Notes
- Yields: 1 9×5-inch loaf. Recipe can be doubled for additional loaves. To freeze, cool completely and cover in two layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer for 1-2 months. Let thaw on the counter in the plastic wrap.
- For best results and the most rise, let the eggs and sour cream come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using. If your zucchini is in the fridge, pull it out too. A cold batter will take longer to bake and won’t bake up as well.
This recipe was originally published September 2009. Recipe was retested and improved in August 2025.
More zucchini treats
This loaf was so moist and chocolatey. Â It was gobbled up by the entire family. Thanks Annalise!
Thanks for the comment and review, Nancy! 🙂
Can I do this in mini loafs? If so how long would I bake it for?
Sure! Not sure of the size of a mini loaf pan, but I wouldn’t fill them to more than 2/3 full. Maybe start checking after 20-30 minutes? Sorry I can’t say for sure as I haven’t tested this myself.
Wow! I made this today but I made them into muffins! So amazing! Love your recipes! I forgot to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini—but they turned out amazing! Thanks.
I’m definitely gonna make it. This looks like chocolate heaven!