Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Zucchini is such a wonderful little squash.  It's so easy to grow - perfect for the first time gardener - and you can do almost anything with it.  (I mean cooking-wise.  Sheesh.  Get yer heads out of the gutter.)  This is a great veggie that goes well with, or in, just about anything.  Case in point, how many vegetables can you combine with chocolate to make something tasty?

My mom used to make chocolate zucchini bread a lot, but since I couldn't find her recipe, I scoured the net for one that sounded close.  I decided to start with this one posted on cooks.com. 

I've usually made chocolate zucchini bread with cocoa, but this recipe called for melted chocolate, which sounded like an interesting change, so I thought I'd try it.

Of course, I did modify it a smidgy, and below is my version.  The first change I made was in the preparation of the zucchini.  The recipe says to "Peel, seed and grate..."  Peeling, I can understand.  But removing the seeds?  Seeding a zucchini is sort of like ... coring a carrot.  Difficult and pointless.  I chose not to "peel" or "seed" before grating.  Zucchini "au natural" gives the bread a little more texture, and I like it that way.  I also cut back a bit on the oil and added some yogurt.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts

Put chocolate into pan to melt.  I don't have a double boiler, so I improvise with a small pan inside a larger pan.  Boil water in the larger pan, just enough to boil but not enough to touch the bottom of the smaller pan.  Chocolate pieces go in the smaller pan. 

While the chocolate is melting, beat eggs in a large bowl until fluffy.  Add sugar, oil and yogurt and mix well.  Stir in grated zucchini, melted chocolate and vanilla.  Just ignore the fact that it looks like mud and grass.  :)

Sift dry ingredients together and then stir into the other mixture.  Add chopped nuts if desired. 

Pour into 2 greased bread pans (9 x 5 x 2 inches) and bake at 350 for 60 - 70 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.  The top will split and pull away from the sides of the pan a bit. 

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans.

This bread is full of texture and taste.  My favorite is served warm, but it also freezes well and can be popped out of the freezer when you need it for an afternoon tea party or quick dessert.

Enjoy!

Comments

[Karin]

2 small zucchini equal 2 cups shredded zucchini? Please advise. Thanks!

[Miwa]

I was wondering if you didn't melt the chocolate (and had chocolate chips strewn throughout the bread instead) what I'd have to do to modify the bread dough and make sure it's still moist enough? Any ideas?

[Christine]

Hi Sarah,
I bought 3 small zucchini, and ended up using 2 of them. When I say small, I mean they were only about 5 inches long. And I didn't pack the stuff down into the measuring cup, I left it a bit fluffy.

[Sarah Jane ?Growe]

How many zucchini is two cups?

[Christine]

LOL, you're right, what was I thinking???

[vicki]

Christine... Everything goes good with Chocolate. Doesn't it? :)

[Christine]

I think the reason zucchini goes so well with chocolate here is that it doesn't have a really strong flavor of its own. I'm not sure how other squashes would work. Hard to imagine pumpkin flavor combined with chocolate, but it might work. I would think it would be ok to use another squash with a mild flavor. Or ... just leave out the chocolate. Sacriligeous, I know. :)

As to the watery-ness, zucchini can be pretty watery. But if you think the squash you're using is too wet, just cut back on the amount a little bit. Or drain it some, as Vicki suggests. Good luck, let me know how it comes out!

[vicki]

What is the name of the squash you're thinking of using? Maybe, you could use another squash, but wring out liquid by placing grated squash in dish towel and squeezing out juices.

I'm going to use grated pumpkin, acorn or butternut squash since z squash is history in my neck of the woods.

[Bendita]

I live in the tropics and we don't get zucchini. Since it is from the squash family, would regular squash (more waterery based) be a substitute? I don't think so, but need another opinion.

[vicki]

Sounds marvelous. I'm going to play with this recipe.