Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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Beware ~ this Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread is addicting in the worst way.  It’s shamelessly all about the (bittersweet) chocolate, with a bunch of fresh zucchini thrown in to keep it legal.  If you’re planning to make it for company, better bake two, you won’t be able to control yourself.


I wonder whether you see the glass half empty, or half full.  Summer has peaked, and it’s downhill from here for sure, but depending on your perspective that can be exhilarating or incredibly sad.  I’m doing a happy dance because cooler temps, nippy nights, pumpkins, and all that, feeds my soul and I’m glad it’s finally on the horizon again.  But whatever your mood, this decadent little cake can help.  We’ve had our fill of salads, fresh veggies, all the berries we could ever want…and we still have boatloads of zucchini hanging around — so now it’s time for a different kind of good eats.

This is a classic zucchini bread that’s been enriched with cocoa and bittersweet chocolate chips.  It would be fantastic naked — just sprinkle it with a bit of powdered sugar and call it breakfast or a coffee break.  No one would ever dream that there might be anything more to it.  But I don’t believe in doing things halfway, and adding a thick layer of bittersweet ganache really turns this zucchini bread into an experience.

Even though you can’t see the zucchini (it doesn’t stand a chance with all that dark chocolate,) it’s in there, and it gives this cake a great moisture and a nice loose crumb.

recipe adapted from Delish.


Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread

INGREDIENTS

  • dry ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • wet ingredients
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups grated zucchini (buy two medium)
  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips (I used bittersweet)
  • ganache
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Set oven to 350F
  2. Lightly spray and line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment, leaving the ends long so you can lift the cake out for slicing after it has baked.
  3. Whisk the dry ingredients together. I like to sift the cocoa powder to get rid of any lumps. Set aside.
  4. Whisk the sugar and eggs together until pale and smooth. Beat in the butter and vanilla, then fold in the zucchini.
  5. Blend the dry ingredients into the wet, in three stages, blending just until incorporated after each addition, and don't over-beat!
  6. Fold in the chocolate chips and spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center doesn't come out with wet batter clinging to it.
  7. Cool completely on a rack before frosting.
  8. To make the ganache, heat the cream to a simmer, then pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 3 minutes, then stir until glossy and smooth. Refrigerate until cooled and spreadable, stirring every once in a while to keep it glossy.

notes:

I made this with bittersweet chocolate and extra dark cocoa powder, and so it has a bittersweet flavor.  If you don’t like that, be sure to use a sweeter chocolate.
If you want to try a similar recipe without the zucchini, try my Chocolate Pound Cake.