Chocolate Zucchini Bread

We’re not talking about your grandma’s heirloom recipe here. Veering a bit from tradition, we added chocolate to this indulgent zucchini bread that will fill your kitchen with heavenly scents and create a delicious, fudgy treat when the oven timer dings.

Baking a loaf of this sweet bread is a great way to use up extra zucchini when your garden gets overzealous, but the nutritious vegetable can also be found year-round at the grocery store. When growing zucchini, farmers often use GMO varieties, which were developed to defend against the zucchini yellow mosaic virus. GMO crops, like zucchini and soybeans, have stronger internal defenses so farmers can cut back on the amount of pesticides they use to protect them. There are only 10 GMO crops approved and grown in the U.S. today, and since they became commercially available over 20 years ago, they’ve increased crop yields by 22 percent and reduced pesticide use by 37 percent, but the benefits don’t stop there. Discover more reasons South Dakota farmers choose to plant GMOs and read about the other eight GMO crops here.

If you’re itching to get your chocolate fix, watch the video to see this dreamy zucchini bread come together and find the full recipe below. While you’ve got your loaf pan out, try this banana nut bread from a local farmer, too!

Hungry for Truth is an initiative about food and farming funded by the South Dakota soybean checkoff. The goal is to connect South Dakotans with the farmers who grow and raise their food. 

Print Recipe

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

42 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup Soybean Oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups zucchini grated and blotted with paper towels to absorb moisture
• 1 cup Flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 42 minutes Servings Ingredients 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled 1/4 cup Soybean Oil 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup Sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1-1/2 cups zucchini grated and blotted with paper towels to absorb moisture 1 cup Flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, soybean oil, brown sugar and sugar until completely dissolved. Stir in eggs and vanilla and whisk well.
3. Add zucchini to bowl and stir.
4. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Fold in a heaping 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Reserve the remaining chocolate chips to sprinkle on the top.
5. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Check after 30 minutes. If it is getting too done on the sides of the bread, lightly place foil over the top to allow the center to become fully cooked. The bread may need longer to cook once the foil is placed over the top.
6. Set aside to cool for at least 15-20 minutes. Slice and enjoy!