Decadent vegan chocolate zucchini bread that comes together in one bowl! This eggless quick bread is packed with zucchini for the perfect level of moistness.
Why you'll love this recipe
TASTE/TEXTURE: Soft, rich chocolate flavor and decadent. The extra zucchini makes this bread more moist than actual chocolate cake! Don't worry, you cannot taste the zucchini at all.
DIFFICULTY: Easy to make using just a few common ingredients.
Simple ingredients you'll need
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Shredded zucchini. You don't need to blot or squeeze the excess moisture from the zucchini for this recipe! There's a smaller amount of dairy-free milk in the recipe so you don't end up with overly moist bread. I used a food processor to shred my zucchini but a box grater will also work.
Brown sugar for moisture and depth of flavor. Alternatively, you can use coconut sugar or granulated sugar.
Dairy-free yogurt (optional) binds the ingredients and helps replace some of the functions of eggs. Shredded zucchini makes the bread a little crumbly but the yogurt ties everything together. We don't notice the crumbliness in chocolate zucchini muffins because they're smaller and don't need to be sliced! Alternatively, you can use unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, a flax egg or just omit it.
Dairy-free milk. I used soy milk but any variety, such as almond milk or oat milk will work.
How to make chocolate zucchini bread
One of the best things about this dessert is that it comes together in one large bowl!
First, mix all the wet ingredients including the sugar. Stir in the cocoa powder, then the rest of the dry ingredients and finally the chocolate chips. We're mixing the cocoa powder before the flour to make sure it's thoroughly combined. Since cocoa powder doesn't have gluten, you don't have to worry about overmixing it!
Here are some top tips for the best zucchini bread:
- Use a kitchen scale and grams to measure your ingredients. It's difficult to accurately measure zucchini and flour by their volume and too much of either will give the bread a dense texture.
- Try to avoid overmixing the batter. If you're using chocolate chips, mix the batter until just before it's combined then fold in the chocolate chips.
Tips for baking the zucchini bread
This bread is straightforward to bake!
However, I understand that all kitchens and ovens are different so here are some tips:
- Make sure you're using a big enough loaf tin. My tin was 3-inches (7cm) tall and the zucchini bread quickly grew taller than that. If you have a shorter loaf pan, I recommend using larger loaf pan (for example, a 9-inch loaf pan) or bake the excess batter in a muffin tin.
- If your oven has a strong top heating element, the top of your loaf may burn. Keep an eye on the loaf and, if needed, tent the loaf with aluminum foil during baking.
Customizing this recipe
I recommend checking out my recipes for vegan chocolate zucchini muffins or regular zucchini muffins which are designed for muffin pans. They have a smaller ratio of sugar which allows muffins to grow tall domes rather than spread.
I also have a non-chocolate vegan zucchini bread recipe.
Yes! Some possible add-ins include:
- white vegan chocolate chips
- chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ½ teaspoon nutmeg for depth of flavor
Or, you may like my vegan chocolate banana bread!
I haven't tested it however, a combination of almond flour and gluten-free all-purpose flour has worked in other similar recipes, such as my vegan apple bread. Alternatively, if you've successfully used a brand of 1:1 gluten-free flour for another similar vegan recipe, it should work for this.
More vegan zucchini recipes
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Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) coarsely shredded zucchini, (around 1 medium large zucchini)
- 1 cup (190g) packed brown sugar, granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ cup (125g) dairy-free milk
- ½ cup (125g) neutral flavored oil
- ⅓ cup (75g) dairy-free yogurt, (optional, note 2 for alternatives)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Dry ingredients
- ½ cup (50g) cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose plain flour, spoon and leveled (note 2)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt, optional
- ¾ cup (130g) vegan chocolate chips, optional, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line or grease an 8-inch (20 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
Make the vegan chocolate zucchini bread:
- Add the zucchini and all the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined and there are no strands of zucchini sticking together. Add the cocoa powder and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just before it's combined. Add the chocolate chips and fold through the batter until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top of the batter with a spoon. If desired, sprinkle more chocolate chips on top.
Baking and storing the bread:
- Bake the bread for 60 to 65 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean. This is a moist bread so a few crumbs on your toothpick are fine.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes then place it on a wire rack.
- Enjoy the bread warm or at room temperature.
- Store any leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or store individual slices in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
- For the best results, use the spoon and level method where you fluff up the flour in the container, use a spoon to add flour to a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. I don't recommend using the measuring cup to scoop flour out of your container as too much flour will result in dry and dense bread. Alternatively, use the grams measurements.
- This recipe will work without yogurt or any egg replacers, but your bread will be a little crumbly. Instead of yogurt, you can use the same amount of applesauce, mashed banana or two tablespoons of ground flax seeds mixed with six tablespoons of water.
- If you'd like to use whole wheat flour or spelt flour, I suggest adding an extra dash of milk as those flours are more absorbent.
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M says
I made this using peanut butter instead of yogurt and it was excellent. Never had courgette bread before, was not sure what tonexpect. I used more cocoa and no chocolate chips.
Jeimarie says
This is the 3rd time I make this recipe in 1 month! Double batches 😋 whoever used Hersheys cocoa powder, pls remember that the chocolate needs time to bloom its taste. Atleast 8hrs minimum. I used date syrup instead of sugar and half flour half almond flour(and 2 tbsp of coconut flour to help absorb the extra moisture from the date honey) since I ran out of flour 🤣 but it was so good like that and lower in carbs that I kept it. Hands down THE BEST!!! Making a double batch today!
Anthea says
I love that you've made this bread a few times and that this recipe is a keeper for you! And it's great to hear that it worked with your substitutions as well and that you could customize it to the ingredients you had! Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback x
Natalie says
Loved the muffins recipe, tried these and sadly it wasn’t as great. Definitely make sure to use high quality cocoa powder (I used Hershey) wasn’t sweet enough or chocolatey..and it sank!
Anthea says
Hi Natalie, I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy this recipe. It's definitely not meant to sink, so I wonder if there was an issue with your ingredients or how they were measured (for example, using cups can add or subtract 50% of the specified dry ingredients which would throw off the recipe). This recipe is almost identical to the muffins recipe except this bread has yogurt, so I wonder why it tasted so different for you. Thanks for your feedback.
Shari Cahill says
Fantastic so moist and yummy
Anthea says
Hi Shari, I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for your review!
Diana Manzano Torres says
I love this recipe! Greatest in Mexico city.
Anthea says
Hi Diana, I'm so happy that you enjoyed this recipe! x
Lea says
Lovely recipe.
Easy to follow and super delicious. Will bake it again 🙂
Anthea says
Aw, that's wonderful to hear, and that the recipe is a keeper for you! I appreciate your feedback!
Jo says
I did it without chocolate chips, only with cocoa and it's great! I covered it in 74% cocoa chocolate and sprinkled with crushed pecan nuts. Delicious :).
Anthea says
That sounds wonderful, Jo! I'm so glad you enjoyed this bread, and thanks so much for your review!
Belle says
I baked this cake today was delicious!
Anthea says
I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for leaving a comment here too 🙂