Okay you might be thinking, does this actually taste good? But would I steer you wrong? Hopefully not. This chocolate orange zucchini bread is a delicious and quick bread recipe that can be served at the brunch table or for an evening treat.
I’ve been making quick breads for years, mostly because they are fool-proof. Before I even knew how to make eggs, my mom would send me those Williams Sonoma quick loaf mixes, and they were always so good (I still like them to this day). It’s so nice being able to just dump the contents in a pan and then throw it in the oven. And when you can use up groceries that are on the brink of expiring – even better.
Grate the zucchini
I’ve made a lot of banana breads before, so I’m used to mashing up the bananas to a pulp. For the zucchini, use the medium or large side of a box cheese grater to get the job done. We want the pieces to be pretty small, but no so tiny that they are a wet and soggy mess. If you do not have a cheese grater of any kind, try mincing the zucchini as best as you can with a knife. Since zucchini is a softer vegetable, it will still bake well into the bread and shouldn’t cause a huge texture issue.
The zucchini bread batter
This part is pretty self explanatory. Mix the dry, mix the wet, then combine dry and wet. While I use all purpose flour for the whole recipe, you can swap 1 cup of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour if you prefer. I just didn’t have any on hand when I created this chocolate orange zucchini bread.
Keep in mind this important note!! Your almond milk must be room temperature. I know this is annoying and I too sometimes think, “Okay, it’s probably fine,” when my butter, milk or eggs are still kind of cold. But don’t do it here! If your almond milk has any kind of chill in it, it will make the coconut oil solidify, almost like a sheet of glass on a cold lake. Not great for an even bake and even more annoying to try to fix!
If you are inpatient, give the milk a quick zap in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and test it with your finger. But don’t make it too hot! We don’t want our eggs to scramble in there either.
The orange zest
Call it last minute inspiration, I don’t know. Since I used coconut oil and maple syrup instead of butter and sugar, I thought it needed just an extra zing. The orange makes the bread just a bit more flavorful and complements the chocolate QUITE NICELY.
And that’s it! Add some chocolate chips and it’s ready. The bread tastes great with a smear of warm butter or just alone as it is. Wrap up the bread and leave at room temperature if you do not eat immediately!
Want more easy treats? Try my Honey Whiskey Almond Bread or Healthier Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. So good and simple!
Chocolate Orange Zucchini Bread
Equipment
- Standard bread pan (8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches for example)
- 2 mixing bowls
- spatula
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Zest of one orange
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- 1½ cups almond milk room temperature
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line your bread pan with parchment paper. (Or grease the pan thoroughly.)
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract until combined. Mix in the zucchini and orange zest gently.
- Make a well in the large bowl (with the dry ingredients) and pour in the wet ingredients. Combine with a spatula, but be careful not to over mix. Pour in the chocolate chips and fold in.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, keeping a close eye on it towards the end. It should be pretty thick. (A knife should come out clean when inserted in the middle). Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Slice and eat immediately or wrap and save at room temperature for 2-3 days.
