Description
Ina Garten’s chocolate zucchini bread delivers a moist, rich dessert that balances vegetables and cocoa perfectly. Chocolate lovers will savor each dense slice packed with deep flavor and subtle garden-fresh notes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 8 tbsps (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup (8 oz) shredded zucchini
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 tbsps vegetable oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 2 oz (57 g) semisweet chocolate (finely chopped)
- 1 ¼-inch-thick lengthwise slice of zucchini (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Calibrate oven to 350°F and meticulously line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter and flour, ensuring complete coverage and removing excess.
- Combine Dry Components: Whisk all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly integrated and lump-free.
- Cream Butter Mixture: Utilize an electric mixer to blend unsalted butter and granulated sugar, transforming the mixture into a light, voluminous texture with a pale hue.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Gradually introduce vegetable oil, whole egg, and vanilla extract, mixing until the components seamlessly merge into a smooth, consistent batter.
- Blend and Fold: Transition mixer to low speed, alternating dry ingredient mixture with buttermilk, carefully folding in shredded zucchini and chopped semisweet chocolate with minimal manipulation to preserve batter integrity.
- Finalize and Decorate: Pour batter into prepared pan, garnishing with a delicate zucchini slice across the surface for visual appeal.
- Bake and Assess: Position pan in preheated oven and bake for approximately 55 minutes, verifying doneness by inserting a toothpick that emerges clean and void of raw batter.
- Cool and Serve: Rest zucchini chocolate bread on a wire rack, allowing complete cooling before slicing and presenting this delectable treat.
Notes
- Moisture Magic: Zucchini adds incredible moisture to the bread, preventing dryness and creating a tender crumb without overwhelming vegetable flavor.
- Chocolate Depth: Use high-quality cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate for rich, complex taste that elevates the bread from simple to sophisticated.
- Mixing Mastery: Never overmix the batter after adding flour to keep the texture light and prevent tough, dense bread – gentle folding is key.
- Storage Secrets: Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer preservation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg