Chocolate Zucchini Bread

5 from 2 votes

Rich and fudgy, this moist, easy Chocolate Zucchini Bread is the perfect summer treat!

Course bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate zucchini bread, double chocolate zucchini bread, easy chocolate zucchini bread

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 58

Cooling Time 2

Total Time 3 13

Servings loaf (about 12 slices)

Calories 263kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup whole or 2% milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup shredded zucchini, patted dry slightly on a towel (but not squeezed)
Optional mix-ins or toppings: 1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a deep 8 ½ x 4 ½ -inch or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, sour cream, oil and milk. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to the sugar mixture; stir just until combined (do not over-mix). Fold in zucchini and optional nuts or chocolate chips.
Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle top with miniature chocolate chips, if desired.
Bake for about 55 minutes - 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, unmold from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Properly measure the flour. Spoon flour into the cups and lightly level with the straight edge of a knife. Packing the measuring cups too tightly and using too much flour will result in a dry loaf of bread.
Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature so that they blend together smoothly without the need for over-mixing.
Use full-fat sour cream for a rich, moist, and tender loaf of bread.
Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Too much stirring activates too much gluten and results in a dry, tough, or dense loaf of zucchini bread.
This is a thick, rich batter that rises very high, so I recommend a deep 8 ½ x 4 ½ -inch or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan to prevent overflow.
To keep the zucchini bread from getting soggy or becoming gummy in the center, it's important to bake the loaf all of the way through. If it's wet inside, it's likely under-baked. You'll know that the loaf is done when a long toothpick inserted into the very center of the loaf comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs.
Be careful not to over-bake the bread or it will become dry. I find that 55-60 minutes is best, so start checking it early. My loaves are usually perfect by the 57- or 58-minute mark.