Zucchini Chocolate Bread

Two years back, when I first started the vegetable bed, zucchini was one of the things I planted. I had no clue that it is going to grow so wild. Without that knowledge, I had sowed 4 of them and had plenty of zucchini growing that year. They were growing faster than I could cook with. Even when I gave some to my neighbors, colleagues, it was so much that I cooked almost everyday using this squash. I made chutney, cake, bread, rice, curry and what not. This year, when I started getting ready to plant the seeds, one of the things my husband said to me was "Please don't grow Zucchini" - he was tired of this vegetable. And I didn't, but that didn't stop me from buying it and using it. Something to do with summer and squash. You have to make use of them. This bread is a bit on sweeter side. You could reduce the sugar to just 1 cup if you want a less sweeter bread. This bread also doesn't rise much and is more towards a dense bread. But is very moist and delicious.

One Year Back - Vegan Carrot bread
Two Years Back - Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Adapted from - Smitten Kitchen
Makes two loaves
Ingredients: 
All purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups
Unsweetened Cocoa - 1/2 cup (I used dutch processed, but natural works too)
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 3/4 cup
Egg - 3 large or 4 egg whites (I used egg whites) - See Notes
Vanilla - 2 tsp
Zucchini - peeled and shredded with medium grater - 2 cups (about 1 medium zucchini)
Mini chocolate chips - 1/2 cup  - 1 cup (optional)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F (In my case, 325 F since I was using dark pans). Grease two 8 X 4 or 9 X 5 pans with vegetable oil spray. Set aside. In a bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together oil and egg or egg whites. Stir in vanilla. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour the liquid mixture. Stir slowly so that it mixes evenly. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips if using. This is a very thick batter until you add zucchini. It almost looks like a dry mix. But once you add the shredded zucchini, it loosens up a bit. Even then, it is quite a thick batter. Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 55 - 60 (will be less if you use 9 X 5 pans and at 350 F) minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn it on to the wire rack to cool completely.  This bread doesn't rise much, so keep that in mind when you fill the pans.

Notes:
I have made this couple of times using flax meal as egg substitute. It comes out great. I had to use up a carton of egg whites, so used that in this.

Enjoy.

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