This vegan chocolate zucchini bread is rich, moist, and soft and easily made in one bowl using simple wholesome ingredients. Jump to Recipe
This moist and fudgy easy vegan chocolate zucchini loaf packs in a whole zucchini but you would never know. It honestly tastes like an actual chocolate cake! All the zucchini does is add a bunch of moisture. No weird veggie taste in the background.
I already have a Vegan Zucchini Bread on the blog which is amazing and also super simple to make. If chocolate is not your thing, go for that one. If you’re team chocoholic, then my vegan chocolate zucchini bread is for you! So rich and decadent in taste which makes it an amazing dessert—perhaps even topped with my vegan carrot cake ice cream. I mean, might just as well add some more sneaky veggies for good measure, right?
But it’s also a great snack and easily portable! Perfect as a grab-and-go sweet breakfast treat! The recipe is super easy to make in one bowl. Perfect for beginners.
Recipe Card
Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 (147 g) shredded zucchini from roughly 1 small zucchini
- 1 1/2 cups (187.5 g) flour I used a mix of 1 cup all purpose 1/2 cup spelt
- 1/4 cup (21.5 g) cocoa
- 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom Optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup (61 g) apple sauce
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) neutral-tasting oil of choice avocado, sunflower, refined coconut etc
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (177.44 ml) non dairy milk
- 1/2 cup (118.29 g) dairy-free chocolate chips - Half in batter and half for topping
Instructions
- Shred the zucchini and place on a layer of paper towels and set aside while you prep the rest of the ingredients. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients until well combined. Now, add in the wet ingredients except for the zucchini and chocolate chips and mix well to make a stiff batter.
- The batter should be somewhat stiff. If it isn’t then add 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour and mix in. Squeeze the zucchini shreds in the layer of paper towel over your sink to remove the excess moisture, then add the zucchini to the batter along with half of the chocolate chips. Fold zucchini and chocolate chips into the batter. Now, pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan (9 x 5“) and sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Bake at 365°F for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick from the center comes out clean clean. Cool for 15 minutes then remove from the pan. Cool completely before slicing.
- Store: Store on the counter for the day and refrigerate for up to 7 days.You can add ganache on this bread instead of the chocolate chips. Melt 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips with 1/4 cup coconut cream in a double boiler. Once smooth, spread over baked and cooled bread.
Notes
- You can skip the chocolate chips if you want.
- To further enhance the chocolate flavor, you could add some instant espresso or coffee powder.
- for Glutenfree: replace 1/4 cup flour in my Glutenfree zucchini bread with 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- for Oilfree , omit oil and add 2 tbsp more applesauce
- Leftover chocolate zucchini bread can also be sliced and frozen, to have on hand for a quick and healthy breakfast or chocolatey snack.
- By letting the zucchini shreds rest in the paper towel, then squeezing out the excess water before adding the veggie shreds to the batter, we remove some of the excess moisture. Don't skip this part or your batter might be too moist.
Nutrition
Ingredients for making Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- shredded zucchini for extra moisture! I added about 1 small zucchini. Don’t worry, you will not be able to taste it! Squeeze out the zucchini for the best results.
- flour – I used a mix of all-purpose and spelt but you can use just all-purpose or add whole wheat instead of spelt.
- cocoa powder for that lovely color and intense chocolate flavor. Are we still adding some real chocolate? ABSOLUTELY! Dairy-free chocolate chips all the way!
- As raising agents, we use a blend of baking soda and baking powder.
- fine sea salt helps to intensify the chocolate flavor.
- To up the cozy in this chocolate zucchini bread, I like to add some vanilla extract and a blend of ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and ground nutmeg.
- brown sugar adds a nice round sweetness that goes so well with the spice blend! You can use coconut sugar instead
- apple sauce is used as a vegan egg replacement.
- As a source of fat, we use a neutral-tasting oil. Use what you have on hand – avocado, sunflower, refined coconut, etc. All of those work.
- To lighten up the batter, I add some non-dairy milk. Almond, coconut, cashew, oat, hazelnut, or soy milk would be perfect.
Tips & Substitutions:
- You can skip the chocolate chips if you want.
- To further enhance the chocolate flavor, you could add some instant espresso or coffee powder.
- Leftover chocolate zucchini bread can also be sliced and frozen, to have on hand for a quick and healthy breakfast or chocolatey snack.
- By letting the zucchini shreds rest in the paper towel, then squeezing out the excess water before adding the veggie shreds to the batter, we remove some of the excess moisture. Don’t skip this part or your batter might be too liquid.
- For extra easy mixing, sift together all dry ingredients before adding them to the batter.
- for Glutenfree: replace 1/4 cup flour in my Glutenfree zucchini bread with 1/4 cup cocoa powder
How to make Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread:
Prep: Shred the zucchini and place it on a paper towel and set aside while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients until well combined. You could also sift this mix to get rid of any lumps in the flour before adding the wet ingredients!
Now, add in the wet ingredients except for the zucchini and chocolate chips and mix well to make a batter. The batter should be somewhat stiff. If it isn’t then add 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour and mix in.
Squeeze the zucchini in the paper towel to remove the excess moisture then add the zucchini to the batter along with half of the chocolate chips. Fold zucchini and chocolate chips into the batter.
Bake the chocolate zucchini bread at 365°F for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick from the center comes out clean clean
Prep your baking pan for easy removal:
Lightly grease the pan, then line with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving some overhanging. That way, you can just lift your loaf out of the pan once cool enough to move.
MORE VEGAN BAKES FROM THE BLOG
- Golden Turmeric Coconut Loaf – 1 Bowl.
- Grain-free Carrot Banana Bread. Use shredded zucchini instead of carrot for Grain-free Zucchini Banana Bread,
- Carrot Turmeric Chia Muffins.
- Sweet Potato Pie Bars.
- Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake.
- Gluten-free Cakes and Loaves.
Gabriella
Just made this today using the gluten-free variation in the notes. It was fantastic. I added chocolate chips and walnuts! I made mine into muffins. Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Vegan Richa Support
Scrumptious
Helen
Hello Richa!
This looks lovely
I often wonder if you develop and test the recipes using the metric conversions or using the cup measurements? Conversion tables vary a lot and I have my own system which gives different conversions to yours.
In theory, metric is more accurate but this is not always the case when recipes are developed in cups and conversion tables are use.
I’d love to know how to get the best results. Have you tested the recipes in metric?
Would love some insight.
Best wishes,
Helen
Richa
No I develop using cups and use a widget for conversion. I usually do mention in the instructions to watch out for the consistency of the batter and adjust with more flour or more liquid if needed and Also base it on the pictures in the post. Hopefully that is enough help while cooking in metric. There are measuring errors and different ingredients behaviors whichever way, so do look for the qualifiers about consistencies.The top section will sometimes have more information about troubleshooting baking
Helen
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply Richa.
Yes, I really should get less hung up about numbers and really have to learn to make judgements based on your carefully written descriptions and photos. Perhaps with a little more practice, some confidence will come.
Your advice in the posts is always welcomed. A good read through the questions and comments together with your answers to us as individuals always brings insight too.
Thank you so much.
Helen
Dal
Just made this today and it is absolutely delicious. Ate 3 slices in one go! Moist and just sweet enough. Love the spices. I used a gluten free self raising flour and omitted the baking soda and used cacao instead of cocoa. Thank you for this recipe!
Vegan Richa Support
so glad that it turned out great!
Alison
Another great recipe, Richa! I wish I had dairy-free chocolate chips where I live, they would have made my loaf so much better. However, even without, it’s delish. Fluffy and light!
Richa
Awesome
Anna
Made this yesterday, it’s so good! Really great texture and taste, i’d definitely make it again. One thing I did notice though is that it says 1/4 cup cocoa powder is 21g, but when I measured it it came out as just over 30g. Wasn’t sure if this was a mistype? Anyway using 30g seemed to work perfectly for me, so just wanted to warn anyone else who goes by weight!
Richa
It’s the widget that converts based on database. Might be an error in their database
Priya
Hi Richa, I made this substituting flax egg for apple sauce and jaggery for brown sugar. The cake turned out well, but could have been sweeter. I guess next time I will add some extra jaggery or use brown sugar. Couldn’t taste the zucchini, it was a nice treat.
Richa
Awesome! Yes use more jaggery. It is less sweet than regular sugar. Also maybe the cocoa or chocolate chips weren’t sweet enough as they also help. You can add chocolate glaze that is more sweet for each slice
Marina Sanxchez
Hello, I love your recipes , can I leave out the oil?
Vegan Richa Support
no problem – just add 2 tbsp more applesauce
Tiny
Great recipe, made it this morning! Yum!
Richa
Awesome
Mamta
Hi Richa, can you recommend a substitute for apple sauce?
Vegan Richa Support
it’s used an an egg replacement – so substitute 1 chia or flax egg
Emily
This was perfect to use up my zucchini. So chocolatey and so moist
Richa
Awesome
Desicart
Yum! This looks so delicious and tasty!
Joanne
I made this using all whole wheat pastry flour. The substitution worked fine. It was delicious!
Richa
Awesome!
Wendy
Hi Richa!
Is there a way to make this oil free?
Richa
Add 2 tbsp applesauce
Wendy
Thank-you, Thank-you!
El bocado de la huerta
Que bueno con calabacín y manzana,
1 saludito
Richa
Yes you can use shredded apples