This Coconut Chocolate Zucchini Bread is so rich, moist and delicious no one will ever know that the secret ingredient is zucchini.
My husband loves to eat little zucchini from the garden, but he won’t eat the big ones that I wait a bit too long to pick. So I’ve been baking zucchini bread for the last few months. There have been lots of great zucchini recipes posted the past summers and I tried many of them over the years.
I was especially attracted to the recipes that didn’t use as much oil. Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod posted a delicious, healthy zucchini bread with cranberries, whole wheat flour and applesauce to replace some of the oil.
Sara from Our Best Bites posted a chocolate zucchini bread that she described as “so light and moist and chocolaty that it’s pretty much cake in a loaf pan.” Declaring it “the one.” How could I not try “the one.”
I love her version too. I loved it so much in fact that I made five different versions of it. Her original Chocolate Chocolate Chip with cinnamon topping, Chocolate Chocolate Chip without cinnamon (my kids favorite), her Spiced Zucchini Bread with a hint of orange, Orange Cherry Zucchini Bread with orange oil and cardamom, and my favorite version, inspired by Hilda’s guest post on Jamie’s blog Life’s a Feast, this Coconut Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
The water content in the zucchini you grow in your own garden can vary a lot. Especially if you have a few rainy days.
One trick I like to use when I’m making zucchini bread is to spin the grated zucchini in a salad spinner. It removes the excess water from the zucchini so you get consistent results every time.
Even if you don’t have a garden overflowing with zucchini, it’s inexpensive to buy at the market. So pick some up and give this Chocolate Chip Coconut Chocolate Zucchini Bread a try!
I’ve been trying to do more videos for my recipes. People really love videos, especially on Facebook. In this video I didn’t add the brown sugar when I was adding the other wet ingredients, and I forgot to add the topping before I put the bread in the oven. So don’t forget those when you make it 🙂
Coconut Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour I used whole wheat pastry flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Topping:
- ⅓ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans (or 4 mini loaf pans) and set aside.
- Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Add sour cream and whisk to combine.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Stir in zucchini, chocolate chips, and coconut.
- Divide batter between pans. Sprinkle coconut and chocolate chips on top of batter in pans.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (Bake mini loaves for about 35 minutes.) Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from the pan and cool on a rack. (Be careful not to burn yourself on the hot chocolate chips when removing it from the pan.)
More zucchini bread recipes you might like:
Lemon Zucchini Bread, Barbara Bakes
Chocolate Zucchini Bread Bites, Barbara Bakes
Classic Zucchini Bread, That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread, Mom on Time Out
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Kathy McClanahan
Absolutely delicious!
Melissa Griffiths
Thank you Kathy! Welcome to zucchini season!
Christine
Do you know the conversions or cooking adjustments to make this in a muffin version?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Christine – I haven’t tried it, but you shouldn’t have to make any adjustments other than the time – about 20 minutes. Only fill the cups 2/3’s full. Let me know how it goes.
Aliaa
Hi Barbara, is the coconut sweetened or not, please?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Aliaa – it’s sweetened shredded coconut – Baker’s Angel Flake Coconut is a popular US brand. Enjoy!
Laurie
This is SO delicious I just had to say something. After making the loaves, it was so good, I thought “Gee, this might make good brownies.” Now I’ve made it a couple of times in a 9×13 pan. The first time it was like a moist chocolate cake. The second time I left out the baking soda to make it more like thick, fudgy brownies, and they’re a hit!
I have to say I have made a few substitutions, both for loaf pans or the cake pan.
For the flour I used 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup freshly ground einkorn flour.
At my 9000 ft elevation I used 3/4 tsp baking soda for loaf or cake, none at all for brownies.
For the oil I used melted and cooled (but still liquid) coconut oil.
For the sugar I used 1/2 cup coconut sugar + 1/2 cup organic cane sugar.
For the sour cream I used coconut milk (full-fat). (The first time I had no sour cream on hand but a half-used can of coconut milk. I thought it added to the coconut flavor and it turned out great.)
So, with this we are having a “healthy” dose of fruits & vegetables (cacao, coconut, zucchini).
Barbara Schieving
Thanks for sharing your tips Laurie! So fun that you make it in a 9×13 pan too.
Lauren
What kind of cocoa powder did you use? Dutch or regular?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Lauren – regular unsweetened cocoa powder. Ths King Arthur blend is my favorite https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/triple-cocoa-blend-16-oz?go=EM190712_P&trk_msg=N4BNHIMUVG5KV4GJH3PAEES1DO&trk_contact=B3EHVDQ27HIK9JP9TNK0T1LHT4&trk_s&yoReviewsPage=3 It works in any recipe and the dark cocoa makes a beautiful color.
Liz
What scrumptious loaves! All those extra goodies make this one irresistible zucchini bread!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Mum the texture to this looks really wonderful! I love adding vegetables to cakes. It makes them so moist! 😀 xxx
Savannagal
My zucchini plant died, but I have patti pan squash coming out my ears. Do you think I could use that instead? It tastes similar to me – mild squash flavor. When I saute it in a pan, it seems just about as watery as zucchini. I’d appreciate your thoughts about the swap.
Barbara Schieving
I haven’t tried it, but it seems like it would work just fine. Let me know if you try it 🙂
Velva-Tomatoes on the Vine
The zucchini adds moisture and density without extra oil. This is beautiful. What a great way to use too big zucchini from the garden. Thanks for sharing!
Velva
Carol
How did you know I have zucchini busting out of my garden, Barbara? 😉 It’s coming in fast and furious…if my arm was long enough to reach you, I’d be more than happy to share! They’ve been keeping me busy in the kitchen trying new zucchini bread flavors. I know we’d love this one-those loaves look wonderful. Great idea using the salad spinner to get the excess water out too-I sometimes grab my potato ricer to give the shredded zucchini a gentle squeeze.
Barbara Schieving
The potato ricer is a great idea too. Thanks Carol!
Barbara
Just wondering when you added chocolate chips to the batter….not sure if I’m missing something. Thank you
Barbara Schieving
Hi Barbara – some are used on top and some are stirred in to the batter before putting in the pan. I’ve updated the recipe. Thanks for the heads up.
Helena
This bread is awesome! I make it anytime I have extra zucchini! THanks for sharing!!!
Barbara Schieving
Hi Helena – so glad you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for letting me know.
Pretty. Good. Food.
Sounds so good! I’ve never tried to actually make zucchini bread (even thought I love it), I think I’ll give this recipe a shot :)!
Kat
I was baking yesterday and my husband requested something with coconut. I already had a cookie recipe I was going to try so put the coconut on the back burner. I am going to try this soon as it looks great!
petite nyonya
Wow, you made so many loaves! I wish I'm one of your neighbors right now 😉
Megan
I gotta try that chocolate coconut version. They are so pretty sitting there in their pans!
Akho
Awesome recipe!!! Made this twice on the wnekeed, and every time it was a huge hit. Very simple to make, and the kids loved it even though it was loaded with Zucchini and all good things!I used the large chocolate chip since that’s all i had on hand, but it still tasted great!
the ungourmet
Those are really pretty loaves! I made a chocolate coconut cake today as well! 😀
Pam
Now that's my kind of bread. I will be making this soon.
Bunny
Your loaves are picture perfect!