Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Alright so it’s still zucchini season and I’ve clearly planted way too many zucchini plants because every day the question is “what else can we make with zucchini”? It’s never-ending! Our family loves this vegan chocolate zucchini bread so much we’ve had a loaf of it on hand constantly for the past month now. We may have a problem, but it is really that good. Plus it’s made with oat flour so it’s gluten free!
This vegan and gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread is not only delicious, but it’s also loaded with lots of good stuff so I don’t even mind if my kids eat it for breakfast. This recipe uses oat flour, ground flaxseed, chia seed, cacao, and walnuts to provide fiber, protein, omega-3, and good fats. Additionally, smashed ripe bananas are used to cut down on the sugar content. Double win. Go to town kids, eat your heart out.
I absolutely love veggie/fruit breads (zucchini, carrot, banana). They make the best vegan breads since the veggie and/or fruit adds a good deal of moisture. This vegan chocolate zucchini bread is no exception, it is super moist but also has a great cake texture. My friends had no idea they were eating a vegan cake! Plus there is no need for a mixer, just mix it the old fashion way by hand.
Drain Excess Liquid from the Zucchini
You should drain and squeeze your grated zucchini for success with this recipe. Zucchini packs a ton of water and you need to squeeze some of this out or your bread will be like pudding, instead of cake—believe me, I’ve made this mistake many times! What I’ve found that works best is to put the grated zucchini in a mesh strainer and literally squeeze out the water with my hand.
Warning, this recipe is only for chocolate lovers. We are a household of some serious dark chocolate fanatics. When pursuing the grocery store for a chocolate fix I buy only the very darkest chocolate bar, 88% and up. If I’m going to have some chocolate I want the real deal, not just a lot of sugar. This vegan chocolate zucchini bread is less sweet than some varieties, but it doesn’t skimp on caocao!
Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread
A super moist plant-based and gluten-free vegan chocolate zucchini bread recipe. Loaded with cocoa powder and chocolate chips on top. This is a chocolate lovers dream, but it’s also not too sweet. Made with oat flour, this delicious vegan chocolate zucchini bread recipe is sure to be a favorite.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups of shredded zucchini, drained and squeezed
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Dry ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups of oat flour
- 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 cup of cacao powder
- 1 1/2 cups of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of chia seeds
Wet ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
- 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Additional ingredients
- 1/4 cup of walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup of vegan chocolate chips, plus more for toppings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour two loaf pans to prevent sticking. I like to use coconut oil.
- Put the grated zucchini in a fine strainer, add salt and mix together with a spoon. I like to put the strainer on top of a bowl to collect the water from the zucchini. Set aside for 10 minutes. Then use your hands to squeeze excess water out of the zucchini.
- In a large mixing bowl add all dry ingredients: oat flour, arrowroot powder, baking soda, baking powder, cacao powder, sugar, and chia seeds. Mix together until evenly incorporated.
- In a medium-size bowl add the bananas and smash them up using the back of a fork.
- Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the medium-size bowl: unsweetened plant-based milk, olive oil, ground flaxseed, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix everything together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Add the grated zucchini, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Mix together until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Batter should be thick.
- Pour the batter into the two loaf pans. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips.
- Place the pans in the oven and bake for 55 minutes.
- Let the loaves rest for at least 30 minutes before serving. This bread is also delicious chilled.
Notes
This bread keeps really well. You can refrigerate it for up to two weeks or pop a loaf in the freezer for up to a month.
