zucchini bread with cocoa and chocolate chips
Makes 1, 9 inch x 5 inch loaf
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes, plus time to cool
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, for pan
2 cups shredded zucchini (peel and remove seeds if using larger zucchini)
1/3 cup avocado oil or other light flavored cooking oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Baking Blend for Muffins & Quick Breads
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or Dutch process will both work)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat Oven: Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prep Pan: Generously butter sides and bottom of a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs and vanilla extract and stir well to combine.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium mixing bowl, add the gluten free baking blend, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder and stir or whisk together to combine.
5. Make Batter: Add dry ingredients to the large mixing bowl with the zucchini mixture and stir together well to combine. Add chocolate chips and stir well to combine.
6. Bake Bread: Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top so batter is level. (Pan may seem nearly full but should not spill out when baking.) Bake for 1 hour, rotating pan half way through cooking time. Bread is done when a few crumbs are still attached when tested. (You may hit a melted chocolate chip so don’t over bake if the test seems too moist after an hour of baking.)
7. Cool Bread: Transfer bread to wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes before turning out of pan and allowing to cool completely. Serve cool or slightly warm. Enjoy!
