Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This vegan chocolate zucchini bread is perfectly moist & fudgy, and just happens to be made without eggs or dairy! Grated zucchini serves as a binder in addition to adding moisture, so this chocolatey bread is naturally (and deceptively!) vegan.

This post is sponsored by Baker's Secret. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sloane's Table possible! 

Grated zucchini snuck into a dense, chocolatey bread not only adds essential moisture and texture, but also counts as your vegetable serving for the day, right?! I think I speak for all bakers with insatiable sweet-tooths like me when I say that this is one of the best ways to eat vegetables. Made with just 10 ingredients, this bread bakes up with a brownie-like texture that would be a dream paired with your morning coffee or alongside a scoop vanilla ice cream for dessert!

For more bread recipes, try Brown Butter Banana Bread, Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf, and Chocolate Tahini Babka.

Why you'll love this chocolate zucchini bread

• Chocolatey & Moist: The combination of dutch process cocoa powder, freshly grated zucchini, and chunks of melty chocolate make this bread beautifully moist and just as decadent as a slice of chocolate cake.
• Naturally Vegan: Thanks to the binding effect and moisture content of the zucchini, there's no need for eggs or dairy, so this bread is naturally vegan! But it's rich, fudgy texture will fool you into believing it's not😉.
• Quick & Easy Method: All you need are a couple bowls and a hand mixer! You could even get away with just using a whisk if you'd prefer. Honestly, the hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to come out of the oven and cool!

Ingredient Notes

• Sugars: For the perfect balance of sweetness and moisture, this recipe requires both granulated sugar and brown sugar. 
• Neutral Oil: You can use any neutral oil, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or even coconut oil. My favorite is light tasting olive oil!
• Flour: Use a high quality unbleached all-purpose flour.
• Cocoa Powder: Always always always use dutch process cocoa powder in baking recipes. It gives baked goods a richer, fudgier quality that is unmatched compared to plain old unsweetened cocoa powder. 
• Leavening: For maximize rise, you'll need both baking soda and baking powder.
• Zucchini: You'll need about 2 medium zucchinis, grated but not squeezed! The moisture from the zucchini is crucial achieving the right dry to wet ingredient balance. 
• Chocolate: Go crazy with the extra chocolate! Add your favorite chocolate chips or chinks to both the batter and the top before baking.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this vegan chocolate zucchini bread recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

STEP 2: Mix sugars & oil. In a large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and use an electric mixer to beat until fully combined.

STEP 3: Mix in dry ingredients. Next, mix in the dry ingredients. The batter will be very dry and crumbly.

STEP 4: Fold in zucchini & chocolate. Lastly, use a rubber spatula to fold in the grated zucchini and chopped chocolate until fully combined and evenly wet. 

STEP 5: Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared 9x5 inch loaf pan, then top with more chopped chocolate. Bake the bread for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

STEP 6: Cool & enjoy. Allow the bread to cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to completely.

Expert Baking Tips

• Before adding the zucchini to the batter, it will be very dry and crumbly. This is normal! The zucchini will add the perfect amount of moisture so this bread will bake up moist and fudgy!
• Be sure to note that this bread should be baked at 400 degrees F for the first 10 minutes, then at 350 degrees F for the remaining time. No need to open the oven door, just lower the temperature!
• In simple recipes like this one, high-quality ingredients can make or break the recipe. For the best overall outcome, from texture to taste, use high-quality flour, cocoa powder, and chocolate.

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x