Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Chocolate bread?  Yes, please!  Adding zucchini just makes it more acceptable to feed it to your family for breakfast, right?  One of my favorite recipe blogs to follow, and happens to be my cousin-in-law, Casual Cuisine posted this and I knew I had to make it.  I think it was actually one of those few that you see and then make it within the week!  I was not disappointed.  (She said that it is a Paula Deen recipe, so an added reason to already know it is going to be pretty good!)

I have made this recipe at least once a month since the first time.  The recipe makes two of the typical loaf pans.  Another reason I love to make it.  One for now and one in the freezer for a few weeks from now!  This week I made it for my Bible study's morning social.  I made one and half recipes.  Before adding chocolate chips I made some of the batter into muffins for Benjamin.  (Still looking for dairy-free chocolate chips.)  Now I have a go-to muffin in the freezer for Benjamin's breakfast!  One loaf for the social and one loaf for the family.  This is one of those recipes that I have made all ways:  with regular flour and with wheat, with the oil it calls for or replaced with applesauce.  All ways, it is great!

Enjoy!

- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1/2 cup cocoa powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 1/2 cups sugar

- 3 eggs

- 1 cup oil (or 1 cup applesauce or 1/2 and 1/2)

- 2 tsp vanilla

- 2 cups grated zucchini**

- 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray two 9x5 pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.  Add the oil and vanilla.  Add to the dry ingredients along with the zucchini and chocolate chips.  Stir until just combined, and divide between the loaf pans.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the tops are cracked and springy to the touch.

** Remember when grating zucchini:  Grate the zucchini into a colander in the sink about a half hour before wanting to add it to your recipe.  Add a pinch of salt and stir it in.  The salt will help draw out the excess water.  When you add the grated zucchini to your recipe, it will keep it from adding too much moisture.  (I learned this tip from our favorite chef-friend Julia Child.)