Chocolate Zucchini Loaf – Two Loaves with Freezing Instructions

Chocolate zucchini loaf is our all time favorite way to use garden fresh zucchini.

zucchini loaf with flower

Also Read: Lemon Zucchini Berry Muffins, How to Freeze Zucchini, 21 Zucchini Recipes that Aren’t Loaf

We double the chocolate by using cocoa powder and chocolate chips. The sour cream, zucchini and canola oil make it moist and delicious. This recipe makes two loaves – one for eating right away and one for freezing. Wrapped tightly in a freezer bag, these loaves freeze nicely for up to six months.

loaf on plate
Double chocolate zucchini loaf.

How to Freeze Chocolate Zucchini Loaf

In the height of zucchini season we make double batches of this cake. Yup, four loaves at once! That’s a lot of chocolately goodness. Some loaves we give away but most we freeze to enjoy long after the zucchini plants have been composted and the snow covers the garden.

To freeze:

  1. Let cake cool completely. I mean totally and completely! You do not want any warmth remaining otherwise you’ll get condensation in the bag which will mean ice crystals and freezer burn.
  2. Wrap in parchment or wax paper. This step is helpful if you want to keep your loaves for more than four months. The paper just adds another layer of protection. I know we’ll eat our loaves fairly quickly (the kids sniff them out!), so I just leave the parchment paper that I used when baking on the loaves that I freeze. It’s not perfect, but it works for us.
  3. Place in freezer grade bag and seal well. Whenever freezing food, use the best quality bag you can get and remove as much air from the bag as you can.
  4. Label your bag. Labeling food with what it is and the date (month/year) it was packaged is a good habit to get into. You’ll be surprised how things get lost in the freezer and you may not be the only one looking for things.
zucchini loaf in freezer bag
Two loaves ready for the freezer.

Can You Use Yellow Zucchini?

Yes, you can use grated yellow zucchini for this recipe or for any baking recipe. There is very little difference in flavour or texture between yellow and green zucchini.

Mini loaves of chocolate zucchini loaf using yellow zucchini.

Can I Make Zucchini Muffins instead Loaves

Yes, you can, just like I did with the mini loaves above (basically fancy muffins). Here are some tips:

  • Prepare the Muffin Pan: Line your muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease the muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Adjust Baking Time: The baking time for muffins is shorter than that of loaves. Start checking for doneness around 18 minutes, and if needed, continue baking in 2-3 minute increments until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Yield: The number of muffins you’ll get from the two loaves will depend on the size of your muffin cups. On average, you might get around 18-24 muffins.
  • Flavor and Texture: Keep in mind that the texture and flavor of muffins might differ slightly from the original loaves due to the change in baking method.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Zucchini Loaf

zucchini loaf slice
Print Recipe
4.36 from 14 votes

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Loaf

A delicious way to use garden zucchini! The kids love it and it freezes very well.
Prep : 15 minutes
Cook : 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 2 loaves

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour*
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
  • 2/3 cup canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups packed grated zucchini

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Grease or line two 8×4 inch (20 x 10 cm) loaf pans with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl combine flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
  • Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla.
  • Stir in grated zucchini.
  • Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
  • Pour into prepared pans (batter will be thick).
  • Bake for 50 minutes.
  • Cool in pans for 5 minutes and then on a wire cooling rack.

Notes

* Replace whole wheat with 1 cup all purpose flour if you prefer.
This loaf freezes very well once cooled. 
Makes 2 loaves
Nutrient content is shown for 1 full loaf.
Tried this recipe?Mention @GetGettyS or tag #GetGettyS

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 2336kcal | Carbohydrates: 309g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 117g | Sodium: 1622mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 167g | Iron: 13mg
Course: baking, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate baking, loaf, quick bread, zucchini

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.

3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I have made this many times and it’s always turned out…except for last night. Must there always be an exception? Normally I use large zucchinis from the garden but this time I used a very small one. What I think happened is the small zucchini was much drier than what I usually use so the cake cake out a bit dry. It’ll still be eaten but just recommending that folks use the juicier overgrown zukes or compensate some how to get more moisture in the loaf.

    1. Thank you for the feedback and helping us remember that every zucchini is different and that the moisture content in them will have a role in the final outcome.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.