The best way I know to get your quota of veggies in is to sneak them into cake or, in this case, a chocolate quickbread. I’ve never been a huge fan of zucchini, but it does happen to be a good medium for absorbing other flavors. Because it tends to be very moist, I dry it out by sprinkling the shredded zucchini with a bit of salt and letting it stand in a colander for 15 minutes before squeezing out the moisture.

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Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf, serving 8

Ingredients

Crumble Topping

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (49 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (14 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup (71 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

• 8 ounces (227 grams or 1 large) zucchini, shredded (to yield 2 cups)
• ¼ teaspoon plus 1 large pinch fine sea salt, divided
• 1 ¼ cups (162 grams) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (28 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (71 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (80 grams) vegetable oil, such as safflower
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup toasted slivered almonds

Instructions

Make the Crumble Topping

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar. Add the butter pieces and, stir and mash the mixture with your hands until the topping forms large crumbs. Set aside.

Make the Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, then line the pan with a 9 x 16-inch piece of parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend over the long sides of the pan.

3. Put the shredded zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with the large pinch of salt; toss to distribute the salt. Allow to stand for 15 minutes.

4. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the zucchini and set aside.

5. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; gently whisk to combine.

6. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until blended. While continuing to mix, gradually add the sugars, mixing until well blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in the oil and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the zucchini, mixing until blended. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just until blended. Add the nuts and mix until blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the Crumble Topping evenly over the batter. Bake the loaf for 50 to 60 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.

7. Using the parchment paper on the sides as handles, lift the bread out of the pan and set on the wire rack to cool completely.

Recommended Equipment:

USA Pan 1145LF Bakeware Aluminized Steel 1.25 Lb Loaf Pan