Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread

Delicious and moist Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread is so tasty that you’d never guess that it’s good for you! Don’t miss this healthy take on traditional Zucchini Bread. It’s sure to be your new favorite recipe.

Hands down, the perfect bread. Moist, flavorful, and boasts a healthy dose of fruits and veggies.

This bread is the perfect way to use up ripe bananas as well as all that zucchini you may have on hand. Adding a bit of sweetness from the mini chocolate chips and cocoa powder and you have a delicious and seemingly indulgent treat that you can feel good about eating.

How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread

The method for making this bread just couldn’t be easier. It is truly a foolproof recipe. So use what you have on hand and let’s get started.

Firstly, you need to mash the bananas in a large bowl. You are looking to get about one cup of mashed banana: two large bananas or three medium bananas should work. (I personally never measure exactly how much mashed bananas I get and just use what I have.)

Next, whisk in the eggs, sugar, and oil. Mix together the dry ingredients and combine with the wet until well combined. *See the note on cocoa powder below.

Lastly, fold in the grated zucchini and half of the mini chips. I use the large holes on the box grater to grate my zucchini. Also, if you come up short of two cups or only have one zucchini, just use what you have. If your zucchini happens to be really wet, you may need to squeeze it in a paper towel before adding it to the batter, although I’ve never had to do this.

Pour the batter into a greased pan and sprinkle on remaining chips. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out batter free. This is a moist bread, so you may have some crumbs sticking to the toothpick.

Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting… if you can!

A note on Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder is available in two forms: natural (often just labeled “unsweetened cocoa”) and Dutch-processed cocoa. The difference in pH levels of Dutch-processed cocoa and natural cocoa powder means they will react differently depending on the leavener in a recipe.

In general, use natural cocoa powder for recipes made with alkaline leaveners like baking soda, and Dutch-processed cocoa for recipes made with baking powders.

• For each three tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder, substitute three tablespoons natural cocoa powder plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda.
• For each three tablespoons natural cocoa powder, substitute three tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder plus 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar.

And now you know all you need to know about the differences between natural and Dutch-processed cocoa powder! So use what you have to make this delicious Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread recipe.

More Zucchini and Banana Recipes

So, if you’re a fan of This Delicious House, you know that I have a thing for squash and ripe bananas! Mostly, it’s due to their ease of use, ability to qualify for make-ahead dishes, and the fact that they are always available at Costco. So be sure to check out my other favorite recipes featuring these two low-cost staples:

• Whole Wheat Banana Muffins – another super healthy recipe using ripe bananas and whole wheat flour.
• Stuffed Zucchini Boats – Italian Style – perfect low calorie, low carb, dinner option featuring ground turkey and lots of Italian flavors.
• One Bowl Banana Bread – once you make this healthy recipe, I guarantee it’ll be your new favorite. I always have a loaf of this bread on hand!
• Lemon Summer Squash Bread – similar to zucchini bread, I love how the yellow squash just melts into the recipe.
• Parmesan Roasted Zucchini Recipe – a true recipe perfected by my favorite celebrity chef Ina Garten.

Be sure to try out all of these delicious recipes and comment what you think. Enjoy!