Chocolate Blender Zucchini Bread

If you love chocolate, you'll love this Chocolate Blender Zucchini Bread! You don't even have to love zucchini because you can't even tell it's in there. Blending the zucchini makes the texture of this bread so smooth, moist, rich, and velvety, it's like eating a piece of chocolate cake but with the added nutritious bonus of zucchini. And it's the perfect way to hide veggies.

Piece of chocolate blender zucchini loaf on a white plate with a knife and remainder of loaf in the background

Even though my kids are teenagers, the less they know about vegetables in my baking, the better! Zucchini is popular during zucchini season, which can range from May to late August, depending on where you live. But you don't have to have fresh zucchini for this recipe; you can shred zucchini, freeze it, and use that instead (that's what I did). It is also the inspiration behind my Zucchini Biscotti!

Jump to:

🥘Ingredient Notes
❔What to do with an Extra Large Zucchini
📖Variations & Substitutions
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Blender Zucchini Bread
Expert Recipe Tips:
👪 Serving Size
🔢WW Points
🥗 What to Eat with Chocolate Zucchini Bread
🍽Equipment
🌡️Storage
❔ Recipe FAQs
🍞More Quick Breads
📋 Chocolate Blender Zucchini Bread Recipe

I found this recipe on a piece of paper that I must have had for at least 25 years. It was in my handwriting, so I likely got it from my mother-in-law. I used to sit in her kitchen for hours copying her recipes off recipe cards.

But unfortunately, I tried the recipe, as written, and it didn't work. So, I played with it and well, it turns out the 4th time's the charm! So, yes, I broke my own rule of only trying to perfect a recipe 3 times, but I just had to make this bread right. It was just too good to move on from! Plus, my family did like both the 2nd and 3rd versions - I just thought I could make it even better (which I did).

🥘Ingredient Notes

I was gifted a large zucchini, so I shredded it in my food processor, froze it in 2-cup portions, and then used it in this recipe.

❔What to do with an Extra Large Zucchini

Large zucchinis are ideal for shredding and for use in baking and soups because they lose a little flavor, and can be a bit tougher.

*You do NOT have to peel zucchini to shred it. Just wash it and cut off both ends.

I use large shredded zucchini in several recipes, including my Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies, my Zucchini Crisp Recipe, and Shredded Zucchini and Feta Sauté (shown):

shredded zucchini on a plate with zucchini in the background

You will need the following ingredients for this recipe:

ingredients in chocolate blender zucchini bread in glass bowls, labelled

Zucchini. You can use fresh or frozen (just measure AFTER you defrost, if using frozen), or you can use chopped (it will be blended anyway).
Margarine. I use margarine because its higher water content yields softer baked goods.
Milk. I use 1 % because it's what I have on hand and to keep it lower-fat. But you can use any milk you prefer.
Baking powder and baking soda. Combining the two leavening agents produces a baked good that is both light and tangy. And the reason for both is that sometimes you need more leavening than you have acid available in the recipe.
Pecans (optional). I like to use pecans because they lend texture and crunch to the bread.

*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities

📖Variations & Substitutions

Zucchini muffins- you can make chocolate zucchini muffins if you wish- just cook them for 20- 30 minutes (you'll need to use a cake tester to ensure they are ready)
Dairy-free zucchini bread- use vegan margarine (Becel is what I use) and a dairy-free milk
More chocolate flavor- add a cup of chocolate chips, but cut the sugar by ¼ cup. You can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips
Margarine - you can use butter instead of margarine
Flour - you can use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour

🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Blender Zucchini Bread

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees C and spray a 9X5 loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

eggs, milk, zucchini and margarine in blender — **STEP 1**

Add zucchini, margarine, eggs, and milk to blender.

zucchini blended with margarine, milk and margarine in blender — **STEP 2**

Blend until smooth (about 45 seconds to 1 minute)

dry ingredients in glass bowl with black spatula — **STEP 3**

In a large bowl, combine cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

wet ingredients and dry ingredients in bowl — **STEP 4**

Add blended wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

wet and dry ingredients mixed together in glass bowl with black spatula — **STEP 5**

Mix well (until you have a smooth batter)

pecans added to batter in glass bowl with black spatula — **STEP 6**

Add pecans, if using.

* I highly recommend using pecans in this loaf!

Chocolate blender zucchini loaf batter in loaf pan — **STEP 7**

Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven for 55-65 minutes (65 minutes was perfect for me)

*Make sure you bake it as soon as you pour the batter. If you leave it sitting, your bread will likely come out dense and gummy.

Hint: Crack your eggs into a separate bowl before adding them to the blender. It's much easier to fish a piece of eggshell out of a small bowl than dig it out of the blender with a bunch of other ingredients in it!

Expert Recipe Tips:

Use a high-powered blender for the smoothest texture. This ensures the zucchini is fully incorporated into the wet ingredients, creating a velvety batter that bakes up moist and tender-more like chocolate cake than bread!
Don't skip draining frozen zucchini. If you're using frozen shredded zucchini, make sure to squeeze out excess moisture using a fine mesh sieve or clean dish towel. Too much water can result in a soggy or dense loaf.
Measure zucchini after defrosting. The moisture content changes once thawed, so always measure it after draining to ensure accuracy.
Bake immediately after mixing. Letting the batter sit can impact leavening action and result in a dense or gummy loaf. Have your pan greased and oven preheated before combining the wet and dry ingredients.
Use margarine for a softer crumb. The higher water content in margarine (compared to butter) contributes to a softer texture, especially helpful in a zucchini-based loaf.
Add pecans for texture and flavor. Pecans not only bring a satisfying crunch but complement the chocolate flavor beautifully. Toast them for an extra layer of nuttiness.
Crack eggs separately. Crack your eggs into a small bowl before adding to the blender-this way, you can easily remove any bits of shell without fishing through the batter.
Use a serrated bread knife to slice. Let the loaf cool completely before cutting, then use a serrated knife for cleaner slices without tearing.
Lighten it smartly. To reduce WW points or calories, try swapping half the margarine for unsweetened applesauce and using a sugar substitute like monk fruit (but only use ½ the amount of sugar you'd use and replace the rest with flour. Avoid replacing all the margarine, as it can make the bread chewy instead of moist.
Check doneness with a cake tester. Because this bread is moist, it's important to bake until a tester comes out clean from the center-65 minutes was ideal in recipe testing.

Chocolate Blender Zucchini Bread with slices missing

👪 Serving Size

This easy blender zucchini bread recipe makes 9 servings, cutting the bread 1 inch thick. However, you can double or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. You will need additional loaf pans.

🔢WW Points

I didn't lighten this recipe (it's 13 ww points as is), but you could use a light butter and a sugar substitute (such as monkfruit) to lighten this recipe. Or simply eat it as your weekly treat! I don't recommend using applesauce to replace ALL the margarine, as it tends to make baked goods chewy. I would only replace ½ the margarine with applesauce.

🥗 What to Eat with Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Zucchini bread makes a great snack, dessert, or even a breakfast dessert! It pairs well with an old-fashioned fruit salad (shown),

easy fruit salad in white bowl with honey lime dressing being poured over salad

🍽Equipment

You will need a blender for this Zucchini blender Bread. You will also need a 9X5 loaf pan, as well as a mixing bowl and a spoon. You can use a box grater or food processor to shred your zucchini. (affiliate links). I also recommend using a cake tester.

It's best to use a serrated-edged knife (affiliate link) for cutting bread, once it's completely cooled.

🌡️Storage

Store zucchini bread in the fridge in an airtight container. You can store it in the bread pan you baked it in if you have one with a lid (affiliate link). Slice the bread as you need it, or it will dry out faster. When you are storing this bread, cover the sliced edge with plastic wrap to keep it moist. This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container or labeled Ziploc freezer bag. It's best not to cut it until you need to.

❔ Recipe FAQs

Why is my zucchini bread gummy or dense?

This can happen if the batter sits too long before baking or if the zucchini wasn't properly drained. Be sure to squeeze out excess moisture from frozen zucchini and bake immediately after mixing.

Can I taste the zucchini in this bread?

No, the zucchini is completely blended into the batter, so you won't taste it at all. It simply adds moisture and a velvety texture.

Can I use a food processor instead of a blender?

Yes, but make sure the zucchini and wet ingredients are blended to a smooth consistency. A high-powered blender typically yields the best results for texture. A high-powered immersion blender would work well, too.

Can I bake this in a different size pan?

Yes, you can bake it in mini loaf pans or as muffins. Just adjust the baking time accordingly-start checking around 20 minutes for muffins and 30-40 minutes for mini loaves.

Zucchini and chocolate are a match made in heaven! And by blending the zucchini with the other wet ingredients, you create a creamy and delicious batter. So if you are looking for a delicious Zucchini bread, give this one a try!

And if you like hidden veggie recipes, try my Healthy Red Velvet Pancakes (with Sweet Chocolate Cream Cheese Butter), my Spinach Brownies, and my Dark Chocolate Hummus (with dates)

🍞More Quick Breads

Did your family❤️this recipe? Did you know that commenting and⭐rating recipes is one of the best ways to support your favorite recipe creators? If you LOVED this recipe, please comment and rate it in the recipe card or share photos on social media using the hashtag #foodmeanderings or tagging @foodmeanderings !