Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Our 4 Zucchini plants just keep on producing these wonderful fruit.  I've given a lot away to friends and for the remaining ones I've been using them to make Chocolate Zuchinni Bread.

I found this recipe online by Lisa Perry

Ingredients

1/3 cup shortening

1 1/3 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

I peeled the skin off one Zucchini, then grated the flesh (no seeds) into a bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (or 2 mini loaf pans)

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar together. Mix in eggs. Add zucchini, water, and vanilla; stir. Blend in flour, baking soda, salt , baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in nuts.

 

This is what happens when you carry too many things from the pantry to the counter (like Rachel Ray does)

 

Divide batter in half, and add cocoa powder and chocolate chips to one of the halves. Pour plain batter into bottom of the loaf pan. Pour chocolate batter on top of plain batter.

 

Bake until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes, and remove from pan. Store in refrigerator (this is the key to having moist Zucchini bread).

Last year I tried all different variations of ingredients to compliment the zucchini e.g. cherry, white chocolate, raisins but I always go back to my old faithful recipe above.

Enjoy : )