Chocolate Zucchini/Courgette Loaf

A wonderful way to use up some zucchini or courgettes, turning them into a lovely rich cake.

The recipe today is from Claire who is one of my great-nieces who live in Canada.  She has discovered a love of baking and has recently baked quite a few very nice items.  One of the recipes was for two Chocolate Zucchini Loaves,  which I am calling Courgette loaves too, since that is how zucchinis are known in the UK and some other countries too.

Claire was kind enough to forward me the recipe so that I could make the loaves.  The recipe is supposed to make two loaves in tins which are 8 inches by 4 inches, 20x10cm.  But for my recipe I used one loaf tin of that size and three small silicone pans which together hold the same volume of one loaf tin.

It is also possible to make just one loaf in a 2lb loaf tin, 23×13 cm, but the baking time would have to be increased too, until a skewer comes out clean when poked into the centre.  In fact I think that this recipe would also be suitable for muffins too, but again adjusting the baking time.

The recipe is actually very easy to make, even though it does have a number of different ingredients they are very easy to incorporate into the batter and then to distribute between tins and bake.

My loaves turned out very well indeed, though the baking time was slightly longer than I mentioned in the video, and I have adjusted those timings in the recipe below.  The loaves were so delicious.  They were nice and moist and so full of that lovely chocolate flavour.  The zucchini disintegrates during baking, to completely or almost completely disappear. That leaves a lovely soft, and springy cake that is so good to eat.

A lovely autumnal, or fall, recipe is Pumpkin Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Ingredients:

• 300g(2 packed cups) of grated zucchini/courgettes
• 60g(1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 250g(1 2/3 cups) plain flour (scooped from packed flour into a 250ml cup)
• 70g(1/2 cup) wholemeal flour
• 300g(1 1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 120g(1/2 cup) apple sauce
• 120ml (1/2 cup)vegetable oil
• 3 medium eggs(large in USA)
• 10ml(2 tsp) vanilla extract
• 100g (1/2 cup) small dark chocolate chips

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F.
• Grease two 8×4 inch loaf tins.
• In a large bowl place the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Sift the cocoa powder onto the top of those dry ingredients and mix them all together.
• In another large bowl place the eggs, oil, apple sauce and vanilla extract and whisk them until fully combined.
• Add the grated zucchini and whisk again until combined.
• Tip the flour mixture onto the top and stir in with a spatula until fully combined.
• Stir in the chocolate chips too.
• Spoon the mixture equally between the two loaf tins.
• Bake in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until the loaves have risen well and a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes in the tins.
• Then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.