Chocolate Zucchini Breakfast Bread with Almonds
A moist, tender breakfast loaf studded with dark chocolate chips and crunchy almonds, built on a base of grated zucchini and warm spices. The zucchini adds moisture and subtle sweetness while staying virtually undetectable, making this a crowd-pleasing way to sneak vegetables into your morning. Slice thick, toast lightly, and serve with coffee.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 1 loaf (10 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center
- Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper
- Grate your zucchini on the large holes of a box grater (you'll need about 1 medium zucchini)
- Chop your almonds into roughly ¼-inch pieces so they don't sink to the bottom
Mix the dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour (220 g), whole wheat flour (60 g), baking powder (7 g), baking soda (2.5 g), ground cinnamon (3.5 g), ground nutmeg (0.5 g), and kosher salt (3 g).
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined and no lumps remain.
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients instead of sifting is fine for this loaf; just make sure the baking powder and soda are well distributed to avoid bitter pockets.
Prepare the zucchini
- Grate your zucchini on the large holes of a box grater.
- You should have about 350 g (1½ cups) of grated zucchini.
- Place it in a small bowl and let it sit while you prepare the wet ingredients; the zucchini will release some liquid, which you can drain off just before mixing if it looks too wet (aim for moist but not soggy).
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Ready when: Zucchini is finely and evenly grated.
Tip: Don't squeeze the zucchini dry—a bit of moisture is essential for a tender crumb. If excess liquid pools, drain it off gently, but the zucchini strands themselves should feel moist.
Whisk the wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 large eggs, vegetable oil (120 ml), granulated sugar (250 g), and pure vanilla extract (7.5 ml) until well combined and slightly light, about 1 minute.
- The mixture should be pale and homogeneous.
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Ready when: The mixture is well emulsified and uniform in color.
Tip: Using room-temperature eggs helps them emulsify more easily with the oil and sugar, creating a more stable batter.
Fold in the zucchini
- Fold the grated zucchini (with its retained moisture) into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula.
- Stir gently until the zucchini is distributed throughout the batter.
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Ready when: Zucchini is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Tip: Fold rather than mix aggressively to keep the batter light and airy.
Combine wet and dry
- Pour the dry ingredient mixture over the wet batter.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold until just combined.
- Do not overmix; the batter should be slightly lumpy with a few flour streaks still visible.
- Overmixing develops gluten and results in a denser, tougher loaf.
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Ready when: Wet and dry ingredients are barely combined with a few lumps and streaks of flour still visible.
Tip: Stop as soon as you don't see dry flour. A few lumps are your friend here; they ensure a tender, moist crumb.
Fold in chocolate and almonds
- Gently fold the dark chocolate chips (170 g) and chopped almonds (100 g) into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Reserve a small handful of almonds if you like to sprinkle on top before baking for a more rustic look.
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Ready when: Chocolate chips and almonds are scattered throughout the batter.
Tip: Toss the chocolate and almonds with a tiny pinch of the flour mixture before folding to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
Fill the pan and top
- Pour the batter into your prepared 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan, smoothing the top gently with a spatula.
- If desired, scatter the reserved almonds on top and press them in slightly so they don't fall off during baking.
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Ready when: Batter fills the pan and the top is relatively smooth.
Tip: Don't overfill the pan; leave at least ½ inch of headroom so the bread can rise without overflow.
Bake the loafOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 48–52 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter, but not completely dry either).
- The top should be golden brown and a spring-back test should show slight resistance.
- If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil after 35 minutes.
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Ready when: A toothpick inserted in the center emerges with a few moist crumbs; the top is golden brown; a gentle spring-back test shows the bread bounces back slightly.
Tip: Every oven runs slightly differently. Start checking at 45 minutes. The residual heat and moisture from the zucchini mean you want a touch more moisture in the center than a typical cake—this keeps the bread tender and prevents it from drying out as it cools.
Cool in the pan
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack.
- Let the bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
- This allows the crumb to firm up slightly so it won't fall apart when you unmold it.
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Ready when: The bread has pulled away slightly from the sides of the pan and is firm enough to handle.
Tip: Don't skip this step. Unmolding a hot loaf can cause it to break apart or lose its shape.
Unmold and cool completely
- Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of the loaf to loosen it from the pan.
- Invert onto the cooling rack and let cool completely, about 5 minutes, before slicing.
- If you prefer to serve it warm, you can slice it after about 15 minutes, but the crumb will be more delicate.
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Ready when: The loaf is warm to the touch and no longer steaming, and the crumb feels set when gently pressed.
Tip: If the loaf sticks, let it cool another minute before trying again. A little patience prevents a cracked or torn loaf.
Good to know
Tips
- The key to moist, tender zucchini bread is not overmixing and not overbaking. The center should be nearly set but still retain a whisper of moisture when you check with a toothpick—this is not underbaked, it's perfectly baked.
- Toasting thick slices of this bread is a joy. A minute or two in a toaster oven or under the broiler will crisp the edges and warm the chocolate while keeping the crumb tender inside.
- This bread freezes beautifully and slices even better when frozen. Slice before freezing for grab-and-go pieces you can pop straight into the toaster.
- For a more indulgent version, dust the top of the cooled loaf with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple chocolate glaze (melted chocolate thinned with a little cream or oil).
Make ahead
You can prepare the dry ingredients up to 2 days ahead and store them in an airtight container. Once baked, the bread keeps well at room temperature and actually improves in texture and flavor as it sits.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Refrigerator: Wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days; slice and toast before serving to restore crispness. Freezer: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then foil; freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then toast slices for the best flavor and texture.
Substitutions
- dark chocolate chips (60–70% cocoa) → semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa). Semi-sweet chips will add a touch more sweetness and less bitterness; adjust other sugar if you prefer a less sweet loaf.
- sliced almonds, chopped → chopped walnuts, pecans, or unsalted pumpkin seeds. Walnuts and pecans bring an earthy note; pumpkin seeds add a subtle nuttiness and interesting texture contrast.
- vegetable oil → melted coconut oil, canola oil, or light olive oil. Coconut oil adds a subtle floral note; avoid strongly flavored oils like extra-virgin olive oil, which can overpower the bread.
- whole wheat flour → additional all-purpose flour (use 1 cup total all-purpose flour instead of the split). The loaf will be slightly lighter and less nutty; increase the sugar by 1 tablespoon if you prefer a more tender crumb.
