Chocolate Coffee Zucchini Bread: National Zucchini Bread Day

Today is National Zucchini Bread Day, but I have no zucchini in my garden. Luckily for me, it's available in my markets. If you don't find any, save this recipe for the summer when your Victory Garden is filled with zucchini!

The 'secret' ingredient in this particular Chocolate Zucchini Bread is 'Coffee.' If you've been following my daily posts, you know that coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate, and you'll find that happens in this recipe! As always, your final results will only be as good as your ingredients. Use the very best cocoa, fresh oil, and good coffee.

Chocolate Coffee Zucchini Bread 

ingredients
1-1/2 cups shredded fresh zucchini (approximately 1 zucchini)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brewed coffee, cold
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup walnuts,  chopped (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Lightly oil 9 × 5 bread pan.
Shred zucchini using fine shredding disc on food processor or hand shredder. I usually wrap the shredded zucchini in a paper towel and squeeze after shredding to get out excess moisture. Do this before measuring.
Measure 1-1/2 cups and set aside.
Beat together oil, brewed coffee, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients until incorporated, then beat together until smooth. Fold in shredded zucchini and walnuts (optional). Once zucchini is incorporated, pour into prepared pan and bake 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out dry. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Remove from pan after cooling for 15 minutes.

KAHLUA ZUCCHINI CHOCOLATE CHUNK BREAD: National Zucchini Bread Day

Today is National Zucchini Bread Day, not to be confused with National Zucchini Day on August 8.  Be sure and bookmark this recipe for that summer food holiday when you will have a surplus of zucchini. This Kahlua Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Bread is great for toasting at breakfast, for a snack, or to take on a picnic. But here's a heads-up. This zucchini bread includes a hefty amount of Kahlua, so you might want to reserve it for adults.

You can buy Kahlua, but you can make it, too. Lots of other uses. Here's a recipe for homemade Kahlua.

Homemade Kahlua

Ingredients
4 cups water
4 cups sugar
2 ounces instant coffee
1 vanilla bean
Fifth of vodka or bourbon

Directions
Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add the 4 cups sugar and cook until dissolved. Add the instant coffee. Simmer slowly - do not boil!
Add vanilla bean and 1/5 vodka or bourbon.
Bottle and cap. Leave for a month or more!

Kahlua Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Bread
This recipe makes one loaf, but it can easily be doubled. You can also substitute oil for the butter.  I love quick breads. They're fast and easy, and you only use one bowl! Because this Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chunks has Kahlua in it, you might want to take it on an 'adult' picnic only.

Ingredients
2 cups flour (all-purpose, but you can use 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 cup shredded zucchini
3 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped into smallish chunks (or chocolate chips if that's what you have)

Directions
In medium bowl, sift flour with soda and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then Kahlua. (Don't worry if it seems curdled). Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until blended. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chunks to distribute evenly.
Pour into greased and floured 8-1/2 × 4 inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 10 minutes.
Turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.

National Zucchini Bread Day: Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Bread

April 25 is National Zucchini Bread Day, not to be confused with National Zucchini Day which falls on August 8 and makes more sense in terms of the proliferation of this vegetable in gardens and markets. Have a look at Geeky Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Amy's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread and a few others I posted or linked to last year on National Zucchini Day. Also have a bit of zucchini lore there.

Here's the  recipe I've adapted from an old Sunset Magazine. It's changed a bit over the years. This is simple and delicious. You can substitute grated carrots for the zucchini if you want to 'celebrate' a different food holiday! :-) 

Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Bread

Ingredients
2 beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons Madagascar Vanilla
3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups King Arthur (or regular) flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dark chocolate: fair trade, organic 75% or so cacao

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Mix together  sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in grated zucchini. Add melted butter and stir. Add baking soda and salt and mix together. Add flour, a little at a time and mix. Add cinnamon and mix. Fold in nuts and chocolate.

Divide batter into 2 buttered 9 inch loaf pans. I use to make this in coffee cans, but they don't make the right kind any more.

Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Turn onto wire racks and cool thoroughly.

Makes 2 loaves.

I love this toasted!