Cherry Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
The addition of cherries to this classic sweet take on zucchini bread makes this a decadent and indulgent summer staple.
Servings 12 slices
Calories 301kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Shredded Zucchini about 1 large or 2 medium zucchini
- 25-35 Sour Cherries* washed, stemmed, pitted, and halved
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 ⅓ Cups All-purpose flour
- ½ Cup Cocoa Powder not Dutch process
- ½ tsp Espresso Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter melted and cooled slightly
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 Eggs room temperature
- ¼ Cup Milk
- ½ Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- ¼ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Greased a 9x4" loaf pan, and set it aside.
- Add the halved cherries to a small bowl. Sprinkle them with sugar, stir, and set aside.
- Shred the zucchini just before using it, and gently pat it dry. Do not wring out the moisture.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, cocoa and espresso powders, and baking soda. Whisk until throughly combined.
- In a large bowl, add the melted butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk to full combine, and then whisk in the eggs.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet, along with half the milk. Fold the flour into the butter mixture until combined, and there are no streaks of flour. Add additional milk as needed if it's difficult to mix.
- Fold in the shredded zucchini, and then regular chocolate chips and the sugared cherries, discarding any liquid.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips to coat the top.
- Bake for 55-65 min, until the top bounces back and a toothpick comes out clean, or with only melted chocolate chip.
- Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan, on a trivet or cooling rack. Then flip the bread onto a plate. If needed, run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen.
Notes
- Make ahead tip: Prepare the fresh ingredients and the batter just before using them. The baked bread can be stored whole or sliced, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for 2-3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Cherries: If you do not have access to sour cherries, you can make this bread with sweet cherries instead. Pit and halve them, but then sprinkle with only 1/2 tsp of sugar.