This Double Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread is made without any butter or oil, but so soft and tender that you’d never be able to tell it’s healthy! Greek yogurt, bananas, and shredded zucchini keep it extra moist, while a double dose of chocolate makes it taste super decadent.
I asked my mom the other day if she ever snuck veggies into my food without telling me, and she said “no” so fast that I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. The right one… the left one doesn’t go up by itself.
But seeing how picky I was and how big on healthy food my mom was, I had a hard time believing that she wouldn’t resort to devious measures to get me to eat my veggies. And then the truth came out…
I mean… I don’t really remember but I guess it’s possible. I know I really wanted you to eat fish so one time I told you it was chicken. That didn’t go over too well.
No it didn’t! And thanks, Mom. Thanks a lot. I almost forgot about that one. But that was the one and only time in my life that I ate fish, and I don’t see myself ever trying it again because… reasons. Let’s just say I’m not a fan and leave it at that.
I’m not really a fan of zucchini either, but I can turn a blind eye when chocolate and banana bread is involved.
Ohhhhh, double chocolate zucchini banana bread… why you gotta go and make me soft towards the squishy squash?! I went so many years without wavering, and just like that, your chocolate-covered ways weakened my resolve.
I’ll never like fish, though. And I haven’t seen anyone put eggplant into baked goods yet, so I’ll probably never come around to that either. But I digress.
The point is, zucchini is kind of a miracle worker in baked goods. It doesn’t affect the flavour at all, and it adds a tonne of moisture without the need for any extra oil… Bananas and Greek yogurt do the same thing, so combining the three makes for one ridiculously tender loaf that also happens to be pretty low in fat…
Then there’s the…
…
…
Sorry, lost my train of thought there. I’m writing this while watching the Stanley Cup finals, and the Pens just scored to secure a 2-goal lead. What was I saying??… Oh yeah!
Then there’s the whole double chocolate thing. 1/2 cup of cocoa goes into the batter to give it a deep chocolate flavour, and another 1/2 cup of chocolate chips sweeten the deal. This makes the loaf perfect straight from the oven when the chocolate is all melty (just wait a handful of minutes so that it’s not -molten-), and just as perfect over the next few days as it gets better and better the way banana breads tend to do.
It’s a win-win all around!
I’d love to know if you make this recipe! Leave a comment and rating down below to let me know what you think, and subscribe to our mailing list to receive new recipes in your inbox!
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Double Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup (150 g) whole wheat pastry flour*
- 1/2 cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 medium-size ripe bananas, mashed (200 g or 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup (115 g) plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup (100 g) coconut palm sugar**
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (115 g) shredded zucchini, lightly squeezed of excess liquid***
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC), and lightly grease a 9×5 (23x13cm) loaf pan with oil or cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well combined and set aside.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the mashed bananas, Greek yogurt, coconut sugar, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Gently fold in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing them together gently. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to spread it out evenly and smooth out the top. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, if desired.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. After 45 minutes, you may wish to cover with a sheet of tin foil to prevent the top from burning.
- Remove the loaf from oven and let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
* You could also make this with all purpose flour or use a mix of 1/2 cup (60 g) whole wheat and 1/2 cup (60 g) all purpose. ** You can sub this with regular brown sugar. *** I like to place a handful of shredded zucchini between two paper towels and lightly squeeze it over the sink to get some of the liquid out. You don’t want to get it all out, but you don’t want it to be wet and soggy either.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
Looking for more healthy banana bread recipes? Try one of these!
Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
Double Chocolate Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
Flourless Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Flourless Chocolate Banana Bread
Grain Free Banana Bread Bars
Great recipe!! I made this decadent bread twice in one week because the first time the family ate it all in less than two days. I think this one will be a keeper in my repetoire. Thank you very much for sharing this.
I’m so glad you and your family enjoy it, Margaret! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Hey Amanda, I LOVE this recipe and so do many of my family and friends. For Christmas, I wanted to make mini loaves to share in some cute ceramic, holiday- themed mini loaf pans I have. Any suggestions for adjusting the time and temperature for the smaller size?
I hated zucchini, growing up, and it was on the list of three things my mom didn’t force me to eat. Now I love it and am going to try your recipe with a baseball-bat-sized zucchini I found on the botton of my garden last week.
On the other hand, have you ever heard of Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake? It’s my all time favorite and was marketed by Hellmann’s in the 1950s. You should check it out, since you seem to be challenging your dietary yucks through baking ;). When you think of it, Mayo is a mix of eggs and oil….pretty cake compatible, right?
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. How long does it keep?
About 5 days at room temperature, Amira.
I have all ingredients at this very moment except cocoa powder! What do you think about omitting it but keeping the Choco chips?
Could the whole wheat pastry flour be subbed with oat flour? Would it need more baking powder?
I wouldn’t sub it all out because you’ll probably end up with a much denser and drier texture. 1/2 cup should be okay though.
Thanks for the recipe, Amanda! I made these a few days ago. The texture was perfect. I skipped the chocolate chips because I was too lazy to buy them, but next time I make this recipe (read: tomorrow) I think I’ll add them for some extra sweetness. I did have a bit of issues with the timing – mine only took ~45 minutes, but my oven is kind of screwed up, so I think that contributed.
I’m so glad you liked it, Emma! I try to avoid adding a lot of extra sugar when I’m working with chocolate chips since they add plenty of sweetness, so those’ll definitely help if the bread wasn’t sweet enough for you.
This looks absolutely amazing. Would the recipe change at all if I made muffins instead of a loaf? And how long do you think they would need to go into the oven for? Thanks so much!
Muffins should be fine, Jenny! I would check them at 18-20 minutes.
Awesome -thanks so much!
I was already planning on baking this and freezing it along with a ka-jillion other zucchini desserts/breakfast (still not sure what the difference is?) but mentioning that blissful moment in the Stanley Cup finals just made this my favorite Pinterest post yet!!!
omg this looks amazing….the TEXTURE.
I wasn’t too picky or had mum have to hide stuff, but I did need to be forced to drink a glass of milk before going to McDonalds for breakfast. Lets just say half the time, we missed the 10.30 cut off!
Girllllll this is everythang I ever wanted! Extra chocolate chippies always, derrrr.
this looks SO GOOEY and delish! I’m thinking it would be AMAZING heated up and drizzled with peanut butter… but hey what isn’t good with peanut butter…ha! i’m SUCH a zucchini lover for this reason! baked goods…oh and zoodles!! yuuumm.. thanks for sharing this recipe!
I suspect I’ll be tricking Ave into eating all sorts of things, although I’m really hoping she gets her eating habits from the Hubby because I put picky to shame growing up. I was an impossible eater. My parents timed it, and it took me 20 minutes to eat a piece of lettuce. I’m praying Ave is much better.
This will definitely be one way I’ll slip her zucchini.
I once called 911 when my mom made me sit down to finish a sandwich and it was taking me over an hour 😆 Not because it was an emergency, but because I was curious what the big 911 fuss was about… But we turned out fine! I’m sure Ave will be golden.
I really really REALLY hate butternut squash…I ate it for dinner in the college cafeteria one night and had such a bad stomach reaction, I thought I was going to explode. Not sure if that was what caused it, but it will forever be spoiled by the associations!
As for this recipe, YUM! You have basically combined all of my fave foods (zucchini, cacao and banana) into a delicious heaven. I’ll def have to try a gluten free version sometime!
You could probably just sub out the flour for an AP GF flour mix and then add about 3/4 tsp xanthan gum if your mix doesn’t already have it. And for what it’s worth, butternut isn’t my favourite squash either… Kabocha is so much better 😀
I’m super tired, but I honestly laughed out loud at the Thumper clip. I love Bambi ❤️ And this looks freaking fantastic, Amanda! I’ve never combined zucchini and banana bread, and I have no idea why – they’re two of my favorites. Plus chocolate? Genius.
One food I really loathe is mayonnaise. Even the vegan kind I hate. I cannot eat it and even using it on other people’s sandwiches at my job is gross for me. I used to LOVE zucchini bread as a kid. But my favorite cake has always been carrot so I guess I just assumed putting sugar or veggies was normal 😉
Ohhh good call on the mayo! That’s another one I really don’t like. I think I only tried it once or twice before deciding never again 😆
Ugh mushrooms are the one thing that I have trouble with. I just can’t seem to do them. Occasionally though I can eat a few. It is one of the things that I would eventually like to like though
Mushrooms can be tricky because of their rubbery texture. I have a way easier time with them raw than I do when they’re cooked.
That looks delicious.
I really wish they sold shredded zucchini. I mean, I understand why they can’t, all that moisture would make it rot in a day — I just hate dragging out my food processor! I think I need a smaller one. My husband will kill me!
I just use a simple cheese grater! It works perfect.
Yummmm, this looks amazing! And yes, my mom would totally sneak veggies into my food. I remember a lot of peas or broccoli making its way into our mac and cheese.
This looks so good it is worth heating up the kitchen for. Your conversation with your Mom reminds me of my Mom. LOL The rabbit is very wise.
Lol it was seriously the hottest day when I chose to bake this… I’m like, why did I wait until now to make it? Oh yeah… because zucchini is a summer food 😯
Banana AND zucchini?!
Daaaaaang. That’s genius.
Haha, I think I’d be more likely to burn my mouth trying to eat it molten! #gooeyforlife 😜 This looks amazing, Amanda! I just want to pick a slice right up off my screen.
I am not a huge fan of fish either (I suspect that’s because most of the fish I’ve eaten has been overcooked, and it’s so easy to overcook fish!); it’s not that I love it or hate it, it’s just meh. Except for salmon, which I love!! Though my favorite way is the smoked kind you get at Costco and flake onto a sandwich. Best with bagel and cream cheese if one can eat such things…I dunno, maybe it’s because I have all sorts of fond memories of my grandparents associated with it, but I love that stuff! I don’t tend to really hate foods (just dislike or feel indifferent towards), unless it’s something that tastes like chemicals to me. But I have this thing about anything (baked goods especially) that had liquor or fake extract added to it. I am really sensitive to it and my sibs probably feel like I’m making it up sometimes. But there is this funny aftertaste and I hate it so much, it completely ruins the treat for me.
I completely understand that! I have the same issue with anything artificial tasting, which is why I can’t do stevia in a lot of cases. And foods associated with grandparents are seriously always the best tasting 🙂
This looks mouthwateringly delicious, I would think a kid would have NO idea any veggies were inside. Or, you know, my family members who don’t like “healthy” desserts.
Mine weren’t too keen at first either, but I think I won them over. Either that or they realized they had no choice 😆
Oh dear lollypops!! Amanda this is insane! I love me some veggie packed eats and gurrrrrlll this is beyond amazing! Haha, I gotta give your mom major props for trying to get you to eat fish by telling you it was chicken! I used to tell my daughter that yogurt was ice cream {mother of the year eh?! 🙂 } and she bought it – at least till she was 3 and went to a party and they were serving real ice cream and …well… it’s hard to keep your toddler away from ALL the party food! Funny thing is she’s never been a fan of yogurt straight up since – she’ll eat it if it’s in pancakes or breads or what not, but not straight up…hmmm… guess it wouldn’t take a therapist to figure this one out?! 🙂
Happy Tuesday, sweet friend! xx
I could definitely see you doing this with beets seeing as you work some pretty epic magic with those. Happy Tuesday right back, lovely! xo
Oh my oh my oh my, this zucchini bread looks absolutely deeeeeeeeeeeee-vine! And my mother had so much trouble sneaking veggies into my diet as a kid–I eventually started loving them once I got into healthier eating! Anyhow, I definitely would try zucchini in baking now, as well as going crazy and using cauliflower too!
I eventually started loving them as well! My diet’s basically a big 180 from what it used to be.
Ahhhh I love all of your bread recipes!! They’ve always turned out so well! One food I really DON’T like is eggplant. Blahhhh! I’ve never been able to enjoy the taste, even if it’s smothered in cheese for eggplant parm! Haha
Definitely with you on that one!
How can you not like zucchini?! It’s so good 😊 But I’m glad you worked up the courage to try it in baked goods because this look awesome!
Haha! I think it just brings back bad memories since I had some pretty bad experiences with it when I was first learning how to cook. Scarred for life, is what I am.
DOUBLE Chocolate! I love double chocolate. It’s pretty cool how all the water in zucchini makes some amazing sweet bread. I wonder if eggplant would do the same thing?
It might! Someone mentioned there being such a thing as eggplant cake, and when I googled it, it didn’t look half bad!
This looks so gooey and chocolatey and perfect! Sadly I’ve never made zucchini bread but it’s been on my to do list for years, oops!
There’s so much goodness in this post, from discovering our equal disdain for fish [except I like baby shrimp] and eggplant to our love for watching hockey while trying to blog and OF COURSE this delicious chocolate zucchini bread. I’m not gunna lie, I’m sort of obsessed with zoodles at the moment so it would be rare for a zucchini to survive to make it into a bread, but this looks really really good!
I take it you were watching the game last night too? 😀 Was a good one. And I feel like I need to give zucchini noodles another try. I last tried them about 7+ years ago before they were really a thing, and it was kind of a nightmare. Scarred me for life 😆
so i had a dream that we met up again. No lie! And maybe we should really make that happen… zucchini bread party. That can be a retreat theme, right? and now I’m wondering if I could bake eggplant into a muffin! haha kidding. maybe
That would be the BEST. I don’t have any blog travel planned yet, but I’m hoping that changes by the end of the year. And someone actually commented that there are cakes made with eggplant… I had to look it up and they don’t look half bad!
This looks great! I do not like straight up bananas so i trick myself by putting them in smoothies and baked goods. haha!
Haha! That’s what I do with zucchini 😉
Well, I’m the odd person not being too fond of banana bread – or bananas as is but I still eat them daily; relationship status; it’s complicated ;). Adding chocolate here would likely fix that issue for me. Zucchini, on the other hand, I’m cool with. By the way: I don’t like eggplant much but have actually seen a cake prepared with it that looked amazing.
I think I might have to ask my then already health-conscious mum about any veggie-sneaking, too. Fish was definitely not on the menu for us.
Eggplant cake?!?! Ok I just Googled it and it doesn’t look half bad. I might have to look into this…
These photos!! And this bread…. so moist (worst word buuuut definitely works for this recipe). I haven’t had zucchini bread in ages, not since my mom made it for me. That needs to change!
Man! You’re the second person to mention Mom’s zucchini bread, and now I’m feeling all left out because mine never made me any. That being said, she probably knew I wasn’t going to eat anything with zucchini in it 😆
I am still not okay with this penguin hock you keep mentioning. sharks, okay? it’s not okay to root for eastern conference team unless it’s the islanders. although, your oilers are western conference so maybe I can understand. anyway, yes, I trick my son and hide vegetables in his food until recently – now he is older and understands. he is on to me. there is no fooling him anymore
Lol I’m sorry! The eastern vs. western conference thing definitely makes sense. Let’s go with that 🙂
This brings back a lot of memories for me. My mom made the best chocolate zucchini bread and I always looked forward to having it. I might need to make this!