Barbara's Chocolate Zucchini Bread

UPDATE:  I decided to enter this bread in our 2014 state fair competition - and this bread won 3rd place -  against all other zucchini breads from all over the state!!

Thirty years ago, I started mixing and substituting ingredients until I came up with this delicious version of Chocolate Zucchini Bread.  Even people who "claim not to like zucchini bread" will ask for the recipe.  During the summer, I freeze my shredded zucchini so that I can make mini loafs for Christmas gifts.  Every year we give mini loafs of this bread to give to my husband's co-workers for Christmas gifts, (they always start asking the first part of December, "are we going to get our zucchini bread this year?").  And every year, none of the bread seems to make it home to their families, it always gets devoured by everyone before the end of the day.  And now for only the 3rd time in 30 years, I am officially sharing my recipe. This recipe will make 2 full size loafs, or 5 mini loafs.  Enjoy!!

Preheat your oven 350 degrees.  Grease and flour your pans

For the bread you will need:
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teas vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour milk (see instructions below)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teas salt
1 teas baking soda
1 teas baking powder
1/2 teas cinnamon
1/2 teas allspice
1/2 teas nutmeg
1/2 teas  ground cloves
4 Tabs cocoa

For the topping you will need:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts

First; get your sour milk ready to go.  Make this by adding 1/2 teas of lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 cup of milk and let sit for 5 minutes.

Next shred the zucchini.  By doing these items first the rest of the recipe goes by rather quickly.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, margarine, and applesauce.  I usually make my own applesauce, (but you can use store bought - just remember if you use store bought, and it's sweetened you might want to cut back on the sugar, My applesauce is unsweetened and this recipe compensates for that.

Next add in your eggs, vanilla, and milk.  Beat together well.

The mixture will look like this.

In a medium bowl, sift together your dry ingredients:  flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.

 Stir the ingredients together, to make sure everything is mixed well.

Now mix in 1/2 of the dry mixture into the wet mixture, after it is incorporated, add the remaining dry mixture and mix well.

 At this point the batter will look like a chocolate cake mix.

 Now stir in your zucchini

Today, I am going to make 1 large loaf for us, and 2 mini loafs to give away.  Pour the batter into your loaf pans 1/2 way up

 In a small bowl combine the topping mixture:
brown sugar, chocolate chips, and nuts.

Today, I am using some walnuts that a friend harvested from her trees last fall, (usually we like to use pecans - you can use whatever type of nuts you like).  You can also change out the chocolate chips for different flavors.  Sometimes I use mini chips or butterscotch chips, (so yummy!!).  Use whatever your family likes

 Mix the topping well

 Divide the topping mixture evenly over the battered pans.  Bake for 45 minutes, (depending on how hot your oven bakes - check to make sure the bread loafs are done before removing from the oven).

Place on a rack to cool.  Boy do these smell wonderful!!

 And there you have a light, moist, delicious loaf of the best chocolate zucchini bread you've ever tasted.  You're family will be asking for seconds, and the kids won't know they are eating their vegetables.  And when your garden is over run with zucchini, you have a delicious bread to make and give your neighbors.  They won't groan when you give them a loaf of this.  You won't even have to tell them it has zucchini in it!!

Here are 5 mini loafs that I am giving to my husband's co-workers this weekend.  It will be a summer surprise, sure to please.

Let me know how much you enjoyed my Chocolate Zucchini Bread.