Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Overrun with zucchini?  Grab some chocolate chips from the pantry and make a batch of this tasty Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread!

Back in June, I had the opportunity to travel out to the Blythe farm in eastern Kansas.  (I was out there to help Debbie Lyons-Blythe celebrate the painting of her barn as part of Certified Angus Beef® brand’s

I met Nica last year, and we became instant friends.  In fact, back in this Mediterranean Meatball Kabobs post, I wrote about how Nica burns her pastures every Spring to create better grass for her cattle to graze on.  Last year, as we left to return to our respective areas of the country, Nica told me that I needed to get out to her farm sometime.  Well, sometime arrived this past June!

When I first heard of zucchini bread, I thought it was some kind of cruel joke.  I mean who wants a sweet bread made out of vegetables.  In fact, I had this same reaction when I first heard about carrot cake, too.  But I’ve seen the light with both carrot cake and zucchini bread!  This Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread is based on a family recipe, except I bumped up the seasonings a bit and added chocolate chips.

So if you happen to have extra zucchini floating around your kitchen (or if you live near Debbie and forgot to lock your car doors), then give this Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread a shot.  The cinnamon + ginger flavors really shine through, and the chocolate chips are a nice complement.  Happy baking, my friends!  Oh, and if you try this recipe, make sure to swing back by and let me know what you think!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups zucchini, shredded (~2 medium zucchini)
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1¼ cups chocolate chips
• {optional} ¼ cup sanding sugar (or other coarse sugar)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Grease and flour 2 standard bread pans; set pans aside.
3. Using a large bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger; stir until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour liquid mixture into dry mixture and stir until well combined.
5. Add shredded zucchini, pecans and chocolate chips; stir until well combined.
6. Divide batter evenly into 2 prepared pans.
7. {Optional} Sprinkle tops of batter with sanding sugar.
8. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of loaves comes out mostly clean. Let loaves cool in pan for 30 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack until completely cooled.