Chocolate Zucchini Bread

adapted from Allrecipes

There is no better way to eat a zucchini than chocolate zucchini bread. My mom would give this to us when we were kids and it was so good we didn't even know it had veggies smuggled inside. I like this particular recipe because the applesauce cuts down on the oil and it is easy to substitute whole wheat flour without affecting the taste. It comes out soft and moist, with subtle hints of chocolate sprinkled throughout.

I made two loaves and froze one of them. It was so good that it only lasted in the freezer one night before Ben and I decided we may as well eat that one too.

Makes 2 loaves

6 Tbsp Cocoa

2 Tbsp butter, softened

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup applesauce

2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups flour (I used 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips + 2 Tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 C). Lightly grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, cocoa, and sugar. Then add zucchini, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and add it to the wet mixture. Coat chocolate chips in 2 Tbsp flour (so they don't all sink to the bottom) and then gently fold 3/4 cup into the mix. Pour the batter into prepared loaf pans and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chips on top. Bake in oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.