Ingredients:

  • 190 g all-purpose flour
  • 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 5 g baking soda
  • 3 g salt
  • 115 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 150 g brown sugar, packed
  • 110 g large eggs
  • 5 ml vanilla extract
  • 225 g grated zucchini, squeezed of excess water
  • 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 60 g chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper for an easy lift. Grate the zucchini and use a clean kitchen towel to press out the excess liquid—you want it damp, not dripping.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously until the mixture looks pale and slightly thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Using a spatula, fold the mixture together gently until just combined—stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain.
  4. Gently fold in the squeezed zucchini, chocolate chips, and walnuts. The batter should be thick and glossy. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with your spatula.
  5. Bake for 60–70 minutes. Your primary sensory cue is the aroma: the kitchen should smell like rich chocolate. Test the center with a toothpick; it should come out with a few moist crumbs attached, but no raw batter. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.