Double Chocolate (shh...Zucchini) Loaf

Could someone please tell me, how it’s only Tuesday?! I spent all day thinking it was Thursday! To get me through the rest of the week, I made this Double Chocolate Zucchini Loaf from @shaunasever ’s latest book, Midwest Made. That’s right, get your chocolate and veggie fix in one go. Before you start wondering about the zucchini, just don’t. It’s an amazing and stealthy moist-maker that is completely undetectable. My kids love this, and I’m just hoping my daughter doesn’t actually read this, because I’m sure she’ll tell her brothers, and that would be the end of this sneaky treat in our house!

Recipe adapted from Midwest Made by Shauna Sever

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (175 g) sugar

• 1/2 cup (113g) butter, melted and cooled

• 3 eggs, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon strong coffee, optional

• 1-1/4 cup (160 g) flour

• 1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder, unsweetened

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 cups (approx. 225 g) zucchini, grated with a course grater, skin and all, loosely packed

• 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips, divided

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Prepare a loaf pan (around 9”x5” or 23x13 cm) with non-stick baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, allow flaps to come over the long sides so that you can lift it out easily.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla and oil. Add the coffee too if you’re using it - this gives it an even more intense chocolate flavor.

Place a large sieve over the bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt straight into the rest of the mixture. Combine. The batter will be quite thick.

Fold in the zucchini, this will loosen it up a bit. Fold 3/4 of the chocolate chips into the batter and transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle over the remaining chocolate chips.

Bake for 60 minutes, until it springs back when prodded with your finger, or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out almost clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool further. This loaf will keep well for 3 days, wrap tightly between snacks!