Chocolate Orange Zucchini Bread

In the past, zucchini bread wasn’t something I got very excited about.  I mean, it’s a vegetable so I didn’t understand what business it had in something sweet. (And a green vegetable too, which made it seem even more weird.) My Mom made it on occasion when I was a kid, but then again she made us “baked goods” that were sneakily healthy all the time so it still didn’t make its way into the “decadent treat category.” I have to say though, I’m my Mama’s daughter through and through. This bread is actually pretty healthy and I couldn’t get enough. 
I found the recipe by watching re-runs of Paula Deen’s show which normally would take anything out of the “healthy category” and put it into the “way too much butter Ya’ll” one. But, with a couple adjustments, this bread was totally breakfast worthy. I used half whole wheat flour and added applesauce in place of some of the oil. It was just enough for it to not taste like cardboard but also feel like something substantial. And yes, it did make me feel kinda good to see all the green peeking its way out. You know, since I normally eat leftover cake for breakfast. ;)
Chocolate Orange Zucchini Bread
Makes 2 9×5 loaves
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used the white whole wheat kind.)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini (with the liquid pressed out.)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon orange zest
Directions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.
Sift together flours, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, applesauce,  vanilla, zucchini, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool. Cool before slicing. 
Adapted from Paula Deen’s Recipe

11 Comments

  1. I love the additional flavors you have added to this bread! Your picture does tell it all, I am sure it tastes heavenly. Great post and have a wonderful weekend!

  2. I love zucchini bread! My 6 year old loves it too! He loves anything that I can make into a muffin and has cinnamon in it. About the only way I can get veggies in him!

  3. Mmmm…it looks so good! Breakfast is the perfect time to have all your leftover sweets and treats cause you work all those carbs and calories off! :)Hahaha…I’m just trying to justify us people who do that.

  4. It’s a great way to use extra zucchini too – I had a friend who once who taught me that you could get zucchini when it was in season, shred it, and then vacuum seal it and freeze it. Then you could have fresh shredded zucchini all year.

  5. It looks delicious! I love a good zucchini bread…I’d have to omit the cinnamon, but I LOVE the idea of orange in it!

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