This One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread is a super moist, 100% whole grain treat packed with chocolate goodness! Great for breakfast or dessert.
There are no words I can think of to describe this masterpiece other than a PRESENT FOR YA FACE.
Baking makes my heart so happy. I did an activity in mindfulness recently where I wrote down times when I felt my mind was "quiet," i.e. when it's not bouncing from thought to thought in the distracted manner it does 99.7% of the time.
The few things I could think of where I was truly present were cooking, working out, and being in nature. With working out, it's usually just so mentally taxing that my brain doesn't have much room to think about anything else.
Music is another part of my life that really helps me calm my mind down. I always have tunes on when I'm in the kitchen.
And when I'm baking, I feel home. I feel safe and cozy and calm, and that's something I've needed more lately than ever. I like making things with my hands. I like how the whole house smells like happiness. It's so soothing to me in a way that nothing else is.
So this One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread...I MEANNNNN, it's everything.
It's double chocolatey (hi, cocoa powder and chocolate chips), lusciously sweet but not overly sweet, so freaking moist from the banana and coconut oil, and really just so satisfying for the heart and belly. It's fun to make and it's even more fun to eat! I know from experience.
I made three loaves of this before I was happy enough to share the recipe. I'm lucky because it's not often that I have to make a recipe that many times before I post it. I won't be grating another zucchini for a hot minute, I'll tell ya that.
When I first made this recipe, I used ½ cup of sugar, less oil, and some almond milk and it was not at all sweet enough. It tasted like boring chocolate bread. Meh.
Tips for Making Amazing Chocolate Banana Bread
1. You'll want to use very overripe bananas, like talking mega brown and spotty. We need that sweetness to counteract the bitterness in the cocoa.
2. Use whole wheat pastry flour for fluffiness and extra fiber. You can also use all purpose flour, all purpose gluten-free flour, or check out this Almond Flour Chocolate Banana Bread.
3. Go double chocolate! We’re using both cocoa powder and chocolate chips for epic chocolatey flavor in every bite. You could add a teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso if you want to enhance the chocolate flavor even more.
4. Add zucchini for moisture. I didn't squeeze the liquid out of my zucchini and the moistness level was PERFECT.
5. Don't reduce the sugar! Cocoa powder is bitter and we've got ⅓ cup of it here, so that's why this bread calls for more sugar than my Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread, Chai-Spiced Carrot Banana Bread, and Pumpkin Gingerbread. Readers have said maple syrup works instead of sugar.
All in all, this Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread is a more wholesome option for an insanely tasty treat that I'm totally confident the entire fam will adore.
I've been enjoying it for breakfast with hot coffee and as a night-time treat warmed in the microwave with a little scoop of ice cream and chilly almond milk.
How to store chocolate zucchini banana bread
The best place to store the bread is on the countertop in an air-tight container for up to four days. If you still have some left, you can store in the fridge for up to a week and microwave before serving.
To freeze bread, simply wrap the loaf tightly in foil then in a plastic bag with the air squeezed out. It will stay fresh for up to four months. You can thaw it on the counter when you’re ready to eat.
More banana bread recipes to love
- Vegan Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
- Almond Flour Chocolate Banana Bread
- Chai-Spiced Carrot Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Icing
- Healthy Pumpkin Gingerbread with Maple Glaze
P.S. If you're looking for a muffin version of these, try my Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins. They're insane. And don't miss these Healthy Recipes For Overripe Bananas!
Who else has mad love for baking?! LOVE YOU AND LOVE THIS LOVELY LOAF.
Print
One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 65 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread is a super moist, 100% whole grain treat packed with chocolate goodness! Great for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water
- 1 cup very overripe mashed banana (about 3 small bananas)
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted (can sub avocado or canola oil)
- ¾ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 cup grated zucchini, packed (don't squeeze water out)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour*
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x5in loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Stir together flax and water in a large mixing bowl and set aside to thicken for 5 minutes.
- To the same bowl, add banana, melted coconut oil, sugar, vanilla and zucchini. Stir to combine.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into pan and top with additional chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for at least 20 minutes on a wire rack before slicing.
- Store cooled bread in an air-tight container on the counter or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
Notes
*You can also use all purpose flour, all purpose gluten-free flour, or check out this Almond Flour Chocolate Banana Bread.
TO FREEZE: Wrap the loaf tightly in foil then in a plastic bag with the air squeezed out. It will stay fresh for up to four months. You can thaw it on the counter when you’re ready to eat.
