A chocolate lovers dream that’s rich, fudgy, gooey and soo delicious! This vegan chocolate zucchini bread tastes more like a cake, but without all the sugar! Dates sweeten this delicious treat while hiding any trace of veggies!
This recipe was originally published in March 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.
Reader Feedback:
“Delicious! We loved everything about it, from the gooey vegan chips to the inside moistness. Thank you!” – Sheryl
This decadent dessert is secretly healthy and you’d never guess it’s naturally sweetened and actually wholesome!
If you’re not a double chocolate fan, try these vegan zucchini muffins or chocolate chip banana bread instead!
But if you’re craving a chocolatey, rich and indulgent dessert and want to keep it on the healthier side of things, this is absolutely what you need in your life.
What makes it healthy?
- For starters, it’s loaded with zucchini! Hence the name, healthy chocolate zucchini bread.
- Naturally sweetened using dates, and no processed sugar, unless adding the optional chocolate chips.
- No refined flour, just wholesome oat flour, making this suitable for breakfast. 😉
- It’s low fat, due to no oil or butter, making it perfect for a WFPB (whole food plant based) diet.
How to make it
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Gather your ingredients and shred your zucchini, squeezing any excess moisture over your kitchen sink.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Then set aside. (photos 1-2)
Now, add the dates and water to your food processor and pulse until a paste consistency is reached. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed until all the dates are processed. (photos 3-4)
Transfer the date paste to the bowl of dry ingredients, along with all remaining ingredients, including the chocolate chips, if using. (photo 5)
Use a silicone spatula to mix until no floury bits remain. (photo 6)
Pour the cake batter into your prepared loaf pan and evenly spread with a silicone spatula. Then sprinkle more chocolate chips on top, if desired. (photos 7-8)
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle (but avoid a chocolate chip) comes out mostly clean, approx. 50-55 minutes. (photo 9)
Now the hard part! 😉 Let your vegan chocolate zucchini bread rest for at least 10 minutes before removing it from the loaf pan.
Then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling to room temperature, before slicing.
It will be very tempting to dig right in, but make sure to wait until your loaf is cooled before slicing. This cool down time will help it completely set, and making slicing a lot easier.
Common Questions
Yes, absolutely, just swap the cashew milk for soy or coconut milk (but not the canned kind), instead.
You bet. If you don’t have oat flour on hand, just blend some rolled oats in a blender until a flour like consistency is reached. If there’s a few stubborn pieces that don’t blend up, that’s perfectly fine too!
Yes, this chocolate zucchini bread is naturally gluten free. However, while oats do not contain gluten in their pure and natural form, there is a possibility of cross contamination. So if needed, use certified gluten free oats or gluten free oat flour.
Yes, to keep this refined sugar free, you may omit or sub the optional chocolate chips. Use chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch, or use raisins, dried apricot chunks or pomegranate chunks.
What else can I add?
Spice it up, if you’d like with some cinnamon, ginger and/or nutmeg.
Or add some crunch with pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or pecans.
Can I make this into muffins?
Yes, absolutely.
They’ll cook a lot faster as muffins, so start checking on them at the 22-25 minute mark.
They’re cooked when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean, and the top of the muffin bounces back a little when lightly touched.
Storage
Once cooled, keep your zucchini bread in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for 2-3 days. If it’s a hot or humid time of year, keep only 1-2 days at room temperature.
Store in the refrigerator to keep for 4-5 days. Or freeze air tight in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
You may freeze sliced for quick and easy breakfasts or snacks, or freeze the loaf whole.
Expert Tips
- Measure and prep your ingredients before you begin. This will ensure you don’t miss anything, and don’t feel rushed in prepping ingredients in between steps.
- If possible, weigh the oat flour for the most accurate results. If you do not have a kitchen scale you may measure, instead.
- Make sure to squeeze the shredded zucchini of its excess moisture, over your kitchen sink, before mixing into the cake batter.
- Use parchment paper to help lift the loaf out of your pan and transfer to a cooling rack. The parchment will make it a lot easier to transfer without breaking or poking.
- Completely cool your chocolate zucchini bread to room temperature before slicing. The cool down time will allow the cake to completely set.
- Wet your knife in between cuts when slicing. This will help with smooth, clean cuts.
More delicious healthier desserts
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Buon appetito
Rosa
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 190 grams oat flour, approx. 2 cups gluten free if preferred
- â…“ cup raw unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates packed
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups shredded zucchini, gently packed approx. 1 medium zucchini (squeeze excess moisture over your kitchen sink)
- 1 ¼ cup unsweetened cashew milk or plant milk of choice
Optional
- â…“ cup dark chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling on top if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a 9″x5″ loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
- Then add the dates and water to a food processor and pulse until a paste is formed, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer the date paste to the bowl of dry ingredients, along with all remaining ingredients plus the chocolate chips if using. Mix well, until no floury bits remain.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips if using, and gently press them down.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Then remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack to completely cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Sara Winardi
Can I substitute it with almond flour? And Do the dates need to pitted?
Rosa
This hasn’t been tested with almond flour, so I’m not sure. You should use pitted dates, or remove the pits from medjool dates.
Ava
I picked the last few zucchini from my garden this morning and decided to use some for this cake. This is the BEST chocolate zucchini cake I’ve ever made. So hard to believe based on the healthy ingredients. It’s so gooey and moist and yum. If you’re reading through wondering if you should make this, do it!!!
Rosa
Oh yay! I’m so glad to hear that Ava! Thank you so much for the review. 🙂
grace
I wanted to love this, because I love so many of your other recipes. But it came across as bland. It is moist and all but it lacks in flavor. I have some PB2 powder so I mixed it up and put some over a slice. That made it taste really good.
I just made the apple bread too. It’s SO good! thankyou !
Rosa
Hi Grace, so glad you enjoyed the apple bread! Thanks for sharing.
As for the zucchini version, is there any chance the recipe was modified at all? I’m surprised you found it bland, unless something was left out of the recipe. Either way, glad you enjoyed it with the PB2 powder.
grace
I made the recipe exactly as it is written without modifying anything. btw, today I just made a double batch of your banana bread. SO YUMMY. It’s my favorite and I make with applesauce to avoid the oil.
Shannon
This was the best Zucchini bread I have ever made! Added some walnuts cause I love me some crunch and extra chocolate chips on top 🙂 Definite make again!!!!
Rosa
Yay! Thrilled you enjoyed Shannon. Thanks so much for sharing your process and taking the time to leave a review. 🙂
Natasha
Just made the bread and really liked it. Kids approved as well!
I omitted water and didn’t squeeze zucchini. I place wet part into Vitamix and blended together. And then mix with dry part
It baked faster. Maybe in 35 min. Thank you very much for your blog!
Rosa
So glad you enjoyed Natasha. 🙂
inka
OMG …this is sooooo decadent. It tastes so chocolatey and rich. My loaf turned out a bit too moist but I think it’s due to the smaller loaf pan or not squeezing zucchini enough. I blended the dates with water and plant milk together since I don’t have a food processor.
Definitely would make again and highly recommend for all chocolate lovers.
Rosa
Thanks so much for the review Inka. Thrilled you enjoyed! 🙂
Candice
I forgot to add that the date and water mix wouldn’t blend completely so I added 1/2 the plant milk. That worked better. I had to lick the spatula. To me it tasted like the topping to a German chocolate cake! So, now I’m on the hunt for a WFPB chocolate cake that I can smother with this date concoction.