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Chocolate Courgette Loaf

Published on August 16, 2015 • Last updated January 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Atia
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

aka Cocoa Zucchini Bread depending on what side of the pond you’re on!

Cocoa Zucchini Bread

It’s veg box season!

Each week we get a gorgeous surprise selection of whatever happens to be ready to pick. I’m not fussy with what I get; I’ll work with whatever is in season, but I have to confess that courgettes are my least favourite vegetable.

I’m working on it though, experimenting with different ways of using them up.

My fail-safe recipe though is my father’s cocoa zucchini bread – this recipe uses up 2.5 courgettes!

I like adding chopped almonds and apricots to my loaf as the nuts add some nice texture while the apricots add a little extra moistness. I like the contrast in colour too when you slice into the loaves. Other nuts or dried fruit can be used too.

Cocoa Zucchini Bread

It’s a great recipe to cook with children as they enjoy grating the courgette and mixing the ingredients. You can’t really over mix this recipe either so they can stir until their hearts are content!

The loaves will keep for several days in an airtight container and they freezer well too. However, if you do find that you have leftover stale loaf on your hands, never fear – this cake makes wicked avocado chocolates!

avocado chocolates

How do you use up a glut of courgettes? Do you hide them in cakes? Whiz them up in soups? Make chutney? Do give me some recipe ideas as two or three of these will be appearing in my weekly veg box for the next few months!

Chocolate Courgette Cake

Chocolate Courgette Loaf

A moist, dense, chocolate courgette cake ideal for using up a glut of courgettes!
5 from 2 votes
Print Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 2 loaves
Author: Elizabeth

Ingredients

  • 475 grams courgette coarsely grated with skin on
  • 365 grams granulated sugar
  • 170 ml sunflower oil
  • 4 large free-range eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 500 grams plain flour
  • 60 grams cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp Shetland sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 85 grams raw almonds chopped
  • 125 grams dried apricots chopped
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This recipe card may contain affiliate ingredient and equipment links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ 160 C fan and grease or paper two loaf tins.
  • Combine grated courgette, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl and mix well.
  • Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and baking powder together, and stir into the courgette mixture.
  • Fold in the chopped apricots and almonds, and spoon into the prepared loaf tins.
  • Bake for 50 - 90 minutes depending on the size of your loaf tins.
  • Leave to cool in tin for a bit before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, or freeze the second loaf for later.

Environmental Information

Tried this recipe?Mention @TangoRaindrop or tag #elizabethskitchendiary - we'd love to see what you've been making!

Love Cake - Pack me a picnic

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LINKING UP WITH A FEW FOOD BLOGGING CHALLENGES
Love Cake by Jibber Jabber UK – theme: pack me a picnic!
We Should Cocoa by Tin & Thyme

OTHER COURGETTE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Quick Courgette & Blue Cheese Soup by Kavey Eats
Courgette Quinoa Lasagne with a Cinnamon Yoghurt Béchamel by Recipes from a Pantry
Kousa mahshi (Lebanese Stuffed Courgettes) by Cook Sister
Chorizo & Grilled Vegetable Pizza by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
Lentil, Courgette & Thyme Burgers by Tinned Tomatoes
Caramelized Courgette Soup by Fab Food 4 All
Chargrilled Asparagus Courgette Salad with Goats Cheese and Mustard Dressing by The Foodie Couple Blog
Spiced Courgette Fritters by Tin & Thyme
Courgetti with Avocado & Feta Sauce by Celery & Cupcakes
Courgette & Potato Tortilla by Family, Friends, Food

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Category: All Manner of Sweet Things, Cake, Chocolate, RecipeTag: Courgette, zucchini

About Elizabeth Atia

Daydream adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

Previous Post: « Shop Local Challenge The Shop Local Challenge – The Summer Collection
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kirsty Fox

    September 12, 2015 at 6:15 pm

    Wow I would never have though of putting courgette in a cake but it looks delicious, I will have to give this a try.

    Reply
  2. Jean

    August 17, 2015 at 8:11 pm

    This would be perfect for my “guess the mystery ingredient” cake club meeting!
    I like the idea of putting in chopped apricots, which should distract them from the courgettes!
    The cake lookes delicious. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:27 am

      You really can’t tell there are courgettes in the cake except for the occasional green fleck. Very moreish!

      Reply
  3. Jenny Pyatt

    August 17, 2015 at 7:14 pm

    If you’re not keen on the taste, then grating them & throwing them in just about anything/everything is the way to go – salads, soups, cakes – I like em in a cheesy carbonara. But being a courgette fan myself, my favourite is to slice them lengthways, slap on some sauce (pesto, flavoured hummus, or tomato/bbq for kids), top with cheese, then bake until courgette is soft and sweet, & cheese is bubbling and brown. Yum

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:28 am

      I make a cheesy carbonara with grated courgettes too – another nifty way to use them up! 🙂 Your baked courgette recipe sounds gorgeous!

      Reply
  4. Dom

    August 17, 2015 at 7:38 am

    I adore how this looks sliced. Not how I was thinking at all. I love how courgettes, much like beetroot makes cakes moister each day delightful!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:29 am

      Thanks Dom – I do think the apricots make for a lovely contrast.

      Reply
  5. Ness @ JibberJabberUK

    August 16, 2015 at 9:50 pm

    My courgettes will be nearly ready soon. What a delicious way to use up a glut of them. I hope I get the chance to try it out.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:29 am

      I hope you try it, Ness, do let me know if you do!

      Reply
  6. Keep Calm and Fanny On

    August 16, 2015 at 9:21 pm

    I love courgettes, would happily eat them every day! I even have a wee Courgette Cookbook! I love them as ‘fries’ coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried or baked…

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:30 am

      A courgette cookbook?! Fantastic! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy

    August 16, 2015 at 5:40 pm

    This looks amazing, and a really good way to use up courgettes. We have quite a few in the fridge that need using up actually.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:30 am

      Thanks Danni – a cake with veggies surely has to be considered healthy, right? 😀

      Reply
  8. Roz

    August 16, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    lovely recipe and lovely pics 🙂

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:31 am

      Thanks Roz 🙂

      Reply
  9. Johanna GGG

    August 16, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    Sounds lovely to have the vegie box and the cake – I am happy to play with zucchinis – I love them grilled in a salad and when we were little we had lots of zucchini slice with lots of eggs in it (you will find it on lots of aussie sites if you don’t know of it) I suspect my mum made it often as it was an easy way to use up zucchinis and feed the family. I also love it in lots of stew such as chilli and spag bol

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:32 am

      I’m quite fond of grilled courgettes too – I like them on pizza. 🙂

      Reply
  10. bev

    August 16, 2015 at 12:44 pm

    very different

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:32 am

      I suppose it is, Bev! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Jeanne Horak-Druiff

    August 16, 2015 at 11:48 am

    Oh my… that looks so good! I love the addition of apricots too! Thanks for including my recipe and good luck with the courgette glut!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:33 am

      Thanks Jeanne – glad you like the look of it!

      Reply
  12. Choclette

    August 16, 2015 at 11:25 am

    I love courgettes and can’t wait for them to come into season, but I do get a bit desperate once our courgette plants get into full swing. I’ve made loads of chocolate courgette cakes, but nothing quite like this one, so assuming we get a bit of a glut, I might well try it. Thanks for linking to one of my recipes and to We Should Cocoa.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:34 am

      Thanks for hosting such a great challenge! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Ursula Hunt

    August 16, 2015 at 10:47 am

    Looks delicious and love the old loaf tin

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:34 am

      I love this loaf tin too – it was a gift some years ago and has aged beautifully!

      Reply
  14. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

    August 16, 2015 at 9:10 am

    What an absolute gorgeous loaf – I mean it is chocolate and courgettes. Heaven.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:35 am

      Heehee, thanks Bintu!

      Reply
  15. Lydia

    August 16, 2015 at 9:05 am

    Wow, corgettes and cocoa?! I would have never put the two together. I love corgettes as a vegetable and regularly use it when frying minced beef so it’s interesting to know you can use it in a cake. I will be trying this out for sure! Great post x

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:35 am

      Glad you like it Lydia and I hope you get a chance to make it!

      Reply
  16. Kavey

    August 16, 2015 at 8:47 am

    Oh my, we have a lot of courgettes out in the garden, I’m pinging this over to baker Pete right now!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      August 18, 2015 at 9:36 am

      Do let me know what you both think of it if you try it! 🙂

      Reply

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About Elizabeth

Adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Loves bikes. Calls Shetland home. Read More…

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“Every day is another chance to get stronger, to eat better, to live healthier, and to be the best version of you.”

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