aka Cocoa Zucchini Bread depending on what side of the pond you’re on!
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.
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!
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 Loaf
Ingredients
- 475 grams courgette coarsely grated with skin on
- 365 grams granulated sugar
- 170 ml sunflower oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500 grams plain flour
- 60 grams cocoa powder
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 85 grams raw almonds chopped
- 125 grams dried apricots chopped
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.
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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Mum of three, daydream adventurer, OU Life Sciences graduate, occasional crafter, ex-pat Canadian & quite possibly Britain's most northerly food blogger.
Kirsty Fox says
Wow I would never have though of putting courgette in a cake but it looks delicious, I will have to give this a try.
Jean says
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.
Elizabeth says
You really can’t tell there are courgettes in the cake except for the occasional green fleck. Very moreish!
Jenny Pyatt says
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
Elizabeth says
I make a cheesy carbonara with grated courgettes too – another nifty way to use them up! 🙂 Your baked courgette recipe sounds gorgeous!
Dom says
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!
Elizabeth says
Thanks Dom – I do think the apricots make for a lovely contrast.
Ness @ JibberJabberUK says
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.
Elizabeth says
I hope you try it, Ness, do let me know if you do!
Keep Calm and Fanny On says
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…
Elizabeth says
A courgette cookbook?! Fantastic! 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
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.
Elizabeth says
Thanks Danni – a cake with veggies surely has to be considered healthy, right? 😀
Roz says
lovely recipe and lovely pics 🙂
Elizabeth says
Thanks Roz 🙂
Johanna GGG says
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
Elizabeth says
I’m quite fond of grilled courgettes too – I like them on pizza. 🙂
bev says
very different
Elizabeth says
I suppose it is, Bev! 🙂
Jeanne Horak-Druiff says
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!
Elizabeth says
Thanks Jeanne – glad you like the look of it!
Choclette says
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.
Elizabeth says
Thanks for hosting such a great challenge! 🙂
Ursula Hunt says
Looks delicious and love the old loaf tin
Elizabeth says
I love this loaf tin too – it was a gift some years ago and has aged beautifully!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
What an absolute gorgeous loaf – I mean it is chocolate and courgettes. Heaven.
Elizabeth says
Heehee, thanks Bintu!
Lydia says
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
Elizabeth says
Glad you like it Lydia and I hope you get a chance to make it!
Kavey says
Oh my, we have a lot of courgettes out in the garden, I’m pinging this over to baker Pete right now!
Elizabeth says
Do let me know what you both think of it if you try it! 🙂