Last month when we went house hunting in southern Utah we stopped by my in-law’s house to visit. My mother-in-law told me that during August and September you have to make sure to lock your car doors during Church or someone might put a bag of zucchini in your car.
Sounds like a great problem to have if you ask me!
But seriously, who doesn’t always lock their car door?!
So if you have a boat load of zucchini to use, and a ripe California Avocado as well… then you’re in luck! You’re going to LOVE this Double Chocolate Avocado and Zucchini Bread!
When I was making this bread my kids were home watching.
Needless to say, I got several scrunched up noses when they saw green stuff mixing with the chocolate.
But when the heavenly aroma coming from the oven started seeping into their scrunched up noses, they started drifting towards the kitchen.
Here’s a fun little tidbit of information – did you know that you can substitute avocado for butter in baked recipes?
It’s true!
I didn’t replace all of the butter in this bread, but I did reduce it by half and brought in some ultra creamy green action to replace it.
The bright green butter mixture might throw you off a little. But just go with it.
I have to admit, it was a little weird to add sugar and vanilla to my avocado, but when I swirled in the chocolate I knew I was on to something delicious!
Confession time – the first batch of this that I made I placed the batter into a small 8″x4″ loaf pan.
I wasn’t sure how much it would rise, and I didn’t want a flat loaf, so the smaller pan seemed like a great idea.
After about 40 minutes in the oven, the house was smelling GREAT! Then… it started smelling not so great.
My little loaf pan had runneth over. Double Chocolate Avocado and Zucchini Bread all over the bottom of my oven and turning black quickly.
Bummer.
No worries though. I quickly whipped up another batch, used a larger loaf pan (9″x5″) and started it over again.
Success!
And it wasn’t a dense flat loaf either. It was light, moist, and ultra chocolatey!
My kids shyly took a nibble and then promptly requested a giant slice for themselves.
My 9 year old even had a friend come over later that day and when my daughter pulled her friend over to the kitchen, she pointed to the chocolate bread and said, “There is avocados and zucchini in that bread and all you can taste is the chocolate!!”
Her friend scrunched up her nose. After she took a reluctant nibble she promptly requested a larger slice.
Maybe just don’t tell anyone that there is avocado and zucchini in the bread.
They’ll never know anyway. 😉
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Double Chocolate Avocado and Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 Avocado
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 oz chocolate squares, semi-sweet baking
- 2 cups zucchini, grated
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips, semi sweet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9"x5" loaf pan and then dust it with flour, set aside.
- Place the avocado in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until mostly smooth. Add the butter and continue to beat until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl when needed.
- Add the sugar to the bowl and beat until combined. While mixing, slowly add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, melted chocolate and zucchini. Mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, followed by the sour cream, and then finish by adding the remaining dry ingredients. Once fully combined add the chocolate chips and stir a couple times to get them all throughout.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 70 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 25 minutes in the pan before attempting to remove and cool completely on wire rack.
Video
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am honored to have a long term, compensated relationship as a brand ambassador for California Avocados. All opinions expressed are my own! For more great recipes featuring California Avocados, be certain to visit the recipe section of their website.
Chili-Pasta Skillet
Olivia
Forgot to add the chocolate chips and I still love this recipe. Thanks!
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you loved it! 🙂
Kelly
Sounds so good. Just wish it didn’t have so much sugar in it!
Jill Wardle
Please E mail to munrowardlekj@hotmail.com how to make this as a gluten free recipes..looks fabulous.. Thank you.. I want to make this for my Celiac friend..I will make it your way for myself.. Jill
Michelle steinbach
Just made this. Gonna make chocolate muffins for my am commute ,,,,,,
Candace
This looks delicious! Do you have any suggestions for a dairy free alternative to the sour cream?
sbo
Thanks for understanding the articles on your site that is useful for researching for me.
Kate
Just made this now and it’s so delicious! My flatmates ate it right up! I subbed half the flour with whole wheat flour and swapped the sour cream for low fat Greek yogurt and it worked a treat! Tastes so decadent!
Great recipe, definitely going to be in my regular rotation now 😀
Shawn
Thanks Kate! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Naomi
Hi Shawn,
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it! I was wondering if I could sub flour for whole wheat flour! Let me know!
Shawn
Hi Naomi, I would start by using one cup all purpose flour and one cup whole wheat flour, rather than all whole wheat flour. If you find that you really want to try it all with whole wheat flour I would try cutting it down to just 1 and 2/3 cups whole wheat flour instead of 2 cups. I hope that helps. (and please note, that I only tested the recipe with all purpose flour, so I can not guarantee results with the whole wheat flour).
Rachel Matthews
Shawn,
As always, your pictures are incredible! Wish we could share a plate of this bread <3
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
I have been wanting to try baking with avocado for awhile. I tried this over the weekend, and it was a huge hit! My 9 year old loved it, and so did I. Great recipe Shawn!
Mira
I love zucchini bread and make it all the time. Really wanted to experiment adding avocado to one of my recipes, that’s how I found this recipe and your blog! Thanks for sharing, great pictures!
Laura Strohm
Hi there, I made this last night and it was great! Super moist and rich. I see you used the the rinds of the zucchini I did peel mine. Thanks for sharing… I loved it!
Nicole
Wow! This looks unbelievable!!! I could eat the entire loaf. I love that it has avocados in it!
Carla
I just lv it! Thanks you allways bring to yourblog the best recipes and delicious! Really, congratulations youre one of my favorite author´s.
Nutmeg Nanny
I LOVE avocados in just about anything. This bread is amazing! Now, if I could just get my hands on some delicious avocados…
heather @french press
love love love this! I just won’t show my kids the green stuff 🙂
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
I am going to make this right now Shawn. I have been wanting to do more with avocados in baking. I just picked a zucchini I need to use too. so perfect timing!
Heather
Yum!
naomi
I wish someone would drop off stuff like this at my door. The avocado is such a great way to add and tenderness to baked goods!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen
Gah! I fell in LOVE with that batter photo. That green and brown swirl ~ you KNOW that avocado and chocolate is going to be good. YUM! What a great recipe. Pinned!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes
I haven’t tried baking with avocado. I definitely need to give it a try. The bread looks fantastic!
Shawn
Thanks Barbara! They’re great for reducing some fat in baked recipes. 🙂
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
Oooh, I wouldn’t scrunch up my nose one bit. This looks lovely!! And yes, a bag of zucchini dropped off would be a wonderful surprise!
Shawn
Haha, thanks Aimee! 🙂
Crystal @ Simply Playful Fare
This looks wonderful! I bet the avocado makes this bread really moist. Perfect for an early fall treat!! 🙂
Shawn
Oh yes, this bread is totally moist and super delicious. Thanks Crystal! 🙂
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
Wow – this looks so rich and decadent. But secretly a bit healthier. Love it. And that green and brown swirl in your mixer is to die for!
Shawn
Thanks Liz! I love that picture too! It was so neat watching it mix that I just had to snap a picture. 🙂
Amy @Very Culinary
Absolutely love avocados. Combined with zucchini? Brilliant. This chocolate loaf blow banana bread out of the water. Pinned!
Shawn
Banana who? LOL, thanks Amy! 🙂
CTY
Too funny about locking your doors in Utah. When I lived in NJ you needed to lock you doors to keep out bags of tomatoes. Now that I am in CA, its the oranges. Tell me where do you need to live to get bags of money placed in my car?
Recipe sounds great! I am fresh out of avocados–should I just double the butter?
Shawn
Hey CTY, yup! Just double the butter and you should be good! 🙂
CTY
Well, it took me 5 days but I just made this. It turned out great! Just wanted you to know that I changed things up a bit . First I used black walnut extract –my secret ingredient in many baked goods–instead of vanilla. Also, instead of cinnamon I used Pumpkin Pie spice. Because my loaf pan was slightly smaller than the one recommended, I reduced the batter in the pan by making 6 regular sized cupcakes (just under 1/3 C batter/cupcake). Everything came out incredible! The loaf I baked for 70 min. The cupcakes for 22 min. As my garden continues to produce zucchini, I will be making these as cupcakes & freezing.
You Rock!
Shawn
I’m definitely looking into this black walnut extract! That sounds amazing, as well as baking this loaf into cupcakes. Talk about the perfect portion control! Thanks CTY! 🙂