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Sliced low-sugar chocolate zucchini loaf on a wooden board, fudgy crumb with melted chocolate chips and green flecks

Soft Low-Sugar Chocolate Zucchini Loaf with Yogurt

A soft chocolate zucchini loaf baked in one 9 x 5 inch pan, with about 11 g of sugar per slice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 177
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 200 g white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour (1 2/3 cups)
  • 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon optional
Wet ingredients
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 80 g maple syrup (1/4 cup)
  • 40 g light brown sugar (3 tbsp); packed
  • 120 g plain Greek yogurt (1/2 cup)
  • 60 ml neutral oil (1/4 cup); canola or avocado
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250 g grated zucchini (about 2 cups); from 1 medium zucchini, patted with a paper towel
Fold-ins
  • 60 g dark chocolate chips (1/3 cup); divided, 50 g in the batter and 10 g for the top

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Grease a 9 x 5 inch / 23 x 13 cm loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment that hangs over the two long sides.
  2. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Pat the shreds with a paper towel, but don't wring them out.
  3. In a large 3-quart / 2.8 L bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until no cocoa streaks remain.
  4. In a 2-quart / 1.9 L bowl, whisk the eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, yogurt, oil and vanilla for about 1 minute until smooth. Stir in the zucchini.
  5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry. Fold with a spatula until only a few dry streaks remain, then add 50 g of the chocolate chips and fold 3 or 4 more times. The batter should be thick and scoopable.
  6. Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and scatter the remaining 10 g of chips over it. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, tenting with foil at the 35 minute mark if the top darkens fast, until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs and the center reads about 205 F / 96 C.
  7. Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out by the parchment onto a wire rack. Let it cool for 20 more minutes, then cut into 10 slices with a serrated knife.

Notes

  • Use room-temperature eggs so the yogurt and oil blend without clumping.
  • Line the pan with a parchment sling so the loaf lifts out whole.
  • Weigh the flour. Scooped cups can add 30 g or more and dry out the loaf.
  • Bake until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs, about 205 F / 96 C in the center.
  • Slice the cooled loaf before freezing so you can grab one piece at a time.