In this summer’s informal series of zucchini recipes, we have reached #2! I had so many requests for zucchini bread that I knew I couldn’t pass up on a fun version of it. And yes, I know it’s hot, but it’ll be worth it to have your oven on for an hour with Cherry Chocolate Zucchini Bread being the outcome. Even with this massive loaf I somehow still have SO MUCH FREAKIN’ ZUCCHINI!

Cherry Chocolate Zucchini Bread! A fantastic way to use some of that summer squash, and make a whole wheat breakfast loaf. Sweetened with coconut sugar! #vegan #soyfree #nutfree #veganyackattack

There are worse problems to have, right? Like I don’t know, maybe having rats make your tomato plants their personal buffet? Because that’s happening right now. I’ve built a fortress around them, yet, they still have gotten to the tomatoes. I ordered an outdoor/solar-powered Ultrasonic Repeller with strobes, that should be here in a couple of days. In the meantime, I’m praying to the tomato gods that it will work and that I’ll be able to keep the fruits, because right now I’m feeling defeated in this war.

If you have any vegan-friendly/organic tips for keeping the rats from eating my tomatoes, I am WAY OPEN to any of them. So far, I have netting and bricks all around the plants, I’ve sprinkled cayenne everywhere. I set up small, spotlights on the tomatoes, even. (who knowwwsss?!?!) And everything else I read just says poison them or set up traps, and obviously I’m not down for that. So, let’s here those tips! <3

Let’s get back to the happier side of gardening and this cherry chocolate zucchini bread. Like I said, I have plenty of zucchini, so this is a nice way to use up one of the smaller ones. Plus, I found beautiful organic cherries at the grocery store the other day and almost forgot about them. Oops. So, in the bread they went! For some added flavor and richness, I added chocolate chunks, which was a great idea.

I also used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, but you could use either. Or you could do a 1/2 & 1/2 split for a little sweeter version of this. I like having the bread on the less sweet side, so that I can either spread vegan butter or jam on it, depending on my breakfast feels. If you’re feeling generous, make this recipe in 3-4 small loaf pans (baking about 35 minutes), and gift them!

1 year: Apricot Blueberry Creamsicles // 3 years: Herbed Tofu Tomato Salad // 4 years: Grilled Peach Lassi // 5 years: Grilled Sourdough Sandwich

Yield: 12 slices

Cherry Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Name: Cherry Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Dairy-free
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed; 1 cup warm water; 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar if you want it sweet; 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups shredded zucchini; 1 cup chopped dark cherries, save 2 T. for topping; 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chunks/chips, save 1 T. for topping

This bread is a fantastic way to use some of that summer squash, and make a whole wheat breakfast loaf. Sweetened with coconut sugar!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 cup warm water
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar if you want it sweet
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped dark cherries, save 2 T. for topping
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chunks/chips, save 1 T. for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a large loaf pan (mine is 9.5" x 5.5" but you can use one a little smaller) with cooking oil.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk ground flaxseed and water together. In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
Add coconut sugar, oil, and vanilla extract to flaxseed mixture, and whisk until combined. Pour wet mixture into flour mixture and fold together with a spatula until there are no dry pockets.
Add zucchini, cherries, and chocolate to dough, folding them in until evenly combined. Transfer dough to loaf pan, top with remaining cherry chunks and chocolate.
Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick draws clean, once inserted into the middle. Let loaf cool in pan, on a rack for 30 minutes before removing. Wait another 30 before serving, as it will be hard to cut if it's too warm. Enjoy!