Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Moist yet fluffy, quick and easy zucchini bread with just a hint of chocolate. This lovely bread is perfectly spiced with cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg. The combination of the zucchini, applesauce, and yogurt keep this bread so moist and tender.  My family and I ate almost half of this loaf before I decided that I better take some pictures before the whole thing disappeared. I stuck the second loaf in the freezer for safe keeping so that we wouldn't be total piggies.  Quick breads freeze really well wrapped up tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil.  It is always a nice treat to defrost baked goods like this from the freezer and have a delicious snack or breakfast ready to go.  This recipe converts really well to muffins or to smaller loaf pans if you have them. Just make sure to adjust the baking time accordingly and you will have portable zucchini bread in no time.  I absolutely love baking something like this or banana bread or granola bars over the weekend and then having a homemade treat to last through the week. As always, customize the recipe to suit your tastes; keep the bread plain, try adding some pecans or walnuts, or even swirl in some nutella right before baking. If you give this recipe a try, let me know what variations you make!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two loaf pans. In a large bowl mix together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Then stir in the grated zucchini, applesauce, and yogurt.  In a separate bowl, whisk all of the dry ingredients together briefly to help distribute the leavening agents evenly throughout the flour.  Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir together until just barely combined.  Lastly, stir in the mini chocolate chips and evenly pour into the prepared loaf pans.  Bake for about 60 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Cool for about 10 minutes in the pans then invert the loaves onto wire racks and cool completely.

Inspired by Deliciously Sprinkled