Guys, I write to you with reservation.  This is not how this was supposed to go.  We weren’t supposed to end our zucchini week this way.  I had big dreams.  High hopes.  Goodbyes are difficult…zucchini goodbyes, well, they deserve more than a confidence-lacking post.

You see, I was kind of saving the best for last here with this bread.  I made it last week…it was incredible…but I didn’t take photos.  Figured I’d make it again this week because my kids acted like famished wolves when I made the last batch…it would be a perfect opportunity for me to get some photos for you. How special to be able to share them on this last day we have together with zucchini.  I hate goodbyes.  

So of course, because if you know me, you know I wait until the very last itty bitty teeny weeny minute for everything….I made it yesterday with a plan to give you the recipe today.  So, yes, I made it.  Yes, it was outstanding and as delish as it was last week.  Yes, my kids went wack-a-doodle-do for it yet again.  But no, I do not have photos.  I took photos…on my camera….that I uploaded onto my computer…and then deleted from my camera, just like I always do.  And now, my computer, well, it’s like the most stubborn, annoying, elderly computer on the planet. My photos are gone.  My heart has been torn into a million.

Because this bread.  It’s barely even bread, it’s cake, or maybe part cake part brownie. And youre not going to believe it doesn’t contain refined flours or that it’s sweetened with honey…well, and a few chocolate chips for balance;)  When I first made it I had intent of a bread outcome but it pleasantly surprised me like only the most rich, decadent, gooey, crumbly cake could.  It’s pretty much to be eaten with a fork.  And devoured. It deserves to be at the forefront of the most amazing photo on the planet.

And theres no photos.  Besides that little one up top that I took on my iPhone for instagram.   It does this recipe no justice, but it will have to do.

But what I do have is a video.  A video is real life proof, no?  And this video is of my 2 year old son, Jude, after he and my daughter, Georgia, tested the bread last week.  They pretty much liked it a ton…like, more than I can tell you.  And Jude had a super hard time understanding how this bread actually contained zucchini, as you can see below.

So, point of the matter, this bread is bomb.  Your children, husbands, wives, cats, friends will have absolutely no idea it contains zucchini…they will look and search and try to find or taste even an ounce of it but they just wont believe its in there….Jude is proof.  All they will taste is gooey, chocolatey, nutty, fabulous cake-brownie like bread that should go down in history of cake-brownie like breads.

It’s been a fun week, guys. And I am happy to report that I have had my fill of zucchini for a bit.  Should we do this kind of thing more often?  What would you like to see for “theme” weeks?  Please share…this could be such a fun switch up on occasion!

Have a fabulous weekend! xo

Gooey Chocolate Zucchini Bread

note: If you do not have oat flour on hand its a piece of cake to make your own: just place rolled or old fashioned oats (gluten free for a GF version) in a food processor or blender and process until it becomes a fine, flour-like texture

Ingredients

1 1/4 Cups Oat Flour

1/2 Cup Almond Meal or Flour

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted

1/3 Cup Honey

1/3 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

2 Large Eggs

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

3/4 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 1/2 Cups Shredded Zucchini, shredded on a box grater

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and butter a 9×5 loaf pan.  In a medium sized bowl whisk together the oat flour, almond flour or meal, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Add the butter, honey, yogurt, eggs and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk well to combine.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just barely incorporated.

Lightly pat the zucchini with a kitchen towel just to absorb a bit of the moisture, not all of it.  Add the chocolate chips and zucchini to the batter and stir gently until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool completely before slicing.