This Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread is seriously moist, super indulgent and tastes like a brownie! It requires just a handful of simple ingredients to make and is refined sugar free too. It's great for dessert, breakfast, brunch or a snack, and definitely doesn't taste like vegetables!
How to make ground walnuts
This bread is made using ground walnuts which add a wonderfully nutty flavour and keeps it moist.
To make ground walnuts, place whole walnuts into a food processor and pulse briefly until you get a fine powder.
Tip: Make sure not to over-blend as otherwise you'll get nut butter!
How to make this recipe
- The zucchini (courgette) will need to be grated - the easiest way to do this is to use a box grater.
Tip: Use both hands to squeeze as much water as possible out of the grated zucchini - this will help it cook better.
- Place all the ingredients in a glass mixing bowl and mix it together.
Tip: Make sure to use a measuring jug to measure out the exact amount of plant-based milk!
- Transfer into a one-pound loaf tin.
Tip: Make sure to line the loaf tin with greased baking paper - this will make removing the bread from the tin so much easier!
- Bake for around 35 minutes.
- Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack to cool down completely before packing away to store because otherwise the steam from the warm bread will get trapped and you'll end up with soggy bread!
Substitutions you can make
- You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil.
- You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
- You can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup, date syrup etc.
- The apple cider vinegar is crucial as the acidity reacts with the alkali bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) - it can be replaced with lemon juice.
- You can replace the ground walnuts with ground almonds.
- For a nut-free version: replace the ground walnuts with ground sunflower seeds.
- You can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.
- You can omit the chocolate chips.
- For a refined sugar free version: use refined sugar free chocolate chips.
How long does this keep for?
This does taste best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
More gluten-free vegan quick-bread recipes
- Gluten-Free Vegan Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Seeded Buckwheat Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Irish Soda Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Cornbread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Orange Bread
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 150 g (1 cup) zucchini (courgette) , grated
- 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
- 12 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar * (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- Pinch salt
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground walnuts ** (or sub ground almonds/almond meal)
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 50 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
- 50 g (⅓ cup) dark chocolate chips *** (ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Use both hands to squeeze as much water as possible out of the grated zucchini - this will help it cook better.
- Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).
- Once melted, add the zucchini, maple syrup, vinegar, salt, milk and ground walnuts to the same bowl .
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder.
- Mix well, adding a splash more milk if it's looking too dry.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold in gently .
- Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin).
- Bake in the oven for around 35 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean .
- Once out the oven, leave to cool on a wire rack before cutting.
- Tastes best fresh but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Notes
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.
cynthia
Oh, wow! Thank you for this amazing recipe! I can’t believe how easy it is to make!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much!
Natasha Knight
Hi Rhian,
Love your site and recipes. With the vegan choc zucchini bread, can I use cacao instead of cocoa?
Thanks
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much! Yes that should work!
Jennifer H.
I'm so grateful for this blog! Two game days in a row I've made quick bread recipes from this website. Last Saturday featured this one and OH MY it is GOOD! Another hit with my guests, and a new favorite of mine. Super chocolate-y. Moist. Easy to make. I use olive oil instead of coconut, and store-bought almond flour instead of the suggested walnut meal, and it works perfectly. I'm off to choose my next Rhian Recipe for a new treat at our Saturday football watching party!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so glad you liked it!!!
Sofía
Hola Rhian!
Preparé el cake vegano de chocolate zuchinni y me quedó increíble! Muchas gracias por compartir tantas recetas maravillosas. A este le hice un frosting de leche de coco con semillas de marañón endulzado con maple. Estuvo super rico!
Saludos desde Ecuador 🙂
Rhian Williams
Hola! Muchas gracias. Me alegro de que te gustara la receta!
Lea
Dear Rhian
What happens if i don’t put the vinegar or lemon? Thank you
Rhian Williams
The vinegar or lemon is there as its acidity reacts with the alkaline bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) which makes the bread fluffy! I would recommend using it!
Lea
Hi, Rhian, thank you for your reply. I’m currently off lemon/lime/vinegar. Is there anything else i couls use to substitute it? Thank you
Rhian Williams
Hi - you'll get best results using something acidic to react with the alkali bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to make the batter fluffy, but if you can't have anything acidic then feel free to leave it out it will still work!