Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (NOT dutch process)
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup oil
2 large eggs, at room temp
1/2 cup buttermilk, also at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups zucchini, unpeeled and shredded
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I like to leave some fairly good sized pieces for oozy chocolate)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans. Whisk the flour with the cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves in a medium size bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl with a mixer on med high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. While you’re mixing, drizzle in the oil, then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir the vanilla into the buttermilk. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. (Like this–flour, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, flour) Scrape the sides of the bowl when needed. Fold in the zucchini and chocolate. Divide batter into the 2 pans. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 55 minutes. (be careful, the tester may look chocolatey from the chocolate in the bread–don’t overbake) Cool in pans on rack before removing and slicing
