Rosie's Country Baking: Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This is the first time I have attempted Zucchini Bread, after asking my facebook readers which type to make, the overwhelming vote was for this double chocolate zucchini bread. The recipe is from King Arthur Flour, adapted slightly. The zucchini adds nutrition and moistness to the bread and seems to deepen the chocolate flavor, it was very rich and delicious and cake like. I've added part of the chocolate chips to the top of loaf and when it was warm spread it as a frosting - you can keep it decoratively with the chips, or you can omit a topping and add the full cup of chips to the batter.

Recipe

2 large eggs

1 /3 cup Lyles Golden Syrup

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp apple sauce (optional - for extra moistness)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini

3/4 cups chocolate chips +1 tsp flour

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 5 " loaf pan with baking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment,mix together the eggs, syrup, oil, applesauce,

sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the salt, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and flour and mix until combined. In a small bowl, mix the 3/4 chocolate chips with the tsp flour to help suspend chips in batter and add this chip mixture and zucchini to batter, mix until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Bake for about 60 mins or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clear of any batter, it's ok if you see a smear of the melted chips on toothpick. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for about 15 mins. Gently slide out of pan and turn upright immediately to maintain top layer of chips, or alternatively, the hot top layer can be spread with an offset spatula for a chocolate frosting - either way let bread cool on a rack completely before slicing.

Adapted from King Arthur Flour, original recipe here: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/double-chocolate-zucchini-bread-recipe