After doing a quick poll on Facebook the other day about people’s favorite bread (zucchini, banana, or pumpkin) and seeing no clear consensus, I decided to try making a combination of two of the breads in the running. Since it’s still technically August and I try to resist baking with pumpkin until at least mid-September, I went with banana and zucchini. As it turns out, you can swap out one banana in a banana bread recipe for one zucchini, and you end up with an equally delicious and moist bread. I suspect the same would be true for swapping out two bananas for two zucchini, which means (drumroll, please)…here is a recipe you can make with just a single over-ripe banana! Huzzah!
I may have gone a TAD overboard with the chocolate chips and thought about scaling back the amount listed in the recipe, but then I figured, there is probably at least one member of my family who would find that blasphemous and grounds for disowning me, so I left the amount as is. If, for some reason (like, if the rumored world-wide chocolate shortage becomes a reality), you want to make a less chocolate-y version, I’m sure this would still be lovely with a half or three-quarters cup of chocolate chips, but life is short so let’s cram as much chocolate into our breakfast as possible, okay? Okay.
As summer is drawing to a close, what foods are you most looking forward to eating in the fall? Which summertime foods will you miss the most?
- 1/4 cup margarine (dairy-free is fine)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 mini loaf pans.
- In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the margarine, vegetable oil, and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg. Squeeze out and discard as much liquid as you can from the zucchini, then stir in the zucchini, along with the mashed bananas.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix until fully blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using).
- Divide the batter into the prepared mini loaf pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Makes 3 mini loaves.
- You can also use 1 banana and 2 zucchini, instead of 2 bananas and 1 zucchini.
Blasphemy! So much chocolate demands it be considered a DESSERT! Seriously, thanks for another versatile recipe. I had not thought of swapping bananas for zucchini, and now I know you can – genius!
Thanks! And I did in fact have a slice for dessert after dinner last night 🙂
Love that you turned these into mini loaves – perfect for gift giving!
Exactly! These would make a lovely host(ess) gift, “welcome to the neighborhood” gift, etc. Thanks for stopping by!
I remember starting to add chocolate chips to Banana Bread years ago and, boy, did it become popular:) Just can’t go wrong with this combination. Love the idea of adding zucchini and making mini loaves!
Oh I’m sure that was a well-received trend! I’m glad to hear that this piqued your interest!
I have been looking for JUST such a recipe, with this exact combination! Mind reader!! And I don’t think you went overboard with the chocolate chips at all. Those slices look mouthwatering 😛
How serendipitous! I’m glad we’re on the same page about the amount of chocolate 🙂
Perfect timing that I saw this today. I bought a load of zucchini for this exact purpose yesterday. This is on the agenda for our rainy day today!
Excellent! I love baking on rainy days. Enjoy!
In my book you put the perfect amount of chocolate chips!
It looks delish! 🙂
I’m glad you agree! Thanks for stopping by!
I don’t know…. I think it needs more chocolate chips… (just kidding). This looks so great, and the zucchini is great for this time of year, when everyone suddenly realizes they planted just a little too much zucchini and then try to offload it on unsuspecting friends and family members. I’m going to miss all the fresh fruit, but I’m SO PUMPED for fall!
I’m pretty sure if there were any more chocolate chips, I’d have it call it “chocolate bread with hints of zucchini and banana”! I will definitely miss the fresh fruit as well (please don’t go, peaches!), but I’m looking forward to fall as well 🙂
As if zucchini and banana bread weren’t already awesome enough…love that you paired them AND added chocolate! Double win.
Thanks! Can’t go wrong with adding chocolate, right?
All I can say is “wow.” We were just trying to figure out what to with a plethora of zucchini and we happened to have a banana – so close! Next time…
Oops, if only I had posted this a week sooner! Indeed, next time…
I don’t think it is possible to go too overboard on chocolate chips. And, I love how you combined the two types of bread. Looks delicious! Happy FF and have a wonderful weekend. 😀
Yesss, chocoholics unite! Thanks, and I hope you had a great holiday weekend!
I have tried making this kind of bread, but it sounds amazingly delicious to me. 🙂 Happy FF! xx
I’m glad you think so! Thanks for stopping by!
I don’t think there is such a thing as too much chocolate? These brownies look delicious.
If there is such thing as too much chocolate, I have not yet encountered it. Thanks!
Oh man, this looks so good! Love the idea of combining the two 🙂
Thanks! I’m so glad it caught your eye 🙂
I have to agree with your family and pretty much the rest of the commenters: there’s no such thing as too much chocolate! 😉 Thanks for bringing this along to FF – have a wonderful weekend!
Ginger
Thanks, Ginger! I’m glad we’re in agreement about the intense chocolicity (that’s definitely not a word, but I’m thinking it should be, no?). I hope you had a great weekend!
YUM!! I love the flavor combos going on here 🙂
Thanks! It’s always fun to try out new combinations 🙂
YUM!!!
Thank you!
Oh my, this looks delicious!
Thanks, I’m glad you think so! Thanks for stopping by!
Yum, looks fantastic!
Thanks! I hope you get a chance to try it!
1 cup ain’t much…right?? I mean, they dot each slice of the bread perfectly…So that can’t be wrong? 😀 The pics make me want to grab a slice off the screen (minus the eggs though)… Looks perfect! 🙂
Nah, not too much…plus, if you use dark chocolate chips, just think of all the antioxidants! 🙂
The chocolate looks perfect to me! Yummy 🙂
I’m glad you think so! Thanks for stopping by.