When it comes to baking, I’m the laziest person on the planet. I’m (almost) never eager to make a 100-step dessert or a cake that requires to separate eggs / to beat egg whites / to melt stuff / to jump on one foot / to dance samba. I simply don’t get those recipes! From my point of view, if a recipe involves a few ingredients, a single bowl, a spatula and a tray, that recipe has my name on it. You’d never guess, but this particular zucchini bread is one of those recipes!

To make this recipe a little bit healthier instead of using butter I used olive oil and buttermilk and the result is an incredibly moist, almost fudgy, decadent, chocolaty zucchini bread. I tell you, this might be my all time favorite dessert!

Ingredients (for 12 slices):

• 175g all-purpose white flour -> 1 + 1/3 cups
• 110g granulated white sugar -> ½ cups
• 100g packed brown sugar -> ½ cups
• 50g cocoa –> ½ cups
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 2 large eggs
• 70ml olive oil -> 1/3 cups
• 90ml buttermilk -> 1/3 cups
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 medium zucchini, grated (about 230g –> 1 + ½ cups)
• 50g hazelnuts –> 1/3 cups

Method:

1. Toast the hazelnuts in a skillet for about 5 minutes, let them cool down and chop them finely (picture).
2. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, white and brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Sift the dry mixture.
3. Add the beaten eggs, olive oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract and stir until just incorporated. Add the grated zucchini (drain any excess moisture using your hands) and chopped hazelnuts. Stir until incorporated and pour the batter in a parchment paper-lined loaf pan.
4. Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F/175°C (gas mark 4) for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
5. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Method:

1. Toast the hazelnuts in a skillet for about 5 minutes, let them cool down and chop them finely (picture).
2. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, white and brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Sift the dry mixture.
3. Add the beaten eggs, olive oil, butter milk and vanilla extract and stir until just incorporated. Add the grated zucchini (drain any excess moisture using your hands) and chopped hazelnuts. Stir until incorporated and pour the batter in a parchment paper-lined loaf pan.
4. Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F/175°C (gas mark 4) for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
5. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Source: www.joyofbaking.com