Mmmmm, Chocolate Zucchini Bread!

I first tasted this bread when a friend of mine brought it to a 'playgroup' a few years ago. It was SO yummy!! She sent me to the site online with the recipe. I made a few changes (mostly replaced the oil, reduced the sugar and added some chocolate chips). I make this bread every other week or so. The kids love it!! They eat it plain but I like it warmed with real, raw butter. A friend of mine thinks it would be good warm with vanilla ice-cream on top . . . I have yet to try that, LOL!!

The best thing . . . it makes 2 loaves and each loaf has a cup of zucchini in it (though often I add more) and I make it with whole wheat flour!!


Ingredients

• 1 80z package of cream cheese
• 1 Stick of real butter (softened)
  
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar (I use turbinado or raw, though sucanat would be best I can't afford to use it for baking, LOL)
  
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 2 cups of pealed shredded zucchini
  
• 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (I use organic whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl, beat together softened cream cheese and butter, add sugar and beat till fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Stir in shredded pealed zucchini.
In another bowl mix your flower, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir till mixed.
I add a handful of regular, semi-sweet chocolate chips and mix them in. Then I sprinkle mini chips over the top after it is poured into the pans (or you can use regular or mini chips throughout)
Grease 2 loaf pans (I use 8.5 x 4.5" glass loaf pans, but I have used smaller loaf pans and they work just fine too . . . you just have a smaller but taller loaf).
Pour batter into your 2 pans and sprinkle the mini chips over the top (how much you want to use is up to you).
Bake @ 350 for an hour.

Enjoy!!