This beautiful chocolate loaf is dedicated to all the chocoholics out there who don’t want to be bogged down by unhealthy sugars and bloat-inducing gluten. Healthier cacao powder is used here instead of cocoa powder, and dark chocolate chunks are added to give it that extra chocolatey punch. Ideally the chocolate chunks used in this recipe will be refined-sugar free.

Cacao and cocoa differ mainly in their processing. Cocoa is heated to high temperatures during processing, whereas cacao is cold-pressed. Processing at cool temperatures results in a final product with a higher vitamin and mineral content alongside higher levels of fibre and healthy fats. Cacao also has a richer, deeper chocolate flavour than cocoa. The high temperatures used when processing cocoa powder decimate the health benefits of the cacao bean and the fermentation process used in producing all forms of chocolate. Cacao is also not much more expensive than cocoa, therefore an easy substitution choice!

I use yogurt in this recipe to add moisture and that lovely probiotic tang, however if you are a vegan coconut yogurt can easily be substituted here!

The parchment-handle technique I use here I learned from Bon Apetit. The chefs over there frequently use the long parchment pieces when cooking anything that needs to be lifted cleanly out of a pan, and it works!

*makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flax + 6 tbsp water)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup gluten free flour blend

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/3 cup cacao powder

2/3 cup coconut sugar

1/3 cup cold-pressed unrefined coconut oil, softened

1/2 cup yogurt (if vegan, coconut yogurt can be used)

1/4 cup plant-based milk of choice (coconut, cashew, almond, soy)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar, natural unfiltered

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup grated zucchini, water squeezed out & packed

1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks + more for topping

Prepare your flax eggs in a small bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 C.

Prepare a loaf pan by oiling it with coconut oil & placing a piece of parchment in it with a 3 inch overhang on the long sides. See the photo above for reference.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl (baking powder, baking soda, gluten free flour blend, brown rice flour, almond flour & cacao powder).

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar and softened coconut oil vigorously until combined. Add the rest of the liquid ingredients and whisk until incorporated (flax eggs, yogurt, milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract).

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into dry. Mix with a wooden spoon until incorporated. The batter will be a bit thick. Now you can mix the zucchini and chocolate chunks into the batter.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and top with extra chocolate chunks.

Bake at 350 C for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!