Five-Spice Chocolate Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

A fudge-y, chocolate-y, spiced zucchini bread with a decadent, chocolate frosting.

Technically, this is a cake, but we’ll call it a bread because that may be more acceptable for breakfast. It’s what we strive for isn’t it? Well this is it - a perfect breakfast bread/cake. The chocolate cream cheese frosting adds a bit of a zing and the cake itself is rich and decadent without being too over the top.

Will I taste the zucchini?

Nope! The zucchini is just an excuse for an incredible source of moisture to add to the cake. You might see some green, but you won’t taste any.

What is five-spice?

Only one of the best spices to exist! It’s a mix of star anise, cinnamon, ginger, chili pepper, clove, black pepper, cardamom, fennel seed, and mak khen pepper. It’s used in a lot of East Asian dishes and is the perfect blend of warm, complimentary spices. If it sounds like a lot, I get it. But hear me out, if you love chai spice or pumpkin spice, this will be right up your alley. Combined with the rich chocolate flavor, this spice blend serves to provide a warm depth. It’s worth a try, I promise.

Five-Spice Chocolate Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

A fudge-y, chocolate-y, spiced zucchini bread with a decadent, chocolate frosting.

Servings: 1 loaf cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 60-70 minutes

Cooling Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 90 minutes

Equipment: Two mixing bowls, Stand mixer/electric mixer, loaf pan

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of white sugar (100 grams)
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar (100 grams)
• 3/4 cup of neutral oil (180 mL)
• 1/2 cup of cocoa powder (40 grams)
• 1 1/2 cups of flour (180 grams)
• 1 1/2 tbsp of Burlap & Barrel Five Spice
• 3 small zucchinis, grated
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Ingredients for Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 block of cream cheese (4 oz), softened
• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter (65 grams), softened
• 1 cup of powdered sugar (115 grams)
• 2 tbsp of cocoa powder (10 grams)
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and prepare your loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Crack both of your eggs into a bowl, add in your sugars, and whisk until combined.
3. Add in your eggs and oil and beat again until combined.
4. Add in your oil and whisk until combined.
5. Add your cocoa powder, five spice and salt and whisk again.
6. Add your flour, baking powder, and baking soda and fold in until no streaks of flour remain.
7. Add your grated zucchini and fold again.
Add to your prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let cool
9. While the cake is cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
In a bowl, add your cream cheese, butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt and beat until combined and fluffy.

Notes:

1. To cool the cake faster, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

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