Dairy

Our dairy-free chocolate zucchini bread recipe has become quite popular. But we also have a dairy-free egg-free chocolate zucchini bread option for those of you who are vegan, allergic to eggs, or just plain out of eggs! This delicious recipe is also nut-free and soy-free, and was submitted by Holly Price for one of our recipe contests.

Free-from baking can be tricky business. Eggs not only bind, but they also add lift and moisture, and help quick bread retain it's shape under most conditions. Holly has done a great job in creating a dairy-free egg-free chocolate zucchini bread recipe that's cohesive yet moist and tender. Nevertheless, we have answers and troubleshooting tips for your potential questions.

Vegan batter will almost always be thicker than quick bread batter with eggs. It needs the extra density to help bind. But a thicker batter can also result in a denser loaf. If the batter for your dairy-free egg-free chocolate zucchini bread seems way too thick, which can happen in dryer climates, add a little moisture. You can add some aquafaba, or just a little milk beverage. The latter won't help in binding or texture.

Natural or unsweetened cocoa powder hasn't been treated with alkali (like Dutch processed cocoa powder), so it's more acidic and more bitter. That acidity reacts with baking soda in your batter, giving it lift and a fluffier texture. It also neutralizes both the bitterness in the cocoa and the acrid flavor of the baking soda. Look for natural cocoa powder brands like Hershey's, Scharffen Berger, Ghirardelli Unsweetened, and Anthony's.

I don't recommend using Dutch-Processed since it hasn't been tested. The sugar in this recipe also reacts with the baking soda, so it might work. But if the sugar isn't enough, your loaf might come out dense and/or there might be a notable baking soda taste.

We haven't tested this recipe at high altitude, so I’m making this suggestion from my high altitude baking experience. I would reduce the baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon if baking over 3000 feet, and to 1/2 teaspoon if baking over 6000 feet.

First, it's important to assess if your bread didn't rise or if it rose too quickly and collapsed. If it's concave at all and dense with a coarse crumb, it rose too quickly and collapsed. This can happen at higher altitude and/or in very dry climates. If it's flat or slightly concave, reduce the baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon. If it's quite concave, reduce it to 1/2 teaspoon. But if the bread just didn't rise, your baking soda might be inactive. To test, put some of your baking soda in a bowl, and add a little lemon juice or vinegar. If it doesn't fizz immediately and with vigor, then your baking soda might be fizzled out.

You can, but this might affect the moisture level. After adding the carrot, if it seems too dry or way too thick, add a little liquid. Remember that egg-free bread batter should be a little thicker than quick bread batter made with eggs.

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, peanut-free, optionally nut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.