Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 4 cups grated zucchini
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter , melted
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1. Set the freshly grated zucchini in a sieve over a bowl so any extra liquid can drip away while you get the rest of the recipe moving. If your zucchini seems unusually dry, give the shreds a soak in water first, then transfer them to the sieve.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the middle. Coat 2 9x5-inch loaf pans with baking spray or butter.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon with some energy behind it, until the mixture is evenly combined and free of lumps.
4. In another large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until the mixture looks smooth, about 1 minute. You can use an electric mixer on medium speed or a wooden spoon, depending on your mood and arm strength. Add the melted butter, instant coffee granules, and almond extract, and beat again until smooth.
5. Stir the shredded zucchini into the sugar and egg mixture. Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture in 3 additions, mixing after each one until combined.
6. Move briskly here: divide the batter between the 2 prepared loaf pans. Once the wet and dry ingredients meet, the leavening is already doing its thing.
7. Transfer the pans to the oven. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees F, until a skewer pushed into the center comes out clean and slides out easily.
8. Set the pans on a rack. Let the breads cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a blunt knife. Turn the loaves out of the pans and let them cool completely on the rack. If you slice the chocolate zucchini bread before it has fully cooled, it will be fairly crumbly; a bread knife makes slicing easiest.