Chocolate Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Butter

My cousin Michelle sent this recipe to me a few days ago. She got it from a mutual friend.  I had some zucchini just waiting to be made into this bread.  Never really thought about combining chocolate and zucchini, but with the healthful addition of zucchini to chocolate, I can eat the whole loaf guilt free, right?
Micah was calling this brownies.  This is a wonderful chocolate bread that is like dessert.  The chocolate butter that goes with it, well, it is one of those love/hate things.  Love the taste, hate that I want to slather the entire thing on one slice of bread.  On entire loaf was gone in the morning, I imagine the other loaf's hours are numbered.  A very tasty treat.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD


INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup plain applesauce
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. sour milk (2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar then add milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 TBSP cocoa powder
• 2 cup shredded zucchini (about 2 small)
• mini chocolate chips- divided

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 loaf pans (or use Baker's spray).  Whisk dry ingredients together.  Cream together butter, applesauce and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg, mix.  Add milk, mix.  Add vanilla and mix..  Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Stir in zucchini and half of the mini chocolate chips.  Pour into prepared loaf pans.  Top with remaining mini chocolate chips.  Bake 45-55 minutes.  Mine was 45 minutes.

CHOCOLATE BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick softened butter
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 TBSP Cocoa powder
• drop of vanilla

Mix until smooth.

Can make as muffins (15 min), mini muffins (10 min).  Freezes well.