Sometimes I like to experiment with baking.

Sometimes I’ll come up with something incredible, and sometimes it’s a flop.

I took this recipe for Zucchini Bread and tried to make it healthier, but with the addition of cocoa.

I went a little too far, made too many substitutions and lets just say it didn’t end in my favor.  I changed the oil for yogurt, and the white sugar for brown sugar and applesauce.

Too many substitutions and not enough knowledge and experience on my part for what I may need to add in addition, or change completely.  The bread was interesting to look at, not photographically pleasing and did not rise even a little. The texture was all wrong, kind of spongy and wasn’t very sweet.

After a few bites and some time contemplating the bread.  I decided I needed to find out what happened. So in order to compare the two, I made a second batch of bread, but from the original recipe, a Martha Stewart one.

This one rose up so perfectly. It was moist with a crispy sugar top, but this time might have been a little too sweet.

All in all, neither were totally perfect, but both were still good, in their own way.  A little note for next time would be to start with smaller substitutions so the components aren’t altered completely.  Reduce the sugar, but don’t eliminate it. Maybe even add a few more swirls in the mixture to get more of a marbled effect.

Marble Chocolate & Zucchini Bread     

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (minus 2 tbsp for marble)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar (less if you prefer)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup finely grated zucchini (1 to 2 medium)
2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini. Add the flour mixture, and stir to combine; but not overmix.  Divide batter into two bowls, as equally as possible.  Add reserved flour to one bowl and cocoa to the other.  Stir to combine.  Spoon regular batter into prepared loaf pan in three seperate parts, then spoon the chocolate batter into empty spots.  Pull a knife through batter mixing two batters together gently.

Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until  bread is firm to touch, golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove for pan and let cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

From Martha Stewart Baking Handbook