It’s not every day that you find a recipe that combines fruit, a veggie AND two kinds of chocolate into a delicious breakfast treat. Did I mention two kinds of chocolate? These muffins are super moist, chocolatey, not overly sweet, and pretty as a picture. I made them for a friend for her birthday breakfast gathering. Consequently, one friend liked them so much she ate three of them

!

I thought the texture of the muffins was best the day they were baked, although they were still very good the day after (the muffin tops were just softer).

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Zucchini and Raspberry Muffins
-recipe from Fresh From The Farm by Susie Middleton

At last — the perfect place for that one zucchini you can’t get rid of. It’s a bit sneaky, I know, hiding it in a chocolate muffin, but why not? Add fresh raspberries, too, and you have a seasonal snack that doubles as dessert or the perfect picnic take along. The flavor of these moist muffins improves overnight, so make them ahead, wrap in plastic, and store at room temp or freeze.

Makes 12 muffins.

Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan (or baking spray or muffin cups)
1 2/3 cups (7 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (about 1 ounce total), sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso granules, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup finely grated zucchini (ends trimmed, unpeeled, about 1 medium 6- to 7-ounce zucchini)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces fresh raspberries
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin. (Or use baking spray or muffin cup liners.)

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), beat the eggs and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, lightened, and somewhat increased in volume, about 1 minute. Add the reconstituted espresso, the vanilla, oil, and sour cream and mix again for 1 minute. With the mixer running on very low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet, beating just until combined and stopping to scrape down the sides of the mixer when necessary. Add the zucchini and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and raspberries. Pour or spoon the batter (a 1/3-cup measure works well) into the muffin cups. (They will be quite full.)

Bake until the muffins are fully risen in the middle and a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar if desired (and only if serving right away). Wrap any extras in plastic and store at room temperature or in the freezer.