Bakery Style Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Tall, tender, deeply chocolate with a crinkly top that cracks when you bite into it. And yes - there is a full cup and a half of shredded zucchini hiding in every batch. You will not taste it. You will only notice that the crumb is somehow impossibly moist without being the least bit gummy.
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Box grater
- Clean Kitchen Towel
- 12-cup standard muffin tin
- Paper liners
Ingredients
Produce
- 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Shred and squeeze the zucchini: Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Dump the shreds into the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners, and twist tightly over the sink. Squeeze until almost no more liquid comes out. You should end up with about 1 packed cup of dry-ish shredded zucchini.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In your large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until everything is evenly combined and there are no cocoa lumps.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In the medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and slightly glossy. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and the buttermilk. The mixture should look smooth and a little pale when you are done.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just a few streaks of flour remain visible. Add the shredded zucchini and 1 ¼ cups of the chocolate chips. Fold just until combined. Do not keep mixing - overworking the batter will make the muffins tough.
- Rest the batter: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. This resting period allows the starches to hydrate and the leavening to start working.
- Fill the liners: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Fill each liner all the way to the top - this is non-negotiable for the bakery dome effect. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips over the tops, pressing them in very lightly so they stick.
- Bake at high heat: Place the pan in the oven and bake at 425°F for exactly 5 minutes. Do not open the door. After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (without opening the door if you can manage it). Bake for another 14 to 17 minutes. The tops should spring back when you gently press them, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs - not wet batter.
- Cool and release: Let the muffins cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you leave them in the pan too long, the bottoms will steam and turn soggy.
Notes
Things I Wish I'd Known the First Time:
- Do not skip the squeeze. If your shredded zucchini still feels wet to the touch after squeezing, wrap it in a fresh dry part of the towel and squeeze harder. That water is the enemy of a good crumb structure.
- Fill the liners to the brim. Bakery muffins are tall because bakeries fill the batter all the way to the top of the liner. Fill right to the rim and a little over.
- Let the batter rest. That rest period allows the starches to absorb the liquid and the gluten to relax, which means the muffins dome higher and the crumb is more tender.
- Use a cookie scoop for even portions. A large spring-loaded cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) makes dividing the batter mess-free and ensures even baking.
- If the top cracks too much, your oven runs hot. Lower your initial temperature to 415°F and see if that helps.