This is a pretty classic brownie approach, but these are anything but boring. I’ve modified the classic (and well-loved) Baker’s One Bowl recipe to produce a firmer slice with a stronger chocolate flavor. While tender from ample butter, these brownies aren’t greasy. They’re definitely sweet—sugar helps form superb chewy crusts—but some salt and plenty of spices balance them. Fudgy brownie fans: This is for you.

I’m of the firm belief that a brownie is not a flourless chocolate cake, so this recipe is as much about texture and butter as it is about chocolate. But brownies also provide excellent opportunities to mix chiles and chocolates. I used a chocolate with a roasted coffee flavor profile, something deep, rich, and almost smoky. Since it’s diluted in a sweet batter, a chile that complements its toasty flavors would get a little lost. Instead, I opted for something to contrast the heaviness of dark chocolate and chose a bright, oily, and acidic chile: guajillo.

You can pick them up at any Mexican market, and increasingly, many mainstream ones; they’re sometimes labeled as New Mexico chiles. Aleppo is another great chile for this, though it’s a tad too bright and I miss some of the guajillo’s peppery richness. As for the cinnamon, fresh and spicy “Saigon cinnamon” is best; it rounds out the flavor of this brownie, making it the closest thing I know to a universally adored dessert.

October 2020

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• 140 g (5 ounces) dark chocolate, at least 72 percent cacao, finely chopped

• 140 g unsalted butter (5 ounces; 10 tablespoons), plus more for greasing

• 2 tablespoons ground guajillo or Aleppo chile, see notes

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

• 350 g granulated sugar (about 12 1/4 ounces; 1 3/4 cups)

• 3 large eggs

• 128 g all-purpose flour (4 ounces; 1 cup flour

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9- by 9-inch baking pan with two 9-inch wide strips of parchment paper or foil so that all sides are covered with a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly grease with butter; set aside.

2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate, butter, chile, cinnamon, and salt. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. (See notes.) Set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

3. Whisk sugar into chocolate mixture, followed by the eggs, whisking until smooth. Using a flexible spatula, fold in flour until just combined and no dry bits remain. Scrape batter into baking pan and bake until brownies are firm to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes.

4. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Using the parchment or foil overhang, lift brownies and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

Special Equipment

9-by-9-inch baking pan, parchment paper or foil, whisk, flexible spatula, wire rack

Notes

The chile can be ground using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Alternatively, chocolate can be melted in a heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. The bowl should be large enough to nest in the saucepan without touching the water; stir occasionally until chocolate is melted, 6 to 8 minutes.

Chai Spiced Apple Butter Muffin Bread. Better than anything you’ll find at a coffee shop, this bread is such a cozy fall treat! It’s a simple muffin-style loaf made with my homemade chai spice blend, apple butter, and brown sugar, then swirled with chai-spiced Honeycrisp apples. What makes it really special are the ribbons of cream cheese baked inside and the sweet, spiced chai crumble on top. Fresh out of the oven or toasted with a smear of butter, this bread is truly irresistible.

I’ve spent the past week in New York, and while the weather has been perfect, you can definitely feel fall in the air. The markets are overflowing with autumn scents, fresh figs, and the most beautiful apples. New York really does have the best apple selection—so many varieties! My favorite will always be Honeycrisp, but it’s so fun to see all the options.

It’s the perfect reminder that it’s apple season, and the perfect time to bake. This bread is just right for a cozy fall weekend, especially on a chilly day when you’re craving something warm from the oven. No pumpkin yet—just all the autumn apples!

These are the details

Ingredients

The Chai Spice

• cinnamon
• ginger
• cardamon
• nutmeg
• all-spice
• cloves

Muffin Batter

• salted butter
• brown sugar
• plain Greek yogurt
• apple butter
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• Honeycrisp apples – I never peel them!
• cream cheese

Chai Swirl CRUNCH

• brown sugar
• whole wheat or all-purpose flour
• salted butter

Steps

Step 1: Mix the chai spice

This one’s easy—just mix all the spices together in a small bowl. That’s it! If you have leftovers, save them for sprinkling into your coffee. So yummy!

Step 2: Make the batter

Start with melted butter. I don’t use a microwave, so I melt mine on the stove until it reaches a lightly browned stage for extra flavor.

Whisk the butter with yogurt, apple butter, eggs, and vanilla. Then stir in the dry ingredients: whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose), a little of the chai spice, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3: Add the apples and cream cheese swirl

I like to leave the skin on my apples—it gives more flavor and fiber. Slice and chop the apples, then toss them with brown sugar and chai spice before folding them into the batter.

Swirl in the softened cream cheese gently. Don’t overmix—just a light stir gives you those pretty ribbons of cream cheese throughout.

Step 4: Make the chai swirl topping

Mix brown sugar, chai spice, flour, and butter together until clumps form. Sprinkle the clumps evenly over the batter.

Bake the bread for about 1 hour, until golden on top and cooked through. It’s a long wait, but worth it!

Serve

Enjoy the bread warm or cooled, though it’s hard to resist cutting into it fresh from the oven. I love it with a pat of European-style butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Cozy, spiced, and the perfect way to welcome autumn!

Pro Tips

• Storage: Keep the bread in an airtight container at room temp for 2–3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.

• Freezing: Slice and wrap individually, then freeze. Warm slices in the oven or toaster oven when ready to enjoy.

• Apples: Honeycrisp are my favorite, but use what you love—Gala, Fuji, or even Pink Lady all work great.

• Flour: Whole wheat pastry flour gives a light, nutty flavor. All-purpose flour is a perfect substitute if that’s what you have.

• Extra Chai Spice: Sprinkle leftovers into coffee, over oatmeal, or onto baked apples—it’s delicious anywhere.

Looking for apple recipes? Here are a few ideas: 

Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze

Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita

Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots

Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds

Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

Lastly, if you make this Chai Spiced Apple Butter Muffin Bread, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

These moist, fluffy pumpkin cupcakes are perfectly paired with cream cheese and cinnamon frosting.  

There is one fall flavor combo that truly has a hold over me this time of year and it’s pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pumpkin muffin. But sometimes the only thing that will hit the spot is a cupcake! And this recipe is a good one. You gotta give these a try – for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or just a fall day when the weather starts to change.

You won’t regret it. 

Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting 

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups (158 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• ⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 – 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ tbsp real maple syrup
• ⅓ cup of Greek yogurt

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 160 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• ¾  teaspoon of ground cinnamon

    

Pumpkin Cupcakes

This cupcake batter could be turned into a traditional cake batter, if needed. BUT I like that cupcakes are individual servings, easy to grab, faster to bake, and don’t require slicing into pieces at an event. That said, here’s how to make delicious pumpkin cupcakes.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue by adding the sugar and mix until combined. 

3. In another bowl, whisk the vanilla, pumpkin, oil, eggs, maple syrup, and yogurt. 

4. Add the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides as needed and mix until combined.

5. Fill the paper liners three quarters full, using an ice cream scooper. 

6. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once ready, remove them from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. 

7. Remove them and set them on a cooling rack, baking sheet, or plate, so you can frost them. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

The tanginess of the cream cheese in this frosting is such a nice balance against the other ingredients and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin cupcakes too!

1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese with the butter until soft and smooth. 

2. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon. Mix until combined. 

3. Add in the powdered sugar gradually, and manually mix until combined. 

4. Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Pipe over cooled cupcakes and sprinkle a bit more cinnamon on top if you like. 

Notes: I used an Ateco 827 star tip. 

Homemade Caramel Hostess Cupcake Cake. Sweet, nostalgic, a little messy, and so much fun! This is my homemade take on the classic Hostess cupcake — but with a twist. Rich chocolate cake layers made with cocoa powder and dark chocolate, sandwiched together with a gooey caramel-marshmallow creme, then finished with a creamy chocolate glaze. It’s indulgent, over-the-top, and the perfect cake to share. Just know, it’s a little messy…but that’s exactly what makes it so delicious!

I baked this cake for the long weekend, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you!

When I first started testing, the plan was to make a simple hostess sheet cake with the classic marshmallow fluff filling — just like my Homemade Hostess Cupcakes, only bigger. That would have been good, but mid-bake I got bored and decided to change things up.

So I called my mom (very urgent, of course) and went on for five minutes about fillings. Together we landed on the idea of a caramel-marshmallow creme made with butter, brown sugar, and a bag of mini marshmallows. We both knew immediately it would be SO much better — and it was.

Because of the marshmallows, the cake is stickier and a little more rustic-looking than most layer cakes. But don’t worry about perfection — the gooeyness is what makes every bite extra yummy.

Here are the details

Cake Ingredients:

• salted butter
• eggs
• buttermilk
• plain Greek yogurt – or use sour cream
• granulated sugar
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• cocoa powder
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• hot brewed coffee
• semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Caramel Marshmallow Fluff Ingredients:

• salted butter
• dark brown sugar
• flaked sea salt
• mini marshmallows

Glaze Ingredients:

• chocolate chips
• whole milk
• white chocolate

Special Tools

For this sheet cake, you’ll need a rectangular cake pan, a mixing bowl, an electric mixer, and a medium pot for making the filling and melting the chocolate.

Steps

Step 1: Make the cake batter

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and the wet ingredients: melted coconut oil, eggs, buttermilk, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla.

Stir in the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Lastly, mix in the hot coffee (if you don’t love baking with coffee, you can use hot water or milk, but the coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor without overpowering it).

Step 2: Bake the cake

Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake until set. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before adding the filling.

Step 3: Make the caramel marshmallow fluff

In a saucepan, melt a stick of salted butter with dark brown sugar and a splash of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of flaky sea salt, if you’d like.

Stir in the mini marshmallows and keep stirring until they’re completely melted into a smooth caramel fluff.

Step 4: Add the filling

Once the cake is cool, quickly pour the caramel marshmallow fluff over top. Spread it out evenly with a spatula, leaving a small border around the edges so it doesn’t spill down the sides. The fluff will begin to set as it cools, so work fast. Let it set for at least 30 minutes (longer is even better).

Step 5: Make the glaze

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips with milk or heavy cream until smooth and glossy. Add a pinch of salt for extra flavor.

Step 6: Glaze and decorate

Slowly pour the glaze over the caramel fluff, spreading it gently to the edges without pressing too hard. Let the glaze set for at least 1 hour.

Melt a little white chocolate and transfer it to a piping bag (or zip-top bag with the corner snipped). Pipe loops across the top of the cake. Don’t stress about perfection — the more imperfect they are, the cuter they look!

Step 7: Slice and enjoy

Once fully set, slice the cake into squares using a sharp knife. It is helpful to run the knife under hot water, dry it, then slice. This will give you cleaner slices. Just prepare yourself, the slices won’t be perfectly clean (marshmallow is sticky!), but embrace the mess — it’s all part of the fun.

Every bite is rich chocolate cake, gooey caramel marshmallow, and fudgy glaze. Honestly, so much better than any store-bought Hostess Cupcake!

Looking for easy party desserts? Here are a few ideas: 

Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Crinkle Top Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies

Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars

Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake

Lastly, if you make this Homemade Caramel Hostess Cupcake Cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

You’ll love this chocolate zucchini bread recipe! Packed with shredded zucchini and gooey chocolate chips, it’s moist, fudgy, and delicious.

This double chocolate zucchini bread is moist, fudgy, and delicious. In the summertime, it’s my favorite way to satisfy a chocolate craving. It tastes just as decadent as a rich chocolate cake, but it’s packed with shredded zucchini. Eating your vegetables has never tasted so good!

Like my classic zucchini bread recipe, this recipe makes two loaves. They disappear pretty quickly in our house, but if you have extra, pop one loaf in the freezer for another day, or share it with a friend! They (and you) will love this chocolate zucchini bread.

Quick note: I recently re-tested and updated this recipe to give it a lighter texture, simplify the ingredients, and use even MORE zucchini! I love the results, but if you’d like to make the old version, you can find it in the recipe notes at the bottom of this post.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this double chocolate zucchini bread:

• All-purpose flour – Spoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – It adds rich chocolate flavor to the batter.
• Baking powder, baking soda, and eggs – They help the bread puff up as it bakes.
• Sugar – For sweetness. Granulated sugar and cane sugar both work well here. You could even use brown sugar for richer depth of flavor!
• Vegetable oil – For moisture and richness.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract – For warm depth of flavor.
• Zucchini – I grate mine on the largest holes of a box grater to get the best moist, zucchini-flecked texture!
• Chocolate chips – You’ll fold some into the batter to add fudginess to the inside of the loaf. Then, you’ll sprinkle more on top.
• And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This double chocolate zucchini bread recipe couldn’t be simpler to make! Here’s how it goes:

First, whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and gently stir to combine.

Fold in the chocolate chips. Look how chocolatey that batter is!!

Evenly divide the batter between two greased loaf pans (if you like, you can also line them with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup!). Sprinkle with more chocolate chips, then bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean.

Place the pans on a wire rack, and allow the loaves to cool in the pan before digging in. So easy!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread Recipe Tips

• Be careful not to overmix! As with all baking recipes that use wheat flour, overmixing the batter will make the bread dense. Stir until everything is just combined to get soft, moist, and puffy loaves.
• Bake once, eat twice. This recipe makes two loaves of quick bread. They’ll keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, but they also freeze perfectly. I like to enjoy one right away and slice and freeze the other. To thaw a slice, let it sit out at room temperature for an hour or so, or pop it in the microwave for around 30 seconds.
• Try changing it up! Swap half the chocolate chips for chopped walnuts, pecans, or dried tart cherries. Or, if you have it on hand, use yellow squash in place of the zucchini. Let me know what variations you try!

More Zucchini Recipes to Try

If you love this chocolate zucchini bread, try one of these delicious zucchini recipes next: