Chocolate Zucchini Bread

4 cups coarsely grated zucchini
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs beaten
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour
1 1/4 cups oil
4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp cocoa
chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease bottoms of 2-9x5x3 loaf pans or one 9x13 cake pan. Blend all ingredients on low speed one minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium one minute. Pour into pans and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from loaf pans. Cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and foil to keep fresh for a longer time. Bake about 40 minutes for cake pan size.

Hint: Drain most of the water off your zucchini before adding it. Too much water takes it longer to bake which can burn it. Also, when using the cake pan don't fill it more than 2/3 full. I filled it too high once and it expanded creating a HUGE mess in my oven. It also takes longer to bake which can dry it out.