*Post from 09/17/12. Images updated 08/17/16.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really been able to taste zucchini in baked goods. Sure you can see green flecks sometimes, but you can’t really taste it. To me, the zucchini seems to take on the flavor of everything else.
Because of this, I’ve never had an aversion to baked goods with zucchini in them and am always using up zucchini in different breads, cakes, and bars.
This is a good thing, because I would be missing out on these bars! These bars taste a lot like carrot cake with the spices and cream cheese frosting.
And you already know that carrot cake is one of mine and my husband’s favorites! I also added cinnamon and cloves to the frosting to give it a little extra spice. . . so good!
I am sure most of you won’t have much of a problem getting your hands on some zucchini. . .so go find some and make these bars!
They only take a little over 30 minutes from the time you start making them to the time they come out of the oven. Perfect for both the busy and the impatient! 😉
- ⅓ C brown sugar
- ⅓ C sugar
- ¼ C plain or vanilla yogurt
- ¼ C milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 C white whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cloves
- 1 C shredded zucchini, drained
- 4 oz ⅓ of the fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 C confectioner's sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cloves
- Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, and egg until well combined. Thoroughly stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Add zucchini and stir until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool.
- While cake is cooling, prepare frosting. In a stand mixer, or with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until creamy. Add in confectioner's sugar, cinnamon, and cloves and beat on low until combined. Increase speed to medium high and beat for 1-2 minutes so frosting is light and fluffy.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake and serve.
Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen says
Ahh, I don’t blame you for grabbing a fork as soon as the photo sesh was done. Those bars look amazing and that frosting, oh my goodness!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Yeah, I just couldn’t handle the waiting!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
I want that glaze on a spoon, simply put. And that cake looks so moist and delicious! (Can you believe I’ve never actually baked with zucchini before?)
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Oh, you need to try, Hayley! I’m sure you would come up with some fantastic recipes!
Julia {the roasted root} says
These are the exact flavors that I’m craving right now…warm and sweet with a little spice! My garden FINALLY ran out of zucchini, but these bars are definitely worth going to the store over!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Oh, they are! 🙂 Thanks, Julia!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
Pass a fork, Jessica! This looks so tempting! Yum!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
I actually made a second batch, come on over! 🙂
Bec says
This frosting looks fantastic!!! Actually the entire thing looks amazing 🙂
Medeja says
Yummy! It looks so Yummy! Especially that spiced frosting!
Emily says
You know I never really thought of it before but I agree, zucchini baked goods taste like cinnamon. These bars look fantastic. Perfect way to say goodbye to summer.
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Thanks, Emily!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
Those are stunning!
Guru Uru says
Falling in love with your dessert 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
yum! i would eat first and take pictures later!!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
That almost happened!
ITheeCook says
Yum! I love zucchini cake bread bars anything!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
I love adding zucchini to baked goods! This recipe is awesome, and it’s chockfull of the good stuff! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
I hope you like it!
Carolyn says
Yum, that looks amazing! I love the spiced cream cheese.
Angela @ AnotherBitePlease says
I love a spiced frosting! and still have zucchini to use up!
Sweet Life says
Great recipe! I love zucchini for cakes and this spiced frosting!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I can never resist anything with cream cheese frosting!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Cream cheese frosting is definitely a weakness of mine!
SkinnyMommy says
Looks great! And I love the bright look of your new blog page! 🙂
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Thank you!
thefoodiephile says
Mmmm I love that combination of spices and putting them in the frosting? Genius! This would be a lovely recipe now that the weather is cooling down and I’ve been craving warm, spicy sweet treats 😀
~Jess @ OnSugarMountain
oliepants says
I love the cream cheese and zucchini cake combination. What a great way to start fall.
Lauren PartTimeHouseWife says
Hahha… Good for you for waiting. With an entire cake I probably would have dug in immediatly and just took pics of a piece! lol
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
If my husband weren’t there watching over my shoulder, I probably would have done that! 🙂
SnoWhite says
I’m loving the spiced frosting — what a great idea. Now that these bars caught my attention, I’m off to browse (& pin) your other goodies! I also see that you have an affection for the MN Twins… are you a native Minnesotan?
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Thanks for the pin! Yep, I’m a native Minnesotan! Go TWINS! 😉
Jenn says
My zucchini plant has started to die. I will have to save this one for next year. I love the addition of cinnamon to the frosting.
Simply Everything I Love says
Yummy! I can’t wait to try them. I am your newest follower from the Monday blog hop. come by my blog when you can http://www.simplyeverythingilove.blogspot.com
Have a good day
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Thanks for stopping by!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
You have me crave for some zucchini bars! The spiced cream cheese frosting sounds amazing.
Lisa {Sweet 2 Eat Baking} says
I’ve never tried zucchini in baked goods before but I heard about it once on a TV programme when a woman was dieting and not willing to give up her cupcakes, LOL. These do look like carrot cake but sound even better. The flecks in the frosting look great too.
Medeja says
Looks delicious! Moist and that frosting sounds and looks so great!
Carol | a cup of mascarpone says
I don’t know how I missed these scrumptious bars!!! Pinning this very second!
Jaclyn says
Love pumpkin, love zucchini, love spice and cream cheese. How could you go wrong with these? Can’t wait to try them!
Heidi Kokborg says
Oh wow! These look amazing. I love zucchinis in bake goods. My mom always used to bake this incredible zucchini bread when I was a kid and I absolutely loved it. So these bar a are definitely must make for me 🙂
Ashley - The Recipe Rebel says
I have two HUGE zucchini in my fridge right now and I just made 5 dozen zucchini banana muffins last week. Lol. SO I am definitely looking for more zucchini baked goods! Love these!