Description
These Ultimate Frosted Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese are a delightful treat that perfectly blend the flavors of zucchini, nuts, and warm spices, topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. A must-try dessert for any occasion!
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prep pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease/flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Cream wet ingredients: In another bowl, cream butter, oil, and sugar; add eggs and vanilla.
- Combine wet and dry: Mix dry ingredients into wet until just combined.
- Add zucchini and nuts: Fold in zucchini and nuts, then pour batter into pan.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool and frost: Let bars cool, then prepare frosting by beating cream cheese, butter, sugar, and flavorings until smooth. Spread over cooled bars.
- Serve: Cut into squares and enjoy!
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of spices to suit your taste preferences.
- For a nut-free version, simply omit the chopped nuts from the recipe.
- Make sure the cream cheese and butter for the frosting are at room temperature for a smooth consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: Zucchini Bars, Cream Cheese Frosting, Dessert Recipe
