Pages

▼

Monday, September 17, 2012

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosted Zucchini Bars


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 seriously 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!


Yes, I started to eat the piece as soon as its photo session was over! My husband felt the need to document this. I was just getting impatient. You can only smell cinnamon and cloves mingled with brown sugar so long, oh and that cream cheese frosting. . .yes, I was done waiting! Give me that fork! :)


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! ;)

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosted Zucchini Bars
Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients
  • For the Bars
  • 1/3 C brown sugar
  • 1/3 C sugar or granulated sugar substitute
  • 1/4 C non-fat plain yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 C white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 1 C zucchini, shredded and drained
  • For the Frosting
  • 4 oz. 1/3 of the fat cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 C confectioner's sugar, sifted

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together sugars, yogurt, vanilla extract, and egg until well-combined. Thoroughly stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Add zucchini and stir until just combined.
  3. Pour batter into baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  4. Remove dish to wire rack to cool completely.
  5. While bars are cooling, prepare frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter with a stand or electric mixer until creamy. Add in cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and confectioner's sugar. Beat until smooth..
  6. Spread frosting over cooled bars. Cut into bars.

at