I haven’t baked with zucchini in years so I had a random desire to fix that. Sometimes zucchini goodies can come out bland, but not these bars. They are insanely delicious! In fact, I brought them to my niece’s 1st birthday party, but secretly I didn’t want to share them.
These zucchini bars are infused with traditional autumnal spices and covered with a sweet spicy frosting. Picture an amazing carrot cake, and you really aren’t far off. Yum!
Zucchini Spice Bars With Spice Frosting Recipe
(Makes 16 bars)
Ingredients for Zucchini Spice Bars:
- 1 zucchini (equivalent to approximately 1 cup)
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Ingredients for Spice Frosting:
- 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 6 teaspoons skim milk (You don’t have to use skim)
Directions for Zucchini Spice Bars:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper (leaving enough room on the sides to be able to pull it out once it’s done cooking), spray it with baking spray and set it aside.
- Using a fine shredder, shred the zucchini. Place the shredded zucchini in between paper towels and gently press down to remove some moisture.
- In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and egg.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Gently fold in the shredded zucchini and pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake it for about 20 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
- Let it cool for a couple of minutes in the pan and then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the bars have cooled completely, spread the frosting over the bars.
Directions for Spice Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, powdered sugar, allspice, and milk until it is a frosting-like consistency. (Make sure the butter is room temperature so that the frosting comes out smooth.)
Store in an air tight container at room temperature or in a freezer friendly bag in the freezer.
Baking Tip: Use a grater so that all of the zucchini pieces are the same size. This will allow the pieces to bake consistently. I like to use a small grater because the zucchini is disbursed more evenly. Plus, I don’t like biting into big chunks of veggies in my desserts. Gently press the shredded zucchini in between two layers of paper towel to remove some of the moisture. By removing some of the moisture you will avoid bars that come out soggy.
All of the spices here work in harmony with each other. It’s the perfect autumnal spice combo. Granted it’s winter, but there’s no rule that says that I can’t bake with these spices now. If there is, then I’m ignoring it. 😉 I’m surely not waiting until next Fall to make these fantabulous bars! (That’s a technical term.)
The pecans add lovely flavor and crunch. I even added a few on top of the frosting (for presentation points).
Can we talk about this frosting? I’m obsessed with it. It’s a basic sweet frosting loaded with allspice. It’s so simple and so yummy that it is borderline ridiculous. I don’t know if you can tell from the pictures, but in person you can see the flecks of spice in the frosting.
Oddly enough, I asked my husband if I should even use the spice in the frosting because the idea initially weirded me out. He convinced me that it would complement the spice in the bars and would probably taste amazing. I’m glad I asked instead of just leaving it out because now I want to figure out how many other spices I can use to make amazing frosting. 🙂
I keep calling these “bars,” but they’re so moist and light that they’re really more like small pieces of cake.
I know what you may be thinking… “This cake must be healthy because it’s got a vegetable in it!” If that’s what you want to tell yourself, then I won’t judge you. Honestly, as far as healthy goes, you could definitely do worse. 😉
Adapted from: Betty Crocker
Here are some other awesome bar recipes.
I love baking with zucchini, but my siblings can’t stand it—funny thing was that they didn’t even flinch when I made zucchini brownies over the summer…I guess I “forgot” to mention the main ingredient in those brownies. 😉 These bars look unbelievably moist and I am just in love with that luscious-looking spice frosting. pinned it!
Haha, that’s awesome! You don’t taste the zucchini in these bars either. Thanks so much pinning! 🙂
Zucchini was my favorite ingredient this summer! We ate so many pans of zucchini bars 🙂 I love the deeper, richer color of yours! And that allspice frosting – good grief, that is genius. I bet I couldn’t keep my hands off these!
Thanks so much! Have a happy Monday. 🙂
I love baking with zucchini. It makes the cakes and bars way denser – and I love the fact, that they become a little more healthy 😉 Thanks for the recipe! Now I’m craving spiced baked goods…
I totally agree! 🙂
I love baking with zucchini! That spice frosting looks so good dripping down the sides 🙂
Hehe, thanks! 🙂
Come to think of it, I haven’t baked with zucchini in a while either. Probably because I grew zucchini’s in my garden last summer and had more zucchini than I knew what to do with! Made a lot of zucchini bread, but never thought to make zucchini bars. These look delicious! Have a good weekend Tina : )
That’s so awesome that you have your own food garden! I can’t wait for the warmer weather so that our local farm markets open again.
Oh man, I love anything spice cake related…and the addition of the zucchini here is a great twist!! I can almost taste it now. 🙂
I love spice cakes too! They tend to be overshadowed by chocolate cakes (which, don’t get me wrong, is also awesome).
I love adding zucchini to my baking….so good! Have a great weekend Tina! 🙂
Awesome! The weekend was lovely and flew by! Hope you have a lovely week. 🙂
I don’t bake with zucchini nearly enough… that needs to change 🙂 These bars/cake looks great! Have an awesome weekend 🙂
Thanks Chris! 🙂
I love zucchini! I add it into lots of things, but haven’t used it in a dessert. Fantastic idea and these look delicious!
Thank you so much! I appreciate you stopping by. 🙂
Love zucchini and these bars look wonderful Tina! The crunchy pecans and spiced frosting sounds awesome with everything 🙂
Thanks so much Kelly! 🙂
I too love to bake with veggies. These zucchini bars look awesome, Tina.
I have the bug to bake more with veggies now. 🙂 Thanks!
I love using zucchini in baking. It adds such a great flavor and always gives moist cakes and breads. These bars are perfect, I love the spice in the cake and frosting!!! Amazing!
Thanks so much! 🙂
Delicious- love using veg such as courgette (zucchini) in bakes. That frosting sounds amazing too! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
These look so tasty and I love the frosting!
Thanks! That frosting is seriously amazing stuff…even as simple as on top of toast…yum. 🙂
I haven’t baked with zucchini in years either! These bars look so good – especially that spice frosting! Hope that you’re having a great weekend! And have lots of good food planned for tomorrow : )
Thanks Ashley! The food was better than the Superbowl. 🙂 I hope you had a lovely weekend!
I love baking with zucchini! It makes baked goods so moist, and then I feel a little healthier about eating cake!
Totally agree! 🙂
Baking with vegetables is a favorite, these bars look awesome!
I can see why it’s your favorite. 🙂 Thanks my friend!
It is funny how picky eaters tend to like the things with hidden ingredients like Zucchini! I can guarantee the picky eaters in my house will be surprised with a spice frosting.
Haha! You’re so right.
That spice frosting looks incredible! I love adding zucchini to baked goodies! 🙂
Thanks so much! 🙂
I love sneaking unexpectedly-healthy ingredients into desserts. 🙂 I’ve had issues with zucchini bars becoming soggy and dense before, but I’ve never pressed out the moisture with paper towels. Totally going to try that next time!
And you’re right – these look too good to wait until the fall. Yum!
My sister had the same issues as you, but not anymore. She loves the paper towel trick. 🙂
Healthy and delicious for sure!
Indeed! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I love cakes that involve a vegetable component…carrot, zucchini, pumpkin…it’s so good! Definitely want to try these zucchini spice bars ASAP!
Sweet! 🙂
I bet these bars are so moist and delicious and that spice frosting is the best. Wishing you a super week. BAM
You are so sweet! Thanks Bam. You too have a great week! 🙂
I love baking with zucchini! These bars are totally calling my name right now!
Oh you’d love these! 🙂
I love anything with spice…. especially in winter! These sound and look delicious!! Thanks for sharing at Saturday Night Fever…hope you are enjoying your weekend!
Glad to be a part of Sat Night Fever! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Do you think pumpkin spice can be substituted for allspice?
Lisa, I’ve never tried that substitution before. I’m sure you can substitute but it might taste different. Let me know how it goes if you end up trying it.