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Moist Zucchini Bars with Tangy Lemon Frosting

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These moist zucchini bars feature a tender crumb and a bright, tangy lemon cream cheese frosting, perfect for a quick and easy dessert or snack that balances indulgence with freshness.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini, finely shredded and squeezed gently to remove excess water)
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (for gluten-free version, swap with almond flour and adjust baking time)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
  2. Shred zucchini using a box grater or food processor. Wrap in a clean towel and squeeze gently to remove excess moisture, aiming for 1 ½ cups.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. In another bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
  5. Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined, then fold in shredded zucchini.
  6. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool bars completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour).
  8. For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then lemon juice and zest. Beat until fluffy.
  9. Spread frosting evenly over cooled bars. Optionally, garnish with extra lemon zest or thin lemon slices.
  10. Slice into bars and serve. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

Properly draining shredded zucchini is crucial to avoid soggy bars. Do not overmix batter after adding flour to keep bars tender. Use room temperature eggs and oil for smooth batter. Chill batter in pan for 10 minutes before baking to reduce sinking. Frost bars only after they have completely cooled to prevent melting.

Nutrition

Keywords: zucchini bars, lemon frosting, moist dessert, easy zucchini recipe, cream cheese frosting, quick dessert, zucchini dessert

Find it online: https://evabake.com/moist-zucchini-bars-recipe-easy-5-step-guide-with-tangy-lemon-frosting/