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Spiced Ginger Carrot and Zucchini Bars

Spiced Ginger Carrot and Zucchini Bars with Creamy Lemon Frosting

These Spiced Ginger Carrot and Zucchini Bars are a delightful dessert that incorporates vegetables for a surprising twist.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12 bars
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Calories: 200

Ingredients
  

For the Batter
  • 2 large Eggs or flax eggs for vegan
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar or coconut sugar for lower glycemic index
  • 1/2 cup Oil or applesauce for lighter texture
  • 1/4 cup Honey omit for sugar-free
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups Carrots (shredded)
  • 1.5 cups Zucchini (shredded) use medium-sized
  • 1/2 cup Walnuts (chopped, optional) or pecans, omit for nut-free
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour or gluten-free blend
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger or ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
For the Frosting
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese or vegan cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest or orange zest

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Baking pan
  • Spatula

Method
 

Baking Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, honey, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  3. Gently fold in the shredded carrots and zucchini into your wet mixture, along with the optional chopped walnuts.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground ginger, and baking soda.
  5. Carefully add the dry mixture to your wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
  6. Spread the batter evenly into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
  7. Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes.
  8. Once baked, remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.
  9. While the bars cool, prepare the frosting by beating together the cream cheese, lemon zest, and optional sugar until fluffy.
  10. Once your bars are completely cool, spread or pipe the lemon cream cheese frosting generously over the top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1barCalories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 0.5mg

Notes

Squeeze excess moisture from zucchini and carrots before mixing. Allow bars to cool completely to avoid melting the frosting. Use room temperature cream cheese for easy spreading.

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