June 8, 2019
updated
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These Carrot Zucchini Bars are super moist, fluffy, and a genius way to enjoy a tasty treat AND eat your vegetables.
I’ve had this recipe tucked away for a while and after a few weeks of making it on repeat for the family, but after recently coming across it I decided it was time to share it with you guys:
Some people see zucchini as another steamed low-carb veggie for dinner, but I like to think of it as a veggie that can make both Blackened Zucchini Tacos and this snack cake. No matter how you use it, zucchini takes on the flavors of whatever dish it’s in and adds excellent moisture and texture.
During the summer we’re practically swimming with fresh zucchini from my parent’s garden. I find every way to use it up with zoodles dishes like Homemade Ramen, my famous Paleo Chili, or the Zucchini and Parmesan Savory Waffles. But to change up things a little, I thought I’d include one of our favorite snack cake recipes.
How to Make Zucchini Bars
While updating this recipe on the MOMables blog I wanted to give it another test round and boy, am I glad I did! Once again, it saturated my kitchen with spicy, delicious smells and came out so soft and moist with pieces of golden raisin and flecks of carrot, so so so good.
I’ll stop, but YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE THESE BARS! Forget about the zoodles and low carb recipes; this is what zucchini was really made for!
The recipe is not at all complicated; it’s a basic cake recipe. You’ll combine the dry ingredients with the eggs, carrots, zucchini, sugar, raisins, and butter. Stir until smooth, pour in the pan, and bake.
I promise, with a capital P, you can’t taste the zucchini in these bars, it bakes into the cake and reminds me a lot of a carrot cake with golden raisins and lots of spice from the grated fresh ginger.
How to shred zucchini and carrots
Make sure you have a sturdy, stand up grater, it makes shredding the veggie easier and safer.
If you happen to own a food processor, you can make this step easier. Attach the grater plate and have at it, perfectly grated veggies in no time.
Tips for moist Zucchini Bars
Once you pull this cake from the oven and slice into it, you’ll quickly notice how tender it is. You can thank the brown sugar, honey, and zucchini for that. With these three ingredients, it’s almost impossible to make this snack cake dry.
I don’t know who first thought of using zucchini in baked goods but whoever it was, knew what they were doing. Zucchini adds moisture to the cake and keep recipes like lemon poppyseed zucchini muffins and these cake bars soft and tender.
Brown sugar and honey alike contain more moisture than regular sugar, which is why they can often be used in quick bread, muffins, and snack cakes. They also both give your recipes a beautiful golden brown glow, which we definitely have going on here.
Do you ever use zucchini in baked goods? If so, what’re some of your favorite recipes?
Carrot and Zucchini Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, (optional)
- 1 ½ cups shredded carrot, about 2 large carrots
- 1 cup packed shredded zucchini, about 1 medium zucchini
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup golden raisins, (optional)
- ½ cup butter, or coconut oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons flax seed meal, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a large 13×9 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt.
- In another large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add in the ginger, carrot, zucchini, brown sugar, raisins, butter or oil, honey, and vanilla.
- Combine the wet mixture into the flour mixture until you have a cohesive batter.
- Pour the mixture inside the greased baking pan and bake, for 22-25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
- Once cooled, cut into 24 squares.
Heh
The flavors are great and I’m enjoying a piece very much, but this is really more of a coffeecake.
Maripat
Your video mentions salt, but I don’t see it in the ingredients list. How much?
Laura Fuentes
Thanks for catching that. It was just a pinch. I added it to the recipe card.
Tani
Got um in the oven in a sheet pan now waiting then cool um frost with cream cheese frosting
Jenna Marie
Made these this afternoon. Waiting for them to cool down a little was tough. they were AMAZING
Stephanie
I made these yesterday. They were INCREDIBLE
Matt
These were sweet, moist, and everything the recipe said they would be.