Spiced Ginger Carrot Zucchini Bars (Printable)
Moist spiced carrot and zucchini bars with ginger and lemon cream cheese frosting—ideal for teatime or dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Bars
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup whole wheat flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
10 - ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
11 - ½ cup vegetable oil
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
15 - 1 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium)
16 - 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium, squeezed dry)
17 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
→ Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
18 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
19 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
20 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
21 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
22 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
23 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and applesauce until smooth and well combined.
04 - Gently fold in the grated carrots, grated zucchini, and crystallized ginger if using, until evenly distributed throughout the wet mixture.
05 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
06 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
08 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Mix in the sifted powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
09 - Spread the lemon cream cheese frosting evenly over the fully cooled bars. Cut into 12 bars and serve. Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of fresh vegetables and bold spices makes these bars moist and deeply flavorful without tasting like health food.
- Lemon cream cheese frosting on top of ginger spiced anything is the kind of pairing you will want to put on everything once you try it.
- They are just as good pulled cold from the fridge the next morning with a cup of coffee, which makes them perfect for making ahead.
02 -
- Do not frost warm bars under any circumstances or the cream cheese will melt into a puddle and slide right off the edges.
- Squeezing the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel until barely any moisture comes out is the single step that separates good bars from great ones.
03 -
- Grate the carrots and zucchini on the fine holes of your box grater so they practically melt into the batter rather than leaving stringy chunks.
- Sifting the powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting eliminates lumps and makes the texture silky enough to spread without tearing the bars.