Carrot-Zucchini Bars

By Hklbrries

Veggies in a delicious snacking cake. The frosting is a special-occasion touch – the bars are just as tasty without.

Ingredients

• Bars:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp grated orange peel
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• Cream Cheese Frosting (optional):
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tsp grated orange peel
• Carrot slivers for garnish, optional
• Zucchini peel for garnish, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Bars:

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 13-by-9-by-1 ½-inch baking pan. In small bowl combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In large bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat butter, sugar, eggs and orange peel until light and fluffy. On low, beat in flour mixture until well blended; stir in carrot, zucchini and walnuts. Spread batter in pan; bake 30 to 35 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

Microwave Instructions: Prepare batter as directed, reducing baking powder to 1 ½ tsp; spoon batter into ungreased 12-by-8-by-2-inch microwave baking dish. Cook, uncovered, on (Medium) (50% power) rotating dish once. Increase power to (High) (100% power); cook, uncovered 3 to 4 minutes until batter is no longer doughy, rotating dish once.

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional):

In medium size bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar and orange peel until smooth. Spread over cooled cake. Garnish with carrot slivers and zucchini peel, if desired.
To serve: Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting, if desired. Cut into 3-by-1 ½-inch bars.


Nutritional Information:
Per bar (without frosting)
148 calories
3 g protein
8 g fat
19 g carbohydrates