Frosted Cinnamon Zucchini Bars

By Addie

"I figure you can never have enough recipes calling for zucchini! These cake-like bars with a cinnamon-flavored frosting are unbelievably good."

Ingredients

• FROSTING:
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• .....................................
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine four and baking powder; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini, coconut and nuts.

2. Spread into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

3. In a bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Stir in butter, vanilla and enough milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cooled bars; cut.
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REVIEWS:

These bars were not nearly as moist as I expected, since they contain zucchini. Surprisingly dry and crumbly. My oven has been calibrated within the last few days, and I baked for the shortest time possible, so it can't be blamed on the baking. The flavor was merely OK. It could benefit by adding a tsp of cinnamon to the batter, not just the frosting. The frosting saved them, but for me to rate a bar cookie/cake as 4-5 stars, they'd better be pretty darned awesome all on their own; these aren't anywhere near that. Such a disappointment - I really wanted these to be as good as they sounded. Sorry, but this recipe's just not a keeper in my book.

The recipe was easy to follow & had delicious, moist results. I cut the quantities in half to bake in a smaller pan (only 20 min. in my oven), and added 1 tsp. cinnamon plus pinches of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, & allspice. Love the cinnamony frosting!

I loved this recipe, and gave it four stars only because I changed a couple of things. I skipped the icing, added a bit of cinnamon to the cake, and topped it with a caramel icing glaze. Next time, I'm going to try making round layer cakes and frosting with a whipped caramel icing...should be excellent! Makes a nice, moist cake. Thanks so much for the great recipe!

These were so delicious! I took them to a friend's house and they all loved them too. My husband ate 6 squares! They were not dry at all, this is a fabulous recipe just the way it is. Yum!

I found this to be a super moist cake, no problems with the batter. I added coconut and walnuts as specified and really liked the textures. I do think a touch of cinnamon would benefit the batter, maybe even subbing apple pie spice. The frosting is good for those who love it super-sweet, and the cinnamon gives it a very pretty light color. I think a cream cheese frosting on these would be amazing. I used the recipe quantity in a 13x9 pan and it was thick and cake-like, the zuchinni is so moist in the batter I think it would spread really well in the larger pan. If I were having people over I would definitely use the recipe's size, but it works well in the smaller pan too. I almost didn't make it this zuchinni season but am really glad I did: thanks for sharing!

This was a wonderful recipe and I did not add the coconut or walnuts. Next time I make it, I think I will bake it in a 13x9 pan so the bars are a little thicker. Wonderful recipe, thanks!

I baked these in my 11x17 calphalon pan for exactly 20 minutes and they were moist & perfect. I left out the coconut, but added 1 tsp. of cinnamon to the batter. I added more milk and powdered sugar to make more frosting, since I used a larger pan and needed more frosting for coverage. I sprinkled some extra pecans over the frosting. Very good recipe. Thanks for sharing!

These are awesome, I can't stop eating them! Every time I make these bars they are gone within 2 days. I leave out the coconut and walnuts and add cinnamon to the batter. Everyone that has tried these loves them, you can't go wrong with these.

I had a lot of shredded zuchinni that I was going to use to make bread, but I searched around on the site for something different and came upon these bars. I followed the directions pretty much to the tee, except I added a tsp of cinnamon to the bar part of the recipe as others had suggested. I also used some toasted coconut that I had on hand also. (to me coconut has a much better flavor when you toast it....otherwise it is just chewy and kinda blah...just my humble opinion!!) I used the 15x10x1 pan and baked exactly for 30 minutes. Good thing too, as I did not squeeze out the shredded zuchinni, which gave it a lot of extra moisture. My family loved these bars, as did I.....it is great to have another fabulous recipe to use zuchinni in. Thanks so much Bonita for sharing this one....it is definitely a keeper and one that I will use often!!

I liked the flavor and texture, but I did not care for the frosting too much. I used both the coconut and walnuts. I did add 1 tsp of cinnamon to the batter, and it was good. But, with the cinnamon frosting, it was a little too much. I thought the texture was excellent. It reminded me of carrot cake. I do think it is a bit too moist to call these "bars". I made the recipe in the specified pan size, but next time I will use round cake pans or a 9x13 pan to make a cake. Using the same ingredients (flour, eggs, amount of zucchini, etc.), I think I will spice it like a spice cake and use a cream cheese frosting.

I had a lot of shredded zuchinni that I was going to use to make bread, but I searched around on the site for something different and came upon these bars. I followed the directions pretty much to the tee, except I added a tsp of cinnamon to the bar part of the recipe as others had suggested. I also used some toasted coconut that I had on hand also. (to me coconut has a much better flavor when you toast it....otherwise it is just chewy and kinda blah...just my humble opinion!!) I used the 15x10x1 pan and baked exactly for 30 minutes. Good thing too, as I did not squeeze out the shredded zuchinni, which gave it a lot of extra moisture. My family loved these bars, as did I.....it is great to have another fabulous recipe to use zuchinni in. Thanks so much Bonita for sharing this one....it is definitely a keeper and one that I will use often!!

These were so delicious! I took them to a friend's house and they all loved them too. My husband ate 6 squares! They were not dry at all, this is a fabulous recipe just the way it is. Yum!

These were okay. The flavor seemed kind of bland. I think adding some cinnamon to the batter like some other reviewers recommended would be the thing to do. The frosting is great though! Thanks!

Very good! Loved the frosting

These are awesome, I can't stop eating them! Every time I make these bars they are gone within 2 days. I leave out the coconut and walnuts and add cinnamon to the batter. Everyone that has tried these loves them, you can't go wrong with these.

Not sure what happened with Baricat's bars, I even left my zucchini to drain & the bars still came out moist. I added more spices: nutmeg, ginger & cloves along with cinnamon in the bars themselves & like the taste.

Very moist and great flavor. I did add cinn. to batter and wow. I'll make this again and kids and hubby haven't even tasted yet. May try it without coconut next time.

These look and taste great! The frosting really makes this a great bar cookie. Not dry at all for me, but I did bake them in a Pampered Chef bar pan.

I loved this recipe, and gave it four stars only because I changed a couple of things. I skipped the icing, added a bit of cinnamon to the cake, and topped it with a caramel icing glaze. Next time, I'm going to try making round layer cakes and frosting with a whipped caramel icing...should be excellent! Makes a nice, moist cake. Thanks so much for the great recipe!