My husband is a fabulous gardener. Every year we get get to enjoy the fruits of his labor, and this year is no exception. We have an abundance of zucchini, and have been eating every day since the picking began!
I would love to share with you three sweet zucchini recipes that we enjoy.
First up, White Zucchini Cake!
Recipe adapted from An Oregon Cottage.
White Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 c room temperature butter
- 1 c drained mostly dry finely shredded zucchini
- 2/3 c milk I used skim
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 c flour
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp. good quality vanilla
- 2/3 c sugar
- 1/4 c canola oil
- 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8in baking pans.
- In mixer with whisk attachment, combine butter, oil, sugar, vanilla and egg whites. Beat on med for 30 seconds, then on high for 2-4 minutes. You are looking for a light and fluffy sugar mixture.
- In separate bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Alternating as you go, add the flour mixture and milk to sugar mixture. Mix on low to med. until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and add zest and zucchini. Fold in by hand.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 25-30 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Tips for success:
If you want an even more light and airy cake, you can beat your egg whites to a stiff and frothy consistency, then add them in at the end with the zucchini.
My thoughts on this cake were mixed. The first bite… or that first moment when the cake meets your tastebuds… was not overwhelming. But as soon as I finished chewing, I wanted another bite. And then another. This cake tastes not only sweet, but almost fresh. Its addicting!
Its definitely a great way to change things up if you often pair zucchini with all things chocolate. As I did in adding the chocolate frosting! I thought it might overpower the delicate cake, but that didnt end up being the case at all.
*****
Next up to the part is Zucchini Snickers Cookies. Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen.
Zucchini Snickers Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 -4 chilled Snickers bars
- 1 c drained zucchini finely shredded
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 c flour
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 1/3 c honey
- 1/2 c light brown sugar
- 1/2 c room temp butter
- 1/2 c chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In mixer add egg, butter, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla and mix on med. until well combined. In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Roughly chop Snickers bars until in small pieces.
- Your zucchini should be one cup after it is drained. (mostly dry) I find that finely shredding up two cups typically yields one cup of drained zucchini.
- With mixer on low, add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in Snickers and zucchini by hand.
- I used a 1/4 cup measuring spoon for the cookies and placed them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for about 12 minutes.
- If you want to drizzle the cookies with chocolate, simply melt chips in a plastic pastry bag in thirty second intervals. After chocolate is melted, cut off tip to the bag and drizzle over cookies.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Tips for success:
This is a big cake like cookie. Its thick and light and subtle. (unless you add four Snickers bars and drizzle with chocoalte, then its just crazy sweet)
In my original recipe I only added two Snickers bars, but I thought they needed more. So I then decided to add up to four. However, its very difficult to identify these cookies as zucchini based at that point, as they just taste awesomely sweet. If you are a purist and want a clean flavor, stick with two chopped up bars.
Working with very chilled Snickers bars is best.
*****
And finally, we have Zucchini Brownies.
I think.
I adapted the recipe from allrecipes.com and they definitely call these brownies.
Zucchini Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/2 c vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 c white sugar
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 c finely shredded and drained zucchini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a 9x13 pan.
- In mixer, combine oil, sugar, and vanilla until fully incorporated. (usually about 2 min on med speed)
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until just combined.
- Remove bowl from stand and fold in zucchini by hand.
- Spread brownie mixture into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Tips for success:
This batter is THICK. You will not pour it into the pan! It reminds me of a loose cookie dough.
Dont overcook! I pulled mine out of the over right at 25 minutes and they were perfect.
Dont get freaked out that there is no egg and no butter. You would never know the difference. They brownies do not lack for flavor on any level.
While I know these are called brownies, they did have a cake like quality to them. The crumb is defiantly cake like. However, they stick to your teeth like an ooey gooey brownie should. So for me its a toss up… call it brownie or cake… whatever you call it they are fantastic.
Truly. This recipe is on par with all brownie recipes I have tried. (Well, maybe not the Oatmeal Milky Way Brownies, but those are pretty much the exception to every brownie rule, ever.)
Sadly, I do not have a garden- so I will just have to make do with some store bought zucchini. I think I am going to tackle those brownies first. They look incredibly moist and decadent. And I can convince myself that i am eating my vegetables too!!
I have a feeling you will love them!! Nothing wrong with store bought zucchini… thats what I use in Spring! 🙂
These all look yummy! Do you have nutrition information for any of the recipes?
No, sorry! Thats not something I have have considered doing. Quite frankly, if its on my blog its not usually good for you! 😉
I think because there is zucchini in these recipes it make them very healthy and guilt free. Love ’em Amanda!
Love the way you think!
This is FABULOUS! I can’t wait to forward this to my dad who also has an abundance of zucchini and has been adding it to anything and everything lately. He has also been making all sorts of creative zucchini bread recipes (kahlua and chocolate chip zucchini bread, anyone???). I see your zucchini cake being served at our next family dinner 🙂
Fun!! Cant wait to hear how you like it. And kahlua and chocolate chip zucchini bread? Um, thats just plain awesome.
This looks so delicious and a great way to use up all that zucchini!
Thank you Brooke!
Could you share the frosting recipe that you used on the brownies? I’d love to try them with the zucchini that’s sure to come my way from my mom’s garden 🙂 All her fingers are green (not just her thumb) ; mine……….not so much. She’s so nice to share 🙂 All 3 of these look great! Thanks!
Sure
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend the confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla. Add to cocoa mixture.
Enjoy!
Thanks!!
These are happening…right now! Thanks for the frosting recipe. Pretty sure that’s the best looking fudgy frosting I’ve ever seen! Now if I can just get my mouth to quit drooling while I go stir these bad guys up! 🙂
Yay!!! I hope everyone loves them!!! I was just thinking about you… will be sending you an email soon! 🙂
a gardner and a cook! I don’t really think it gets much better than that. All three look absolutely yummy!
Thanks! Hubs is pretty awesome. 🙂
Yay for zucchini! Love all of these sweets!
Thanks!
This is awesome! First of all, I wish my zucchini would sprout! It has been too cold here to produce any. All of these recipes are amazing- I am totally inspired by those zucchini brownies- they are my first priority!
You must try them… I know you and your family will love them! Hope your zucchini gets to growing! 🙂
Oooh, I needed some new ways to use up all the zucchini from my CSA! To the kitchen to bake!
Have fun!!