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. Â As I did in adding the chocolate frosting! Â 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. Â So I then decided to add up to four. Â However, its very difficult to identify these cookies as zucchini based at that point, as they just taste awesomely sweet. Â 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! Â 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. Â You would never know the difference. Â 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.)
did you peel your zucchini for any of the recipes?
Great question! The answer is… kinda. I did have some peeled, but only because my hubby had peeled it already. That is what I used in the white cake. I kinda like the look and feel of the un-peeled shredded zucchini so I tend to not! Plus I am lazy. Sooooooooo lazy.
thanks … that’s great explanation …now I won’t wander what kind zucchini makes white cake, since all my zucchini cakes are with green freckles :o)
Those look amazing!!! Especially the cake, That frosting looks so good. Can you add that recipe or leave it in a response? A Link, Anything haha, it looks to good to pass
Yum to all 3 recipes!! I spotted the cake on pinterest and just had to find the recipe, so thank you for sharing!! Do you think I could make the cake into cupcakes, just adjust the bake time? Also, I don’t have cornstarch on hand, just wondering if I could omit or use something in it’s place without having to go buy some (ie: more flour or cake flour)? We don’t ever use it, so I would hate to have to buy some.
I have already done the zuc. brownies and they were a hit with the kids even…..can’t wait to try the cake. Have an event coming up where I’m doing the desserts and I may try this for my “summer” dessert! Thanks “I am baker”!
Yay!!
All of these look incredible Amanda! I especially adore the cookies and want to try those out! Beautiful pictures as well!
Made the brownies exactly as in the recipe tonight. AMAZING. Seriously, I can’t believe how moist and chocolaty they turned out. The “batter” was more like sand before I folded the zucchini in, which I wasn’t expecting.
Fantastic, really. Thanks so much!
I have been looking for ways to use up my zucchinis! This is perfect! I’m trying the zucchini brownies first, because they look amazing. But I plan on trying them all!
It is so funny that I just saw these today.. I just put zucchini bread in the oven because I had an over-abundance of zucchini! I love zucchini bread, but I will be trying these recipes out later (well, some variation of them since I’m vegan, but the brownies are already vegan…yay!). Thanks for the creative ideas!
That white zucchini cake is calling my name, Amanda! And, per usual, your icing skills are top notch!
I hope I’m not asking too silly of a question – but how do you drain your zucchini? How long do you drain it for until you figure it’s enough? Would you shred it in the morning and let it drain for 1/2 day or so before using it to bake? Thanks so much! Those cookies look awesome!