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You are here: Home / Desserts / Bars / Carrot Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

August 3, 2023 By Dawn 4 Comments

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Carrot Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting is a family favorite; the carrots and zucchini keep these bars moist and the cream cheese frosting adds a little tang.

Looking at a side view of a piece of carrot zucchini bars on a white plate.

If you are looking for an easy dessert to impress family and friends this recipe may be the one you are looking for. It is super easy to make and keeps well. The combination of carrots, zucchini, and cinnamon can’t be beaten.

This is a great recipe when you have zucchini growing in the garden. It is amazing how many zucchinis you can get off of one plant. It is a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.

Helpful Tips:

  • Use a food processor for the grated carrots and zucchini. If you don’t have a food processor a box grater works great, too.
  • The zucchini is used as is. The extra liquid in the zucchini does not have to be removed.
  • The cream cheese and butter for the frosting should be at room temperature.
  • To tell when the bars are done baking, touch the top of the bars, and if they spring back they are done. Also, the edge of the bars should be starting to pull away from the pan.
  • The bars should be stored in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator for a little bit before serving so they warm up to room temperature.
  • These bars freeze well. Cut into pieces and place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  • To thaw place in the refrigerator until the bars are thawed.

Step one

Mix the oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.

Sugar and oil in a mixing bowl.
Two eggs are added to the sugar and oil mixture.

Step two

Add the eggs and mix in until well blended.

Step three

Add the shredded carrots and zucchini to the batter and mix.

Shredded carrots and zucchini are added to the bowl.
Flour, baking soda. baking powder, salt, and cinnamon are sift together.

Step four

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the wet mixture and mix until well combined. Add the chopped nuts and fold in.

The flour mixture is added to the wet ingredients.
Chopped nuts are added to the bar batter.

Step five

Pour the batter into a prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 28 to 30 minutes.

Overlooking a baking pan with zucchini carrot bar batter.
Looking down at a of baked bars.

Step six

In a medium bowl make the frosting. Add the cream cheese to the bowl and beat until creamy.

Whipped cream cheese in a glass mixing bowl.
Butter is added to the cream cheese bowl.
Cream cheese with milk and vanilla added in.

Step seven

Beat in the butter. Mix in the vanilla and milk. Beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is creamy.

Powdered sugar is added to the frosting.
Cream cheese frosting is whipped up in a medium bowl.
The frosting is spread on top of the bars.

Step eight

Spread the frosting on the cake.

Looking for more recipes for summer vegetables and fruits? Take a look at these:

  • Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake
  • Pear Cream Cheese Crumble Bars
  • Peach Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
Looking at a side view of two slice of carrot zucchini bars with cream cheese frosting.

If you make these carrot zucchini bars with cream cheese frosting, I would love to hear about them! Please leave me a comment and a rating.

Looking at a side view of two pieces of carrot zucchini bars with cream cheese frosting.

Carrot Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting is a family favorite; the carrots and zucchini keep these bars nice and moist and the cream cheese frosting adds a little tang.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: carrot zucchini bars with cream cheese frosting, carrot zucchini bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
cooling time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 237kcal
Author: Dawn

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting

  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan.
  • In a large bowl beat the sugar and oil together with an electric mixer. Add the eggs in and beat in. Add the shredded carrots and zucchini and mix in.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the wet ingredients and mix in until well blended. Add the chopped walnuts and fold in.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
  • For the frosting – In a medium bowl beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the butter and mix in. Add the vanilla and milk and beat in. Add the powdered sugar and mix until creamy.
  • Spread over cooled bars. 

Notes

  1. Use a food processor to shred your carrots and zucchini, it is the easiest way to do it. If you don’t have a food processor a box grater works great.
  2. Don’t squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini. All of the liquid keeps these bars moist. 
  3. Use an electric mixer for the frosting. You will need it to beat the frosting to make it creamy.
  4. These bars can be frozen. I would recommend that you cut the bars into serving-size pieces before freezing them in an airtight container. They can be kept frozen for up to 3 months
  5. To thaw the frozen bars, keep them in the refrigerator until thawed. 
 
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary with different brands of ingredients used.
 
 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.6g | Fat: 11.2g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

This recipe was originally published on August 23, 2018. It has been updated with new content and pictures on August 3, 2023.

Filed Under: Bars Tagged With: Bars

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. angiesrecipes

    August 23, 2018 at 11:12 pm

    YUMMY! I like that you have used two of my favourite veggies in this summer cake!

    Reply
  2. Reeni

    August 24, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    Yes – zucchini is crazy right now! I love that you used it in these bars and with carrot too! Such great flavors! They look so delicious!

    Reply
  3. Jeff the Chef

    August 25, 2018 at 12:46 pm

    Wow! It’s been so long since I’ve had a zucchini cake with a cream cheese frosting, that I’d forgotten that they exist! Your post brought back so many memories for me. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  4. David @ Spiced

    August 27, 2018 at 6:48 am

    I love carrot cake, and I love zucchini bread…and this recipes sounds like the perfect intersection between the two! I would be all about these for a fun summer dessert!

    Reply

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Dawn

Welcome to Words of Deliciousness!
My name is Dawn! I am a wife, mom, grandma and the blogger behind Words of Deliciousness! I love sharing my favorite recipes and I hope some of these become your favorites too.
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Updated on August 3, 2023