CARROT AND ZUCCHINI BARS
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 ½ cup shredded carrots
- 1 medium zucchini, shredded (1 cup)
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup cooking oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Citrus cream cheese frosting:
- 1 x 8 ounce (226 g) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel or orange peel, optional
Preheat oven to 350ºF (176 – 180ºC)
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, and baking soda.
In another large bowl stir together eggs, carrot, zucchini, brown sugar, raisins, walnuts, oil, honey and vanilla. Add the carrot mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until combined.
Spread batter into an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 – inch baking pan (33 x 22 x 5 cm).
Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Frost with the citrus cream cheese frosting.
Cut into bars.
To make the frosting, in a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. If desired, stir in lemon or orange peel to taste.
Note:
I freeze the bars without icing and some mornings just quickly mix some sugar with a bit of butter, a drop of lemon juice and spread it on a bar. It’s defrosted by the time I get to work.
Recipe tested: Frances van Niekerk
