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ni Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

ni Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
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★★★★★

5 from 13 reviews

These Spiced Ginger Carrot and Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting are moist, flavorful, and packed with wholesome shredded vegetables and warm spices. Sweetened with brown sugar and honey, they make a delightful treat perfect for any occasion. The tangy lemon cream cheese frosting adds a creamy, zesty finish that balances the sweet and spicy flavors beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup tightly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups grated carrot
  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups regular flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting Ingredients

  • 1 8 oz package reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Wet Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, canola oil, honey, and vanilla extract until combined. It’s normal for the brown sugar to have some small clumps; these will dissolve as the mixture rests. Fold in the grated carrot, grated zucchini, and chopped walnuts gently.
  2. Prepare and Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, and baking soda until all dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
  3. Mix Batter and Prepare for Baking: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture. Stir gently just until everything is combined without overmixing to keep the batter light. Spread the batter evenly into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
  4. Bake and Cool the Cake: Bake the bars in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before applying frosting.
  5. Prepare and Apply the Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the reduced-fat cream cheese, icing sugar, and lemon zest together using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread or pipe the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Cut into 36 bars and serve.

Notes

  • Ensure the bars have cooled completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
  • You can substitute walnuts with pecans or omit nuts for a nut-free version.
  • For extra moisture, you can add 1/4 cup of applesauce to the wet ingredients.
  • Use reduced-fat cream cheese to keep the frosting lighter without compromising flavor.
  • Store the bars refrigerated due to the cream cheese frosting; they keep well for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: carrot bars, zucchini bars, ginger bars, lemon cream cheese frosting, spiced dessert bars, healthy dessert, vegetable cake bars

Find it online: https://messykitchenmagic.com/ni-bars-with-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/