There is a saying in our house, and it gets repeated very often. It goes something like this, "Everything is better with cream cheese!"
That is truly what the hubs believes. He says cream cheese is the universal food. You can eat at breakfast, with dessert, at dinner or lunch, in breads or muffins, as appetizers, or stuffed in vegetables or fruit. Cream cheese is just amazing.
And it's one of those things that are always in my fridge. It might be a crime at this house to not have any around, you just never know when you might need some.
These bars were ten times better because of that goodness on top. The carrot and zucchini are so healthy, we had to balance it out. The cream cheese frosting sent it over the top and made all the kids think they were in heaven. So delicious.
Zucchini and Carrot Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp baking soda
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, honey, and vanilla. Fold in the carrot, zucchini, and walnuts, if you are using them. Set aside.
2. In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, and baking soda. Whisk to blend together. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture. Stir just until combined. Spread batter into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
3. Once the cake is cooled prepare the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the fosting ingredients with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, adding more or less powdered sugar until it reaches your desired consistency. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars. Enjoy!
Source: Real Mom Kitchen
