Cookies & Dessert Bars

Zucchini Blondies

Ingredients:

Cake
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
½ cup (125 mL) brown sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
½ tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) grated zucchini
1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped pecans

Caramel Frosting
¼ cup (50 mL) butter
½ cup (125 mL) brown sugar
2 Tbsp (30 mL) milk
Pinch salt
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C). Spray a 9 x 9 inch (23 cm) pan with canola spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, edges extending up the sides of the pan.

In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. In separate medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt until combined. Fold flour mixture into creamed mixture. Fold in zucchini and nuts. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35- 45 minutes until done and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake for 10 minutes and then lift cake out of pan, using the parchment paper, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, combine butter, brown sugar, milk and salt in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the vanilla and powdered sugar until well mixed. (Work quickly as the icing will set very quickly.) Spread frosting over cake. Allow frosting to set before slicing into bars.

Makes: About 16 bars

Nutrient analysis Zucchini Blondies 1 bar portion:
Calories: 278
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 14 g
Sodium: 221 mg
Fibre: 1 g