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Every year I plant zucchinis in our backyard garden and every year I seem to end up with more than I can use, but this year has really been something else. I literally have a countertop full of zucchinis.
I’m not sure how I’ll use them all, but I do know many are going to be used to make my very favourite zucchini recipe of all time: Chocolate Zucchini Squares. Whether or not you like zucchini, you will LOVE this recipe. And if your kids turn up their noses at vegetables, it’s a great way to sneak a little extra nutrition into their sweets!
Chocolate Zucchini Squares with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
Cake Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups salad oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ cup cocoa
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Directions:
- Beat together eggs, oil and sugar.
- In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cocoa until well mixed.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
- Add vanilla, zucchini and nuts, if desired, and mix well.
- Pour into greased and floured 15x10x1 inch pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.
Icing Ingredients:
- 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 2 tbsp. cocoa
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
- Blend together all ingredients until creamy. Spread on cooled bars.
Freezes well.
While the original recipe uses a jellyroll pan for the squares, I find it much more effective to double the recipe and pour it into three 13x9x2 inch cake pans instead. The disposable foil pans are available at most grocery stores, cost only a few dollars and give me the ability to freeze pan after pan of Chocolate Zucchini Squares without spending a fortune on bakeware.
In addition to being absolutely delicious, these squares freeze beautifully. The zucchini keeps the squares nice and moist even after months in the freezer and unlike some cakes and squares, these can even be iced before they are frozen so that your treat is ready to eat as soon as it’s thawed.
I have yet to meet anyone that doesn’t love this recipe; men, women and children of all ages find it absolutely irresistible. The squares taste a great deal like rich, fudgy brownies and the zucchini is undetectable.
The only downside? After doubling the recipe and making three big, moist, delicious cakes, I used a grand total of TWO zucchinis. One was a big one, but…well, did you see the pile?
If you have a surplus of zucchinis and you’re wondering how to use them, you really have to give this recipe a try. Having a few pans of these chocolaty treats in the freezer is always a good idea! And if you do try it out, let me know how they turned out! I’d love to hear if your family loved them as much as mine does!
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Jennifer says
totally pinning this and making them soon! I love that you have a garden in your yard, so handy! So doubling the recipe makes 3 9×13’s right?
Kathryn says
Thanks Jen, I love it too! Saves us so much on food in the summer. 🙂 Yup, that’s exactly right! I ALWAYS double it and make three 13x9s, but I thought I should put the original recipe too for those that aren’t as totally obsessed by cake as my family is! lol
Michelle S. says
Thanks for sharing the recipe, I may give this a try today!
Kathryn says
You’re welcome, Michelle! If you do, you’ll have to let me know how you like it! 🙂
Michelle S. says
Finally got me, ingredients and time all together yesterday and made the cake. I really like it and hubby ate it too. Please nobody tell him his cake had veggies in it! LOL
Kathryn says
lol! My hubby loves it too; he just ignores the fact there’s veggies in it! 😉
Monica says
These look soooo…..good, I’m going to make them this weekend and do as you suggested and double the recipe. Pinned it!!
Kathryn says
Hurray! Let me know what you think, Monica! I have to say, I’m pretty addicted. 😉
Chris Fretwell says
You had me at chocolate….
okay, farmers market searches this week plums and zucchini!
Kathryn says
Now THAT is going to be a delicious week! 🙂
nicolthepickle says
Those looks really good. I’ve been making a lot of Zucchini stuff this year.
Kathryn says
They really are Nicole! What have you been making? I’ve been wanting to try zucchini jam; I’ve heard great things!
Terra Heck says
That looks sooo good. I’m going to have to go get the zucchini and ingredients to make it.
Kathryn says
Oh you’ll love it, Terra! Let me know how it turns out if you do make it! 🙂
Katie says
We have a garden and in the summer I look for different ways to use all my zucchini. LOVE this cake! I have made it a 10 times at least and it is the first thing gone and I never bring it back home from a party.
Annette says
i love love love this cake. i too double it but i give the other 2 away. its so good i dont even put icing on it. but i think next time around i will try it with the pudding / cool whip icing just because its sooo easy to whip up and i can use different flavors for it.
Kathryn says
That is so great to hear, Annette! I really need to take some new photos for this recipe because the cake is SO good that it deserves it. Lol And please tell me how you like it with the other icing if you try it; I love the idea of having a different flavour of icing! 😀