Zucchini Brownies and/or Cake, anyone?!

While we are on the topic of zucchini, lets move on to zucchini bars! Oh, wait, we were NOT on that topic? Oh, well, now we are!!!  🙂 So let’s go back to talking about it! Zucchini is probably one of my favorite things about a garden. They grow like mad, produce these crazy big leaves and trailing stems and then there is the actual zucchini~ WHICH if you pick at the just right size, not to big and not too little, you can make this ~

Grilled Veggies

or this~

Zucchini Crisp

BUT when they grow too BIG, you know when they are hiding under a BIG leaf and you just plain miss it…….and they grow to be laughingly HUGE??  Well, those are GREAT for shredding. Why shred? For BREAD (ah! a rhyme!!!) or bars of course!  🙂 So. My self-given job was to find a great brownie recipe made from zucchini. Now the results!!

The first recipe was so very good, BUT more cake-like. A nice recipe to have if you want a zucchini cake (or cupcake perhaps??) recipe. Tho I was aiming for a brownie, not a cake, so I tried another recipe, this was for sure more brownie like. They both were a smashing success SO no more searching~ a brownie (+ cake) recipe my family enjoys has been found!

Wanna try them out for your family?

The first recipe is the “cake” like one. It is taller, fluffier and not at all dry.  The frosting for it is delicious, funny how chocolate chips and peanut butter make a frosting, but it does! We ate it warm (yum) and we ate it cold (yummy!)((Room temp was not fabulous in this hot humid weather)).  Or you can frost with a butter cream frosting instead, that is fabulous!

Zucchini Cake

1 c. soft butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. shredded zucchini

Frosting~
2/3 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
(or frost with chocolate butter cream frosting instead)

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time ~ beating well after each addition. Beat in the yogurt and the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Fold in the zucchini. Spread in a greased 9″ x 13″ pan. Bake @ 350º for 30-40 minutes.

Melt the peanut butter and chocolate chips in a double boiler, stirring till smooth and melted. Spread over warm brownies.

ENJOY!
Recipe from Prized Recipes to Cook and Savor, Vol. 2.

The second recipe is a bit denser, a bit flatter and not at all dry. More like a brownie!

Here is the brownie recipe ~ (I skip the nuts.) Enjoy!

Pardon the pictures, the brownies are cold in the shots. I will never be a food photographer……… taking pictures of my family is much more my style! 😉

(Other good ways to use up that really BIG zucchini!)~

Herb Stuffed Zucchini

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

Want some more uses for small zucchini???

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (pardon the picture, I need to take a new one!)

Zucchini Fries

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ZUCCHINI RECIPE OR WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE  WAY TO USE ZUCCHINI??