Name: Chocolate Zucchini Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 cups shredded zucchini; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 cup cocoa powder; 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips; 1 cup heavy cream

Chocolate zucchini bars are a delicious and tasty way to use up the abundance of zucchini in the summer. These eggless Chocolate Zucchini Bars are made using shredded zucchini and cocoa powder.

The result is a tender, moist cake-like snack bar that everyone enjoys topped with rich chocolate ganache icing.

A tray of sliced chocolate zucchini bars topped with ganache frosting.

The ingredients for chocolate zucchini bars are simple and easy to find. The only ingredients you'll need are all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, vegetable oil, sugar, and shredded zucchini. These ingredients come together to create a moist and flavorful chocolate bar that is a great summer dessert.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Equipment
Equipment
Storage
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📖 Recipe

Instructions for making chocolate zucchini bars are straightforward and easy to follow. Once the bars are baked, they should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

As time goes on, the texture and overall flavor of these zucchini bars will start to be affected. Chocolate zucchini bars are a versatile dessert that can be enjoyed on their own or served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Key Takeaways

Chocolate zucchini bars are a delicious way to use up garden zucchini. We always have an abundance!
This Chocolate Zucchini Bars recipe is egg-free.
The ingredients are simple and easy to find.
These bars should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days because of the chocolate ganache topping. For maximum freshness, consume within three days.

Birds eye view of ganache topped chocolate zucchini bars.

Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make this tasty treat including the chocolate ganache topping.

Dry Ingredients

To start, you'll need a few dry ingredients to give your chocolate zucchini bars the right texture and flavor. Here's what you'll need:

All-purpose flour
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Baking soda
Salt

Wet Ingredients

Next, you'll need a few wet ingredients to bring everything together and give your bars a moist, rich texture. Here are the wet ingredients you'll need:

Granulated sugar
Vegetable oil
Shredded zucchini

Add-Ins

Additionally, you can add some mix-ins to give your chocolate zucchini bars a little extra flavor and texture. Here are some add-ins you might want to consider:

Chocolate chips
Chopped nuts such as walnuts
Raisins or other dried fruit depending on preference

You can also omit any extra add-ins and enjoy these fudgy texture zucchini chocolate bars as is.

Zucchini chocolate bars sliced into squares and served on a white platter.

Instructions

Preparation

First, the oven needs to be preheated my oven to 350°F (175°C), and a 9x13 baking dish is prepared by greasing it with butter or cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper.

The next step is to shred the zucchini using a grater or food processor and set it aside. Depending on how much water is released from the zucchini I sometimes squeeze out some excess water from the zucchini before adding it to the batter. You want the zucchini to retain some moisture as it will create a tender cake.

In a large mixing bowl, the butter and granulated sugar are creamed together until light and fluffy. Then, the vanilla extract is stirred in until well combined.

In a separate bowl, the flour, baking soda, and salt are whisked together and then gradually added into the wet ingredients. In this step, be careful not to overmix. Lastly, the shredded zucchini is stirred into the batter until all ingredients are moistened and combined.

Baking

Once the batter is ready, I pour it into the prepared baking pan (either baking spray or parchment paper) and smooth out the top with a spatula or spoon.

Then, the zucchini cake is baked for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Oven temperatures and times vary.

After carefully removing the pan from the oven, allow the pan to cool completely before frosting and slicing into bars.

These chocolate chip zucchini bars can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. If you prefer them warm, place them in the microwave for a few seconds or if you wish, eat them at room temperature but store them in the refrigerator since they have a ganache topping,

That's it! These bars are easy to make and a delicious way to use up any excess zucchini you may have on hand.

A slice of zucchini chocolate bar cake on a stoneware plate with a black fork.

Equipment

Using the right equipment while baking can make the experience a lot more enjoyable and rewarding. It also can make the preparation faster when using electric tools and not by hand.

Electric Hand Mixer - An electric hand mixer is a great tool to have in the kitchen and it can be used for many things. The hand mixer blends the ingredients for this cake easily and effortlessly.

13x9 Baking Dish - A 13x9 baking dish is essential when making these bars so there is no need to adjust the time or temperature while baking.

Spatula - Every kitchen needs a spatula. It's great for stirring and also for spreading out batters as well as smoothing out icing.

Box Grater - Having a grater with multiple sides is great for grating or shredding your fruits and vegetables.

Equipment

Using the right equipment while baking can make the experience a lot more enjoyable and rewarding. It also can make the preparation faster when using electric tools and not by hand.

13x9 Baking Dish - A 13x9 baking dish is essential when making these bars so there is no need to adjust the time or temperature while baking.

Spatula - Every kitchen needs a spatula. It's great for stirring and also for spreading out batters as well as smoothing out icing.

Box Grater - Having a grater with multiple sides is great for grating or shredding your fruits and vegetables.

A white serving tray of chocolate zucchini bars with two plates with bars and two black forks.

Storage

When it comes to storing chocolate zucchini bars, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure they stay fresh and delicious.

Allow the bars to cool. Let the bars cool completely before icing and storing them. This will prevent any moisture from building up inside the container and will result in soggy or mushy bars.

Since the zucchini chocolate bars have a chocolate ganache topping, they should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

These chocolate zucchini bars can be frozen for up to 3 months when stored properly. Wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap and then place the bars in an even layer in a Ziploc freezer bag. For extra protection, store the freezer bags in a freezer-safe container to protect them from getting freezer burnt.

When you're ready to enjoy your frozen bars, simply remove them from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator overnight before consuming them.

As stated above, the chocolate zucchini bars can be eaten up to 5 days after baking but it's worth noting that they are best enjoyed fresh.

TOP TIP

Don't squeeze out all of the water from the zucchini! The moisture will help keep the cake tender and create a fudge-like texture. If there's a lot of excess water you can squeeze that out but do not squeeze out all of the liquid.

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Dana

Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.

Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.