Zucchini Bars with Cake Mix

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Make zucchini bars with cake mix to use up your abundance of garden zucchini. The spice cake mix matches perfectly with the cream cheese frosting.

closeup of 12 frosted zucchini bars with walnuts and caramel

I love summertime gardens. Granted, I’m not the best at it, but thankfully my mom and dad are and they share the produce with us.

One veggie that we always have an overabundance of is zucchini. If you have a garden, I know you understand.  We try to be smart and eat the zucchini grilled or sautรฉed, but what’s the fun of having zucchini plants if you can’t make some zucchini bread, s’more zucchini muffins and even zucchini bars with cake mix!

Ingredients Needed

The zucchini bars here are super easy.  They start with a box cake mix.  I can’t get enough of using cake mixes as a starter for recipes, as in our cake mix pancakes and cake mix cookies.

Here’s what you’ll need:

ingredients for zucchini bars with cake mix on a table
  • Use any flavor cake mix you’d like, but spice cake pairs really well in the easy zucchini cake bars.
  • Skip the ingredients on the back of the box, and add ¼ cup butter, an egg and 1 cup of shredded zucchini to the cake mix.
  • To keep this recipe quick, I use store bought cream cheese frosting, but you can use our cream cheese buttercream recipe if you prefer.
  • Top the zucchini cake bars with walnuts and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

How to Make Zucchini Bars with Cake Mix in 4 Steps

  • Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350ยบF. Spray a 8×8″ square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper for easy removal if you’d like.
  • Make the batter. In a medium size bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the dry cake mix, egg, melted butter and zucchini until well combined. The batter will be very thick. 
cake batter in a bowl with two mixers
  1. Bake. Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
  2. Frost. Once the bars are cool, frost the bars with cream cheese frosting. Then drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with walnuts
overhead view of unfrosted zucchini bars with cake mix
spreading cream cheese frosting on zucchini bars

Recipe Variations

  • Add a dash of ground cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla extract to the cake batter for more flavor.
  • Don’t want so much frosting? Dust the top with powdered sugar.
  • Use a chocolate cake mix and add mini chocolate chips for a touch of chocolate zucchini cake.
overhead view of 12 frosted zucchini bars with walnuts and caramel
overhead view of 12 frosted zucchini bars with walnuts and caramel

Zucchini Bars with Cake Mix

5 from 1 vote
Make zucchini bars with cake mix to use up your abundance of garden zucchini. The spice cake mix matches perfectly with the cream cheese frosting.
Servings 12
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

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Ingredients
 

  • 1 box spice cake mix 15.25 ounces
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup salted butter melted, 2 ounces
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini 142 grams
  • 12 ounces cream cheese frosting

Optional Toppings:

  • 3 tablespoons caramel sauce
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ยบF. Spray a 8×8" square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper for easy removal if you'd like.
  • In a medium size bowl, use a hand mixer to mix the dry cake mix, egg, melted butter and zucchini until well combined. The batter will be very thick. 1 box spice cake mix, 1 large egg, ¼ cup salted butter, 1 cup shredded zucchini
  • Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Once the bars are cool, frost the bars with cream cheese frosting. Then drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with walnuts. 12 ounces cream cheese frosting, 3 tablespoons caramel sauce, ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Notes

  • Use any flavor cake mix you’d like.
  • I used a box grater to grate the zucchini. A food processor works too.
  • We like these bars best when the are cold, so we store them in the fridge. They do not have to be stored in the fridge, but should be stored in an airtight container.
  • Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
    The calories shown are based on the bars being cut into 12 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 bar. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 374
Keyword cake mix recipe, easy dessert recipe, zucchini recipes
About JulieJulie Clark

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
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Sumee
10 years ago

Oh my! Love the look of this. I love using zucchini in bread, this one looks deeeelicious!

lisa
10 years ago

These look amazing! I can consider them healthy, right? ๐Ÿ™‚

The Better Baker
10 years ago

I am SO making these!!! I LOVE doctoring a cake mix…and the caramel flavor sounds perfect. Your photos are amazing. Thanks for sharing at Weekend Potluck. (Did I miss seeing a link back? We’d love it if you’d link back to the party within your post…makes you eligible to be featured). Thanks and thanks again!

Anne
10 years ago

I think these will end up being my favorite thing to make with zucchini. I’m going to make some tomorrow!

Elizabeth
10 years ago

Yum!! This is so yummy! I can’t believe how easy it is. Just add zucchini to cake mix! What a great idea. Thanks for sharing!

Angelina
10 years ago

So these are healthy because of the zucchini, so I can add an extra one to my plate, right?! I am saving this for my soon to be over abundance of zucchini!

Pure Grace Farms
10 years ago

These bars are perfect for my zucchini onslaught. A delicious way to put them to good use. Would love it if you would come by and share this great recipe this evening (Tues 7PM EST) at the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop.
Blessings,
Shari
http://puregracefarms.com/2014/07/wonderful-wednesday-blog-hop-80/

Emily @ Love, Pasta and a Tool Belt
10 years ago

These look so delicious!

Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling
10 years ago

I wish gardens would just grow themselves, don’t you?? Maybe if I had the promise of these zucchini bars I’d be able to push myself to do the work involved in gardening! They look amazing!!

Prudy | butter, basil, and breadcrumbs
10 years ago

Ahh…hahaha!! I’m so with you. I start out all gung – ho with my garden, and by the beginning of August, it will be looking so tired of trying to take care of itself… it’s not that I don’t want to take care of the garden, I just don’t have time.

Oh, who am I fooling? I”m with you. I don’t like work. ๐Ÿ™‚

I’m loving these bars. I need to get some zucchini, soon! ๐Ÿ™‚

Michele @ Alwayzbakin
10 years ago

These look amazing! I love recipes that start with a cake mix. You really can’t go wrong. ;-D

Deb @ Cooking on the Front Burner
10 years ago

I love how this recipe uses a box mix to keep it simple! We had to stop growing zucchini as it took over our garden ๐Ÿ™‚ but I do get some at the farmer’s market… great recipe!

dina
10 years ago

they look delicious!

Melanie @ Carmel Moments
10 years ago

These sound wonderful. Great way to use up that zucchini I’m just beginning to harvest.
Pinning.

Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes
10 years ago

I just bought a bunch of zucchini at the store this weekend! This sounds like an amazing way to use them, Julie!