Zucchini brownies

Have too much zucchini? Here is a great recipe for using some of it. This recipe really surprised me. The batter is very dry and hard to mix, but the brownies turned out very moist. I did not use icing as I feel the brownies are sweet enough. I even think it would make a great birthday cake.

½ cup safflower or sunflower oil

1 to 1½ cup sugar, depending on how much sweetness you want

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

½ cup walnuts, chopped

½ cup coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, ½ cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. It will be hard to mix, but mix well. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched and a toothpick pushed into brownies comes out without any batter on it. Spread icing over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Icing

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup butter, softened

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

Mix well

To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners’ sugar, milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture.

— Barbara Rexford