Zucchini Brownies

I had a couple of zucchini sitting on my counter and I needed to use them up. Now, what better way to use up zucchini, but to find a sweet chocolatey brownie recipe! :) These were super tasty. While the frosting didn't hard set the way that the recipe said it would, it was still delicious and I have been eating on this pan for the past week! It pairs very well with ice cream after a night of sweaty volleyball in an non-airconditioned gym!

Zucchini Brownies
(Recipe found at

Brownies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini (1 large or 2 small zucchinis)
3-5 tablespoons water

Frosting:
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13" baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir. Fold in the zucchini. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes so the batter can absorb the moisture from the zucchini. Then, if your mixture is still very powdery, add up to 5 tablespoons water (start with 1 tablespoon and work up from there, stirring well after each addition). The batter will be very thick but shouldn't be powdery. (It partially depends on how wet your zucchini is!) The dough is super thick, like cookie dough. Do not add too much water! I actually didn't need to use any extra water when I made these. Spread in prepared pan.
Bake 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting: Whisk butter, cocoa, salt, and powdered sugar. Whisk in milk and vanilla. Spread over cooled brownies. Cut into squares and chill to semi-set. The frosting hardens slightly on the top but stays wet and gooey underneath. These brownies are best stored in an airtight container and eaten within 2 days. Chill them to make them last an extra day.