Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies: Chocolate Almond Butter Frosting

Gluten Free Zucchini Brownie with Chocolate Almond Butter Frosting

Zucchini is one of the vegetables we grow in abundance in our garden. It is can be used in so many ways. 

We like zucchini as a main meal, grilled, zucchini pizza crust, zucchini lasagna noodles and obviously as great desserts like brownies or bread.

This special gluten free zucchini brownie was made for my husbands 65th birthday. He loves chocolate and I have to eat gluten free. Combining the love of both, so we both could enjoy it, only makes sense and he doesn't mind. For an extra chocolate birthday treat, I added dark chocolate chips in the brownie mix.

Gluten free is not sugar free, however, I tried to reduce the sugar and use healthy ingredients.

Ingredients for the Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies:                  

• ½  cup cacao powder
• 1 ½  teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ½  cup olive or coconut oil
• 1  cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup stevia in the raw or keto friendly erythritol
• 2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract
• 2 cups zucchini; shredded fresh or frozen
• 2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour; I like Bob Red Mills
• 3-5 tablespoons water;  as needed
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips ; optional

 

Ingredients for the chocolate almond butter frosting: 

• 3 tablespoons cacao powder
• ¼  cup butter; melted
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼  cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• Pinch of salt

***I found the frosting to be enough for 2 or 3 brownies so you can reduce or store the frosting for later

Instructions to make the Gluten Free Zucchini Brownie:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Using a 9-inch x13-inch glass baking pan or a spring form pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and if you want you can spray it with cooking spray.
2. Using bread hooks on your mixer is best, as this batter is very thick. In your mixing bowl, (I do not believe in using more than one bowl); therefore, add the ingredients in the order listed adding the water last to make a thick cookie dough like batter. The water you use is determined by the moisture in your zucchini.  Do not add too much water or it will be more like cake than a brownie.
3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. While the brownie is baking, whip up the chocolate almond butter  frosting. Spread the frosting on the brownies after they have cooled a little. I prefer to frost the brownies while slightly warm; however, you can do as you like and wait until they are completely cooled.

Gluten Free Buttercup Squash Coffee Cake

Gluten Free Buttercup Squash Coffee Cake

I recently discovered the buttercup squash in our local grocery store. After baking it, I declared it to be my all time favorite squash. 

The buttercup squash has a richer, fuller flavor than any other squash I've eaten. The texture is very smooth and made a great coffee cake.

Needless to say, the buttercup squash will be grown in our garden this coming garden season.

Buttercup Squash Coffee Cake:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed, cooked buttercup squash
• 1 tsp gluten free pure vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour; I used Bob Red Mills
• 2 tsp  baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan  salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp  ground nutmeg

• 1/2 - 1 cup unsweetened applesauce; used my own canned apple sauce 

*for layering on top of the coffee cake not added to the mixture

Streusel topping for Buttercup Squash Coffee Cake:

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats; I used Bob Red Mills
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts; I used pecans
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp. cold butter

Instructions to make the Buttercup Squash Coffee Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
   
2. Liberally grease a 9 inch spring form pan.
3. I truly don't believe in wasting dishes, so this is a one bowl easy recipe. I also reduced the sugar content by using coconut sugar instead of plain white stuff. In my opinion it is sweet enough and the glaze from original recipe is unnecessary.
4. Pour 1/2 the batter in the pan. Top it with the applesauce and 1/2 the streusel topping.
5. Spoon on, and smooth out, the remaining batter and top it with the remaining streusel topping.
6. Place it in the oven on the lower rack and bake for 55 minutes.
7. Cool slightly and remove the side of the springform pan. Slice it up and enjoy.