Feb 22, 2011
Simply put, WOW!!! I did not make many alterations, as I like to try a recipe pretty much as written the first time. I did sub 1/2 of the sugar with Splenda, as I'm diabetic, and every little bit helps. I added 1 cup of halved fresh cranberries, and the color/tartness ratcheted up the taste to stellar! The red from the cranberries and green flecks from the zucchini made it quite festive looking. That little kick of tartness from the berries made the lemon flavor sing! I don't know why, but something told me to check on them about 10 minutes before the 45 minute alarm, and they were done, so only 35 minutes baking time was perfect. A toothpick in the center came out clean, and the center was firm to the touch. Be sure to disregard the baking times in the recipe and set your alarm for 35 to start. Overbaking could account for some of the tepid reviews. Please know they should turn out soft and moist, more like a cake than bars. After baking, I brushed on a glaze made from 2 Tb softened butter, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp milk and 1 cup confectioners sugar, while they were still warm from the oven. It increased the fresh lemon flavor. This recipe is misnamed. It's really a cake, not bars. It did not taste remotely oily (and as a trained chef, I have a ridiculously sensitive palate,) so I'd suspect that those who found an oily taste were using either inferior or rancid oil. One taster exclaimed after a bite, "This is light as a feather!" Absolutely fabulous recipe!
—Baricat
