Print

Carrot Cake Bars

Carrot Cake Bars
Print Recipe

These Carrot Cake Bars offer a moist, flavorful twist on traditional carrot cake, combined with warm spices and topped with rich cream cheese frosting. Perfectly convenient and easy to customize, they make a wholesome snack or dessert anytime.

Ingredients

Scale

Carrot Cake Bars

  • 2 cups grated fresh carrots
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free option)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs for vegan option)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • ½ cup raisins (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened (use dairy-free cream cheese for vegan option)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Prepare Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Finely grate fresh carrots. Measure and prepare all wet and dry ingredients. Soften cream cheese and butter for the frosting.
  2. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined to form the moist base of the batter.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, and any additional warm spices such as nutmeg and ginger. Gradually fold these into the wet mixture until fragrant and just combined.
  4. Fold in Carrots and Nuts: Gently stir in the grated carrots and your choice of chopped nuts and/or raisins, being careful not to overmix to maintain a tender texture.
  5. Bake Until Golden: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is lightly golden brown.
  6. Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: While the bars cool, beat together cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy.
  7. Frost and Chill: Once the bars are completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly on top. Refrigerate the bars for the frosting to set before cutting into bars.

Notes

  • Use fresh carrots for optimal moisture and flavor.
  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the texture light and tender.
  • Use a light-colored baking pan to prevent over-browning on the edges.
  • Cool bars completely before frosting to avoid melting.
  • Adjust sugar levels according to preference, especially if adding sweet dried fruits.

Nutrition

Keywords: carrot cake bars, cream cheese frosting, gluten-free carrot cake, homemade carrot bars, moist carrot cake, easy dessert bars

Find it online: https://cherrycooks.com/carrot-cake-bars/