Description
Delicious and moist carrot cake bars topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting, perfect for a sweet treat or dessert. These bars combine grated carrots, warm spices, and a rich frosting, baked to perfection in a single dish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Carrot Cake Bars
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and ground cinnamon until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix grated carrots, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet carrot mixture, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Bake the Cake Bars: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Prepare Frosting: Let the cake bars cool completely. Beat the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter until creamy. Then add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat until the frosting is fluffy.
- Frost and Serve: Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the cooled carrot cake bars. Cut into 12 squares and serve.
Notes
- Ensure the carrot cake bars are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with melted coconut oil for a subtle flavor variation.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal and cleaner edges.
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Optionally, add chopped walnuts or raisins to the batter for extra texture.
