Description
Delicious, moist carrot cake bars topped with a creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting, perfect for an easy dessert or snack. These bars combine warm spices, grated carrots, and optional nuts for added texture and flavor, baked to perfection in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients & Mix-ins
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven & Prepare the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to make it easier to lift the bars out after baking.
- Prepare the Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to combine the dry ingredients evenly. In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated to avoid overmixing. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts if using, mixing gently to distribute evenly.
- Bake the Carrot Cake Bars: Pour the prepared batter into the lined pan, spreading it out evenly with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, signaling the bars are fully cooked. Remove from oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before adding frosting.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Gradually incorporate the powdered sugar, adding one cup at a time and beating thoroughly after each addition to ensure a smooth texture. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Frost & Serve: Once the carrot cake bars are completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Optionally garnish with additional chopped nuts or a light sprinkle of cinnamon. Cut into squares or bars and serve.
Notes
- Using parchment paper makes removing the bars from the pan easier and cleaner.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep the bars tender and moist.
- Feel free to omit nuts to keep the bars nut-free or replace with raisins for added sweetness.
- Make sure the bars are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
