Description
Moist, spiced carrot cake baked into easy-to-serve bars, topped with a luscious layer of cream cheese frosting – all the flavor of traditional carrot cake in convenient bar form!
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Bars:
2 cups All-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda
0.5 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
0.5 teaspoon Ground ginger
0.5 cup Unsalted butter, softened
1 cup Granulated sugar
0.5 cup Brown sugar
3 large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Bourbon vanilla extract
2 cups Grated carrots
0.5 cup Crushed pineapple, well-drained
0.5 cup Chopped walnuts (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz Cream cheese, softened
0.25 cup Unsalted butter, softened
2 cups Powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in bowl.
- In separate bowl, beat oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Stir in carrots and pineapple.
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in nuts if using.
- Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 25-28 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread over cooled bars.
- Chill 1 hour before cutting into squares. Store refrigerated.
Notes
- For extra moisture, soak raisins in warm water 10 mins then add to batter
- Double frosting recipe for thicker layer
- Bars freeze well without frosting for up to 3 months
- Add 1/2 cup shredded coconut to batter for tropical twist
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 28 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg