Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot Cake Bars are packed with sweet, shredded carrot and warm spices, then topped with a cream cheese frosting for the ultimate Easter treat!
Ingredients
Bars:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup shredded carrots, patted dry
- 2 ¾ cup flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, 1 block
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- pinch of salt
Equipment
- 9x3 baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars (brown and white), mixing until well blended.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Shred the carrots, pat them dry with a paper towel, and stir them into the wet ingredients until evenly incorporated.
- Add the flour, spices, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch, then fold together just until combined.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish, pressing it into an even layer.
- Bake at 350°F for 13-18 minutes, checking for doneness.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until fluffy.
- Add the rest of the frosting ingredients and whip until smooth.
- Once the bars are fully cooled, lift them out of the dish using the parchment paper.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
- Lastly, sprinkle the frosted bars with a light dusting of cinnamon before cutting into 12 even squares to serve.
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Storage: Store leftover carrot cake bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days due to the cream cheese frosting. The flavors deepen over time! Unfrosted carrot cake bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Freeze and make-ahead: Wrap unfrosted carrot cake bars in plastic and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake bars overnight in the fridge and allow them to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before adding fresh cream cheese frosting.
- Cool before frosting: Make sure that the cake bars have cooled completely as any residual heat and steam will make the frosting runny.
- Parchment overhang: Line the baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides to easily lift the baked bars out for frosting and cutting.
- Soften the butter and cream cheese: These two ingredients must be left out to soften for a smooth, well combined frosting. Pop them in the microwave for short bursts of time if you forgot to soften them at room temperature but be careful not to melt them.
- How to grate/shred the carrots: Wash and peel the carrots first. Then, use a box grater to grate the carrots. A grater attachment on a food processor is also an option.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 505kcal, Carbohydrates: 82g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 110mg, Sodium: 542mg, Potassium: 122mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 1931IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2mg