Description
Enjoy these easy homemade carrot cake bars, a moist and spiced treat topped with creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for beginners, this recipe delivers the best carrot cake bars you’ll ever taste.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the grated carrots and chopped pecans (if using) to create your carrot cake bar batter.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the carrot cake bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- While the bars are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Once the carrot cake bars are completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
- Cut the carrot cake bars into squares and serve.
Notes
- For extra moist carrot cake bars, do not overbake.
- Ensure your cream cheese and butter are softened for a smooth frosting.
- For gluten-free carrot cake bars, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- For vegan carrot cake bars, substitute eggs with a flax egg and use a vegan cream cheese frosting.
- If you prefer carrot cake bars no nuts, simply omit the pecans.
- These carrot cake bars are delicious served as is or with the cream cheese frosting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
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