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–+ servings
Carrot Cake Bars

Moist Carrot Cake Bars with Creamy Frosting Bliss

These Moist Carrot Cake Bars deliver a delightful spin on classic dessert with rich cream cheese frosting and fragrant spices, making them perfect for any occasion.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 200
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Bars
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg free-range preferred
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure preferred
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt kosher preferred
  • 1½ cups shredded carrots freshly grated preferred
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar adjust for sweetness

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Mixing Bowl
  • spatula
  • 8x8-inch baking pan
  • Microwave

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
  2. Melt ½ cup of unsalted butter until completely liquid. Mix in 1 cup of brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
  3. Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to the mixture. Stir until fully integrated.
  4. Sift in 1½ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix gently until combined.
  5. Fold in 1½ cups of freshly shredded carrots into the batter.
  6. In a separate bowl, beat 8 oz of cream cheese and 1 cup of powdered sugar until smooth. Blend in an egg yolk and more vanilla.
  7. Spoon half of the carrot batter into the prepared pan, dollop the cream cheese mixture over, then layer with remaining carrot batter.
  8. Swirl the batters together to create a marbling effect.
  9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until edges are golden and center is slightly jiggly.
  10. Let cool completely on a wire rack for 1-2 hours before slicing into squares.

Nutrition

Serving: 1barCalories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 130mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 0.5mg

Notes

For best results, use fresh ingredients and avoid overmixing to keep bars tender.

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