You’ll love these Carrot Cake Bars—simple to make, incredibly flavorful, and just right for bringing a touch of sweetness to your Spring and Easter celebrations.
These Carrot Cake Bars are an easy-to-make dessert that is perfect for any occasion! These bars are made with shredded carrots, cinnamon, and other warm spices, which give them a distinctively sweet and flavorful taste.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Carrot Cake Bars
- This Carrot Cake Bars recipe is easy to follow, perfect for beginners.
- These bars are packed with warm spices, adding a cozy flavor.
- The shredded carrots in Carrot Cake Bars add a moist texture.
Recipe Ingredients
- Shredded Carrots: Contributes natural sweetness and moisture, creating a tender texture and subtle earthy flavor to the cake bars.
- Nutmeg: Adds a warm, slightly nutty spice.
- Vanilla Extract: Brings a sweet, fragrant note.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Flour Options: Substitute all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, almond flour, coconut flour, or a gluten-free blend. Whole wheat flour adds fiber, while almond and coconut flours offer subtle sweetness. Gluten-free blends suit those with sensitivities.
- Nuts Variation: Swap chopped pecans with walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. These nuts provide a similar crunchy texture and mild, nutty flavor.
How to Make Carrot Cake Bars
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and spray an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, combine the melted butter and light brown sugar.
Step 3: Next, stir in the egg and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Then, add in the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined.
Step 5: Fold in the shredded carrots and pecans.
Step 6: Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 7: While baking, prepare the frosting. In a bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until combined.
Step 8: Then add in the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time, ensuring the frosting is creamy before adding the second cup.
Step 9: To decorate, set aside ¼-½ cup of frosting and separate into two for both the orange and green colors. Using food coloring, add however many drops you’d like until you reach your preferred colors. Place each color in a piping or Ziplock bag and cut a small hole in the corner for easy piping.
Step 10: Once the bars have completely cooled, frost the top with the white frosting.
Step 11: Next, cut the bars into 9 slices, and decorate the top of the bars to your liking.
Step 12: Finally, serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Properly Measure Flour: Use a spoon to fill your measuring cup with flour and level it off with a knife. This ensures you don’t add too much flour, keeping the bars moist.
- Use an Offset Spatula: An offset spatula is perfect for spreading the batter evenly in the baking pan and for applying a smooth, even layer of frosting, ensuring a professional-looking finish.
FAQs
It’s not necessary, but slightly chilling the frosting for about 15-20 minutes can make it easier to spread and pipe, resulting in a smoother finish.
Certainly! You can mix the ingredients by hand using a whisk and a spatula. Just ensure the batter is well combined and smooth before baking.
Storage Info
To STORE Carrot Cake Bars, place them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to one week. To FREEZE, wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. You can also freeze them for up to three months.
To REHEAT, thaw frozen bars in the refrigerator overnight, then warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until they reach your desired temperature.
Carrot Cake Bars Recipe
Recommended Products
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 1/2 cup butter - melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
For the Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 Tbsp butter - room temperature
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- orange food coloring
- green food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and spray an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, combine the melted butter and light brown sugar.
- Next, stir in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Then, add in the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined.
- Fold in the shredded carrots and pecans.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While baking, prepare the frosting. In a bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until combined.
- Then add in the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time, ensuring the frosting is creamy before adding the second cup.
- To decorate, set aside ¼-½ cup of frosting and separate into two for both the orange and green colors. Using food coloring, add however many drops you’d like until you reach your preferred colors. Place each color in a piping or Ziplock bag and cut a small hole in the corner for easy piping.
- Once the bars have completely cooled, frost the top with the white frosting.
- Next, cut the bars into 9 slices, and decorate the top of the bars to your liking.
- Finally, serve and enjoy!
This is my new go-to carrot cake recipe! We LOVE them!
Great
When I click on the recipe, the ingredients for the frosting does not show up.
Hi Diane, oh my! Sorry about that, all fixed now! Thanks for letting me know.