Description
These Cream Cheese Carrot Cake Bars combine moist, spiced carrot cake with a smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting, all baked in one convenient pan. Perfect for a crowd, they offer the classic flavors of carrot cake in a deliciously easy-to-serve bar form.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups grated carrots
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined, ensuring even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the melted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and well-combined, creating a creamy base for the batter.
- Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, mixing well after each to ensure a smooth, emulsified batter.
- Mix in Carrots and Dry Ingredients: Stir the grated carrots and the prepared dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the batter and keeping it tender.
- Fill Baking Dish: Pour the batter into the greased 9×13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly to ensure uniform baking.
- Bake: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully cooked.
- Cool: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack; this prevents the cream cheese frosting from melting upon application.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until the mixture is smooth and creamy, forming the delicious frosting.
- Frost and Serve: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Once frosted, cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened for a smooth frosting without lumps.
- Grate the carrots finely for a better texture throughout the bars.
- You can add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for added crunch if desired.
- Storage: Keep the bars refrigerated due to the cream cheese frosting and consume within 3-4 days for best freshness.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese alternative and butter with a plant-based margarine.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
