Easy Carrot Cake Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

Why I Like This Recipe

• Soft and fluffy. These carrot cake bars are ridiculously soft and fluffy. Not dense at all, like classic carrot cake recipes. I love that they still have the classic carrot cake flavors and richness, and are made from scratch.
• Loaded with flavor. Along with the carrots' flavor, traditional carrot cake spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are added to round out this delicious cake bite.
• Multiple ways to serve. You can slice them into 12 generous portions and eat them with a fork, or cut them into small, bite-sized pieces. This is what I usually do!

Tips and Tricks

• Carrot baby food. Baby food? That's right. No peeling or shredding carrots. Simply mix in ½ cup. pureed carrot baby food! The baby food gives the bars a beautiful orange color and adds a delicious flavor. So easy.
• Slicing tip. Allow bars to sit until frosting begins to set up before cutting. You don't HAVE to do this, but it does make it easier to get clean cuts. Cut bars into 12 portions for cake or 48 portions for bite-sized bars (cut into 12 pieces, then cut each piece into quarters), wiping knife clean (with a paper towel) after each cut to wipe off the excess frosting.
• How to adjust this recipe. If you'd like to make a sheet pan of carrot cake bars, make 1.5 batches of batter and bake in a 13x18" half sheet pan.

Ingredients

Bars

• Butter: I always use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
• Sugar
• Egg: For richness and texture.
• Carrot baby food: 2 jars of baby food, poured right into the dough mixture, give the dough a beautiful orange color, moisture, and subtle flavoring.
• Apple baby food or applesauce: Adds moisture and flavor.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: Traditional carrot cake spices.
• Baking powder, baking soda, and salt: For leavening and flavor.
• All purpose flour
• Walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Melted butter
• Cream cheese, softened
• Powdered sugar
• Milk or heavy cream
• Vanilla extract

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Note: if you don't care for cream cheese frosting I highly recommend using the vanilla frosting recipe that I use in my frosted banana bars.

How To Make Carrot Cake Bars

Step 1: Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add egg. Beat until mixed thoroughly. Add baby food and applesauce. Mix.

Step 2: Add dry ingredients and mix.

Step 3: Spread mixture in 9"x13" baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 4: Bake bars at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool COMPLETELY.

Step 5: While bars cool, beat frosting ingredients together. Spread frosting over cooled carrot cake bars and top with chopped walnuts (if desired).

Allow bars to sit until frosting begins to set up before cutting. You don't HAVE to do this, but it does make it easier to get clean cuts. Cut bars into 12 portions for cake or 48 portions for bite-sized bars (cut into 12 pieces then cut each piece into quarters), wiping knife clean (with a paper towel) after each cut to wipe off the excess frosting.

Store bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered in plastic.

More Bar Recipes To Make

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