Carrot Cake Bars

These carrot cake bars are packed with shredded carrots, warm spices, and pecans and topped with cream cheese frosting. They are soft, moist, and chewy and taste like a cross between carrot cake and a buttery blondie.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 23

Total Time 53

Servings

Calories 290kcal

Author Allison - Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Bars:

¾ cup (172g) unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
½ cup (107g) packed brown sugar light or dark
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1⅓ cup (170g) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (100g) shredded carrots, loosely measured, not packed see note
½ cup (65g) finely chopped toasted pecans

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese softened
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter softened
1½ cups (187g) powdered sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
finely chopped toasted pecans optional garnish

Instructions

Bars:

Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center of the oven. Line a 9x9 square metal pan with foil or parchment and lightly grease it.
In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for one full minute, until well combined. Whisk in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined, being careful not to overmix. Tap the excess batter off the whisk and remove it from the bowl. Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir the carrots and pecans into the batter.
Spread the batter into an even layer in the prepared pan. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The bars will rise just a bit but stay flat. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. This frosting is on the softer side, if it appears too soft you can add a bit more powdered sugar or pop it into the fridge for 20 minutes or so.
Spread or pipe the frosting on the cooled bars. Top with pecans, if desired. Note: I like to cut the bars first, then pipe frosting in a zigzag pattern on top of each bar.
Bars should be stored in the refrigerator and brought to room temperature one hour before serving.

Notes

Carrots: Shred the carrots using the medium or small holes on a box grater. Don't use pre-shredded carrots, they are too thick and they won't soften during the bake time.

Serving and storage: Bars should be stored in the refrigerator and brought to room temperature one hour before serving.

Nutrition