Carrot Cake Bars With Cream Cheese (Printable version)

Moist spiced carrot squares topped with creamy vanilla frosting and crunchy walnuts.

# What You'll Need:

→ Carrot Cake Base

01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
08 - ½ cup vegetable oil
09 - ½ cup granulated sugar
10 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
13 - 2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 medium)
14 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

15 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
16 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
17 - 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
18 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
19 - Pinch of salt

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Fold grated carrots into the wet mixture until evenly distributed throughout.
05 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in nuts if using.
06 - Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly into corners using an offset spatula.
07 - Bake for 28-32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking.
08 - Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack before frosting.
09 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until smooth and fluffy.
10 - Spread frosting evenly over cooled bars. Lift from pan using parchment paper overhang, cut into 16 squares, and serve.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese frosting-to-cake ratio is absolute perfection in every bite
  • These bars stay incredibly moist for days, unlike other carrot cakes that dry out
  • They transport beautifully for potlucks and picnics without the fuss of layer cake stacking
02 -
  • Let these bars cool completely before frosting or the cream cheese will melt into a sad, sticky mess
  • Room temperature cream cheese and butter will give you the smoothest, silkiest frosting
  • Don't overmix the batter once you add the flour or your bars might turn out tough instead of tender
03 -
  • Grate your carrots by hand instead of buying pre-grated ones for much better texture and moisture
  • Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the whole batch out at once for cleaner, more even cutting

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