Description
Delicious and moist carrot cake bars topped with smooth, creamy cream cheese frosting, perfect for an easy homemade dessert or snack. These bars combine warm spices, grated carrots, and crushed pineapple for added moisture and flavor, finished with a luscious frosting that makes every bite irresistible.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Carrot Cake Bars
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the bars later.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. This creates a well-spiced foundation for the batter.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs, vegetable oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add carrots and pineapple: Stir the finely grated carrots and drained crushed pineapple into the wet ingredients, adding moisture and sweet flavor to the batter.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep the bars tender.
- Fold in nuts: If using, gently fold in chopped walnuts or pecans for added texture and flavor.
- Bake: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare frosting: Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, then beat until creamy and spreadable.
- Frost the bars: Once the bars have fully cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
- Chill and serve: Chill the frosted bars in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the frosting before slicing into 16 bars for clean, neat cuts.
Notes
- You can omit the nuts or substitute them with raisins or shredded coconut for a nut-free variation or additional texture.
- Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to keep the frosting fresh and the bars moist.
