Description
Creamy cream cheese carrot cake bars deliver sweet comfort with classic spiced warmth. Rich layers of moist cake and tangy frosting promise delightful moments you won’t forget.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup crushed pineapple, drained (optional, but adds moisture and flavor)
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm the oven to 350F (175C). Cushion an 8×8 or 9×9 baking vessel with parchment paper, ensuring complete coverage of bottom and sides.
- Dry Mixture: Thoroughly combine flour, rising agents, spices, and seasoning in a medium mixing bowl, whisking until uniformly blended.
- Wet Foundation: Vigorously whisk eggs, sweeteners, aromatic oil, and flavor extract until silky smooth. Fold in grated carrots, tropical fruit, and chopped nuts, creating a rich, textured base.
- Batter Assembly: Gently integrate dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring minimally to prevent overworking the batter. Transfer to prepared pan, smoothing surface evenly with a spatula.
- Cream Cheese Swirl: Whip cream cheese with sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until luxuriously creamy. Dollop mixture across cake batter’s surface, then use a knife to create elegant, marbled patterns.
- Baking Process: Slide pan into preheated oven, baking for 30-35 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a wooden pick into center – it should emerge clean and pristine.
- Cooling and Serving: Allow cake to rest completely in pan, permitting flavors to settle. Slice into neat, uniform bars ready for delightful indulgence.
Notes
- Use exact measurements for flour and spices to ensure the perfect texture and flavor balance in your carrot cake bars.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stopping when just combined to prevent tough, dense bars.
- Swap nuts with seeds or omit for nut-free version, and experiment with different mix-ins like dried cranberries or coconut flakes.
- When adding cream cheese topping, use a light hand while swirling to create beautiful marbled patterns without overmixing the layers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg