Carrot Cake Bars are a delightful twist on the classic carrot cake, offering all the flavors you love in a convenient bar form. With their moist texture, rich carrot cake flavor, and a luscious cream cheese frosting, these bars are perfect for gatherings, celebrations, or simply as a sweet treat to enjoy at home.
Ingredients
Scale:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
3 cups grated carrots (about 6 medium carrots)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan, lining it with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
In another bowl, beat the vegetable oil and eggs together until thoroughly mixed. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts (if using) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the bars to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the bars are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting by beating the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until fully incorporated, then add the vanilla extract and mix until fluffy.
Once the carrot cake bars have cooled completely, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
