Description
These Cream Cheese Carrot Cake Bars combine moist, spiced carrot cake with a luscious cream cheese frosting, baked into easy-to-serve squares perfect for gatherings or a delightful everyday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Wet Ingredients & Batter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups grated carrots
Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the bars.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until thoroughly combined to evenly distribute the leavening and spices.
- Combine Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the melted unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is smooth and well mixed, creating a creamy base for the batter.
- Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition to ensure a uniform texture.
- Incorporate Carrots and Dry Ingredients: Stir in the grated carrots into the wet mixture, followed by the dry ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Pour Batter and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating doneness.
- Cool the Bars: Remove the baked bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack to set before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until the mixture is smooth and creamy, perfect for spreading.
- Frost and Serve: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled carrot cake bars. Cut into 24 squares and serve your delicious treat.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for smoother frosting.
- Grating carrots finely helps incorporate them better into the batter.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Storing these bars in the refrigerator extends their freshness up to 4-5 days.
- For added texture, you can add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter if desired.
