Description
Indulge in these delightful Carrot Cake Bars, a perfect blend of moistness and flavor that will impress anyone at your next gathering. These bars are infused with the goodness of freshly grated carrots and warm spices, topped off with a luscious cream cheese frosting that adds a rich finishing touch. Not only are they easy to make, but they also offer versatility for customization—feel free to add nuts or dried fruits for extra texture. Whether you enjoy them as an afternoon snack or serve them at special occasions, these carrot cake bars are sure to be a hit!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch of ground cloves
- 8 ounces finely-grated fresh carrots
- optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts or 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 9×9-inch baking dish by misting it with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until blended. Add eggs and vanilla extract; mix until smooth.
- In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, and cloves. Gradually incorporate this dry mixture into the wet mixture until combined. Fold in grated carrots and optional nuts or raisins.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 35–40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- For the frosting, mix softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled bars and slice for serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg