Baking Soda, Baking Powder: Helps cake bars rise and become light, fluffy texture.
Fine Sea Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances overall flavor profile.
Chopped Nuts, Raisins: Optional mix-ins that add delightful crunch and extra texture dimensions.
For Frosting Ingredients:
Low-Fat Cream Cheese, Butter: Creates smooth, creamy base with tangy richness.
Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and aromatic sweetness to frosting.
Powdered Sugar: Provides silky smoothness and classic sweet finish.
Tools for Making Carrot Cake Bars with Ease
9×9-inch baking dish: Essential for perfectly shaped carrot cake bars.
Cooking spray: Helps prevent sticking and ensures easy removal.
Large mixing bowls (2): One for wet ingredients, another for dry ingredients.
Whisk: Perfect for blending sugar, eggs, and mixing dry ingredients smoothly.
Spatula: Great for folding in carrots and spreading batter evenly.
Wire rack: Helps cake cool quickly and evenly after baking.
Toothpick: Crucial for checking cake doneness.
Electric mixer or hand mixer: Helps create smooth, creamy frosting.
How to Bake Carrot Cake Bars from Scratch
Oven Warmup Snuggle the oven to a toasty 350 degrees, creating a welcoming space for your delightful dessert. Mist a square baking pan with a light cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Sweet Fusion Whirl together oil and sugars in a roomy mixing bowl until they dance into a smooth mixture. Crack in eggs and splash of vanilla, blending everything until silky and harmonious.
Dry Ingredient Symphony Gather your flour and spices in another bowl, whisking them together so each pinch of cinnamon and hint of nutmeg gets perfectly distributed.
Batter Magic Gently marry the dry and wet ingredients, stirring until they create a luscious, creamy batter that hints at the deliciousness to come.
Carrot Celebration Fold in freshly grated carrots and optional nuts, giving your bars a rustic, homemade charm that whispers comfort.
Baking Transformation Pour the batter into your prepared pan, spreading it evenly like a warm blanket. Slide into the waiting oven for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick emerges clean.
Frosting Finale Whip cream cheese with butter until cloud-like, then gradually introduce powdered sugar to create a dreamy topping. Spread generously over cooled bars and slice into happy portions.
Tips to Enhance Your Carrot Cake Bars
Add a handful of shredded coconut or rolled oats to enhance the bar's moisture and give a delightful chewy texture.
Experiment with ground ginger or cardamom to create a more complex flavor profile that elevates the traditional carrot cake taste.
Replace half the oil with unsweetened applesauce to reduce fat content while maintaining the bars' incredible softness and richness.
Toast walnuts or pecans before adding them to the batter for a deeper, more intense nutty flavor that complements the sweet carrots perfectly.
Mix in a tablespoon of orange zest or maple syrup into the frosting for a surprising and delightful flavor enhancement that will make your carrot cake bars truly memorable.
Present Carrot Cake Bars Beautifully
Party Platter Perfection: Create an elegant dessert display by arranging carrot cake bars on a beautiful wooden board with fresh mint leaves and edible flowers for a stunning presentation.
Beverage Buddies: Pair these delectable bars with a cold glass of milk, creamy chai latte, or a warm cup of cinnamon tea to enhance the spiced cake's rich flavors.
Garnish Galore: Sprinkle toasted chopped walnuts, a light dusting of cinnamon, or delicate edible gold flakes on top of the cream cheese frosting for an extra touch of elegance and crunch.
Seasonal Styling: During fall and winter, serve these bars alongside a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or with a warm caramel drizzle to create a comforting dessert experience that feels like a warm hug.
Store Carrot Cake Bars Without Losing Moisture
Fridge Fresh Storage: Keep these delightful carrot cake bars wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or sealed container. They'll stay moist and delicious for 4-5 days when refrigerated between 34-40°F.
Freezer Friendly Stash: Individually wrap bars in aluminum foil, then place inside freezer-safe bags. These treats maintain perfect texture up to 3 months when frozen. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before enjoying.
Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare batter and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. This technique allows flavors to develop deeper, richer taste profiles. Simply let batter sit at room temperature 30 minutes before spreading in pan.
Cream Cheese Frosting Tip: Store unused frosting in airtight container within refrigerator. It remains fresh for one week. Before spreading, let frosting soften at room temperature for smooth, spreadable consistency.
Moist carrot cake bars blend classic spices with cream cheese frosting for a delightful dessert. Homemade warmth and sweet comfort invite you to savor each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
3 eggs
8 oz (226 g) finely-grated fresh carrots
¾ cup (180 ml) avocado oil
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
1 ⅔ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (60 g) chopped nuts
¼ cup (40 g) raisins (optional)
8 oz (226 g) low-fat cream cheese, softened
3 cups (360 g) sifted powdered sugar
1 ½ tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsps (30 g) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch ground cloves
Instructions
Preheat Preparations: Calibrate the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly spray a 9×9-inch (23×23 centimeter) baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Wet Ingredient Fusion: Whisk vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until thoroughly blended, then integrate eggs and vanilla extract, creating a smooth, homogeneous liquid base.
Dry Ingredient Coordination: Sift together all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves to ensure even distribution.
Batter Construction: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, incorporating grated carrots and chopped walnuts or raisins, mixing until just combined to maintain optimal texture.
Baking Process: Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, verifying doneness by inserting a toothpick that emerges clean from the center.
Cooling Interval: Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, ensuring stable structural integrity.
Frosting Fabrication: Beat cream cheese, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth, gradually sifting powdered sugar to create a silky, spreadable consistency.
Final Assembly: Generously apply cream cheese frosting across the cooled cake using an offset spatula, then slice into square bars for serving or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
Prevent Overmixing: Gently fold dry and wet ingredients to maintain a tender, light texture without developing tough gluten strands.
Moisture Magic: Freshly grated carrots add natural sweetness and keep the bars incredibly moist, so avoid using pre-shredded or packaged carrots.
Toothpick Test Technique: Check cake doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into the center – no raw batter means perfectly baked bars.
Cooling Crucial: Allow bars to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and ensure a smooth, pristine cream cheese topping.
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, Boulder, CO
Degree: Diploma in Culinary Arts
Focus: Hands-on training in classic and modern culinary techniques, emphasizing sustainable cooking practices, kitchen professionalism, and real-world restaurant experience through externships.
Oregon State University
Degree: B.S. in Nutrition and Food Management
Focus: In-depth study of human nutrition, food safety, meal planning, and food-service operations, with a strong foundation in public health, dietetics, and community-based nutrition programs.
Sophie Reynolds is the recipe developer and culinary voice behind many of the approachable, flavor-focused creations at The Dream Café.
Sophie’s style leans into comfort food made simple: wholesome, satisfying meals anyone can make with confidence. Her passion lies in helping home cooks feel at ease in the kitchen while finding joy in the everyday act of cooking.
Sophie Reynolds
Co-Founder, Recipe Curator & Culinary Educator
Expertise
Education
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, Boulder, CO
Oregon State University
Sophie Reynolds is the recipe developer and culinary voice behind many of the approachable, flavor-focused creations at The Dream Café.
Sophie’s style leans into comfort food made simple: wholesome, satisfying meals anyone can make with confidence. Her passion lies in helping home cooks feel at ease in the kitchen while finding joy in the everyday act of cooking.