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–+ servings
Deliciously moist carrot cake bars with creamy cream cheese frosting, garnished with pecans, ready for serving.

The Best Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

These wonderfully moist, spiced carrot cake bars are perfectly sized for smaller gatherings. Easy to bake from scratch, they're crowned with a heavenly, tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting for an irresistible indulgence.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 bars
Course: Bar, Dessert
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Carrot Cake Bars
  • ¾ cup avocado oil (or vegetable oil, or any mild-flavored oil)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 8 ounces finely-grated fresh carrots
  • ½ cup chopped nuts Optional: or 1/4 cup raisins
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese softened
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups sifted powdered sugar (use more/less to achieve your desired consistency)

Equipment

  • 9x9-inch baking dish
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Stand mixer (optional)

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Mist a 9x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined and smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, and cloves until combined.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the egg mixture, and stir until smooth. Fold in the grated carrots and stir until combined. If you would like to add nuts and/or raisins, stir them in at this time as well. Pour the batter into the baking dish, and spread it out evenly.
  5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the baking dish to a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely to room temperature.
  6. Meanwhile, in a separate mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until evenly combined. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and stir until smooth, adjusting the amount to achieve your desired frosting consistency.
  7. Once the cake has cooled, spread it evenly with the cream cheese frosting. Then slice, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 250mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 3000IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg

Notes

Feel free to use vegetable, canola, or other mild oils if avocado oil isn't on hand. Adjust the fine sea salt amount if you're using iodized salt. For the carrots, you can grate them by hand, use a food processor, or buy pre-shredded for convenience. Always ensure your butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for the smoothest frosting. Sifting powdered sugar is key to prevent any lumps, giving you a silky finish. Adjust the amount of powdered sugar in the frosting to reach your preferred consistency and sweetness level. Do not overmix the cake batter; mix only until just combined to ensure tender, moist bars. Frost your carrot cake only when it's entirely cool. You can bake the bars a day in advance and store them unfrosted at room temperature. Frosted carrot cake bars store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Unfrosted bars can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.

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