Name: Spiced Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 4 large eggs; 1/2 cup neutral oil (like avocado oil); 1 cup unsweetened applesauce; 1 cup dark brown sugar; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1-8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained; 2 1/2 cups freshly grated carrot; 1 cup chopped walnuts; 8 oz cream cheese, softened; 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened; 3 cups powdered sugar, plus more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon orange zest; pinch of salt

These Carrot Cake Bars are a delicious spin on my classic homemade carrot cake. The spiced cake batter is infused with crushed pineapple, freshly grated carrots, and walnuts before being baked and topped with a sweet, tangy cream cheese frosting. Sliced into bite-sized bars, this dessert is perfect for holiday parties and family gatherings!

The Perfect Carrot Cake Bar Recipe

Easy to make – I know that making a whole cake can feel intimidating to people which is why these bars are such a great option if you don’t want to make a layer cake. All you have to do is spread the cake batter out onto a sheet pan, bake, and then frost and you’ve got the easiest carrot cake without the hassle of layering and frosting an entire cake.
Perfect for a crowd – if you’re serving a crowd for Easter brunch or any holiday or gathering these cake bars are perfect! This recipe makes 24 individual bars so you’ll have plenty!
Slightly on the lighter side – this carrot cake is every bit as flavorful and moist as a traditional carrot cake but my recipe is made with a bit less oil to keep it on the lighter side. Don’t worry, it’s still delicious!

Watch How to Make These Carrot Cake Bars

Carrot Cake Bar Recipe Ingredients

All Purpose Flour: you’ll need two cups of all-purpose flour for this recipe. Be sure to spoon and level your flour when measuring so that you don’t accidentally add too much to the batter.

Baking Powder and Soda: These work as leavening agents, helping to give the bars some lift. Make sure both of these are fresh or your cake bars won’t rise properly.

Salt: It might seem a little counterintuitive to add salt to a sweet cake, but it’s incredibly important. Salt helps to enhance the flavor of the batter, allowing the flavor of the spices to really shine through.

Spices: Speaking of spices, a carrot cake recipe is nothing without a bold spice combo and this one uses ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.

Eggs: Large eggs give the bars structure along with a bit of richness.

Oil: You’ll need a bit of a neutral-flavored oil to keep the bars moist. My personal favorite to use is avocado oil, but you could also use vegetable oil.

Unsweeetened Applesauce: This works with the oil to keep the bars moist.

Sugar: For these bars, you’ll need dark brown sugar to sweeten the batter and add subtle notes of molasses flavor.

Vanilla Extract: A must-have in any baked good!

Mix-Ins: Crushed pineapple, freshly grated carrots, and chopped walnuts are what I grew up eating in carrot cake so we’re adding them to these bars, too!

Cream Cheese: Be sure to use block-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind in a tub.

Butter: I like to use unsalted butter and add my own pinch of salt to the frosting before mixing.

Powdered Sugar: This adds sweetness without making the frosting grainy. Start with around 3 cups, and add more as needed.

Orange Zest: Trust the process on this. It’s so delicious in the frosting! However, if you’re not a fan of orange flavor, you can omit it.

Ingredient Substitutions

Flour – If you need to keep these gluten free, I recommend using a cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten-free flour replacement.
Avocado Oil – you can sub the avocado oil for canola oil or melted coconut oil if you prefer. Coconut oil will give the bars a bit of a coconut flavor so be mindful of that.
Walnuts – you can easily swap the walnuts for pecans, if preferred. Or, omit them completely.
Raisins – I don’t typically include raisins in my carrot cake recipes, but you can if you’re a fan!
Brown Sugar – you can substitute the dark brown sugar for coconut sugar if preferred.
Dairy-Free – need these bars to be dairy-free? Use a plant-based butter, and swap the cream cheese for your favorite dairy-free brand.

How to Make Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Step One: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, grease a 10×15 inch rimmed pan with avocado oil or non-stick spray.

Step Two: IAdd the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to a large mixing bowl, whisking until well combined.

Step Three:To another large mixing bowl, add the eggs, oil, applesauce, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

Step Four: Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the batter is well combined. Then, fold in the drained crushed pineapple, grated carrots, and walnuts.

Step Five: Transfer the batter to the prepared jelly roll pan, and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer.

Step Six: Bake the bars for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bars completely on a wire rack.

Step Seven: While the bars cool, add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl. Cream until smooth and fluffy. Then, add the confectioner’s sugar, and mix until it is well incorporated without any lumps. Next, add the ground cinnamon, vanilla, fresh orange zest, and salt. Mix on high speed until the ingredients are well combined and the frosting is fluffy.

Step Eight: Once the carrot cake bars have completely cooled, cover them with the cream cheese frosting. Then, place them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to help the frosting set before slicing and serving. Garnish with crushed walnuts, and enjoy!

Baking Tips

Place the cream cheese frosting in the fridge. Speaking of frosting, keep your cream cheese frosting in the fridge before frosting your bars. It keeps the frosting thick and makes it easier to pipe or spread onto the cupcakes.

Grease your pan well with oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Avoid overmixing. Combine the cake batter ingredients just until they’re smooth and no lumps remain. Continuing to mix will overwork the gluten in the flour, creating dense, dry dessert bars.

Let your carrot cake bars cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. Otherwise, it will melt and slide right off!

How to Store

Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-6 days. This will ensure they stay moist and fresh. You can remove the bars from the fridge 20 minutes before serving to bring them to room temperature.

More Delicious Carrot Cake Recipes

Get all of my favorite reader favorite carrot cake recipes!

I hope you give these Avocado Turkey Burgers a try! They are so easy to make and delicious! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

Spiced Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Author: Ashlea Carver
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 24 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
1/2 cup neutral oil (like avocado oil)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1–8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
2 1/2 cups freshly grated carrot
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10×15 inch rimmed pan with avocado oil or non-stick spray.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
To another large mixing bowl add the eggs, oil, applesauce, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until well combined.
Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the batter is well combined. Fold in the drained crushed pineapple, grated carrots, and walnuts.
Transfer the batter to the prepared jelly roll pan, using an offset spatula to spread the batter into an even layer in the pan.
Bake the bars at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the bars completely on a wire rack. Be sure that bars are completely cooled and not warm before adding the frosting or slicing.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: Add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl. Cream the butter and cream cheese together then add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until well incorporated without any lumps. Next, add in the ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, fresh orange zest, and pinch of salt. Mix on high again until well combined and fluffy.
Once the carrot cake bars have completely cooled, cover them with the cream cheese frosting. Then, place them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to help the frosting set before slicing and serving. Garnish with crushed walnuts.