Soft, spiced, cream-cheese bliss
These carrot cake bars deliver everything you love about classic carrot cake—warm spices, ultra-moist crumb, and tangy cream cheese frosting—in an easy, no-fuss bar form. Perfect for potlucks, holidays, or a cozy weekend bake, they come together quickly with simple pantry staples. No layering, no special pans, just mix, bake, frost, and slice. If you’re looking for an easy carrot cake dessert that feeds a crowd and stores beautifully, these bars are a guaranteed win. They’re tender, lightly spiced, and just sweet enough to keep everyone reaching for seconds.
⏱️ Time Breakdown
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 12–16 bars
📝 Ingredients List
Carrot Cake Bars
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups finely grated carrots
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1½–2 cups powdered sugar (to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
✨ Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Box grater (for carrots)
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Offset spatula or butter knife (for frosting)
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your pan with parchment or grease lightly.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- Fold in grated carrots (and nuts if using).
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix gently just until no flour streaks remain.
- Spread batter evenly in the pan and bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely 🥕✨
- For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until fluffy.
- Frost cooled bars, slice, and enjoy 😍🍰
💡 Pro Tips
- Finely grate carrots for the softest, most tender bars.
- Make ahead: Bars (unfrosted) keep well at room temp for 1 day or refrigerated for 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze unfrosted bars up to 2 months; thaw and frost before serving.
- Flavor boost: Add ¼ cup crushed pineapple (well-drained) for extra moisture.