Description
These moist and flavorful carrot cake bars are packed with finely grated carrots and warm spices, topped with a luscious browned butter cream cheese frosting. Perfect for any occasion, these bars are easy to make and even easier to enjoy!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Carrot Cake Bars:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup applesauce (or an additional 1/3 cup vegetable oil)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
For the Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 13×9-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, blend together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and applesauce until smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour in half of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Then, add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the grated carrots.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely before frosting.
- For the Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Brown the Butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to cook until the butter turns a golden brown color and has a nutty aroma. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and pour the browned butter into a heatproof airtight container. Cover with a lid and chill in the refrigerator until the butter has cooled to a soft, spreadable consistency.
- Prepare the Frosting: Scoop the cooled browned butter into a mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, whip the browned butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until well combined. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar, up to an additional 1/2 cup, to reach the desired consistency.
- Frost the Bars: Once the carrot cake bars have cooled completely, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- For added texture, consider mixing in nuts or raisins.
- These bars can be made a day ahead; just keep them refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30-32 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg