Description
These moist carrot cake dessert bars are rich, tender, and bursting with flavor. Topped with velvety cream cheese frosting, they are perfect for sharing or enjoying on your own.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups grated carrots (about 4–5 medium carrots)
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. This ensures the bars come out easily, so don’t skip this step!
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt for about 30 seconds until well combined. This helps to evenly distribute the leavening agents.
- In another bowl, mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until combined—about 1 minute. The mixture will be thick and somewhat grainy, which is perfectly normal.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. This ensures that the eggs are fully incorporated, which helps with the structure of the bars.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, grated carrots, and crushed pineapple. You’ll notice the batter becoming vibrant and fragrant—this is what makes these bars so delightful!
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to dense bars. A few lumps are okay!
- If you’re using nuts or coconut, fold them in gently at this stage. The batter should be thick and pourable.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula. This ensures even baking throughout.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The edges will be lightly golden, and the center should feel set.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling step is essential to prevent sogginess!
- Once cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting and cut into bars. Enjoy your delightful creation!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
Keywords: One common mistake is overmixing the batter. Stop mixing as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep the bars tender and light.