CARROT CAKE BARS topped off with a simple cream cheese frosting! This little recipe is my favorite way to serve up carrot cake! It’s good at room temperature, but we really love these carrot cake bars cold from the fridge.
Chad, my husband, is not a cake fan.
It’s weird, because who doesn’t like cake?!
But, he always passes it up in favor of another dessert.
And then I made these carrot cake bars and discovered that he will eat an entire batch of these, thanks to the cream cheese frosting.Apparently, cream cheese frosting is his weakness.
I almost wish he’d go back to his cake-hating ways so that I had more of these bars for myself!
How to:
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This recipe comes together super easily without any of the stress of making a whole layer cake.
I mean, I love layer cake, but they honestly stress me out. Even the kind that comes from a box mix!
To make these, you’ll add all of the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine…it’s just that easy!
You’ll need the usual suspects here: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, butter, eggs, carrots, and pecans.
Once the mixture is all stirred together you’ll spread it into a greased jelly roll pan.
Bake this up for about 25 minutes and then let the cake cool completely.
For the cream cheese frosting, you’ll beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. It couldn’t be easier or tastier!
I like to use vanilla bean paste for this recipe so that you get the little flecks of vanilla bean in the frosting. It’s so pretty!
These carrot cake bars are perfect to serve up at Easter dinner, but I love that they’re easy enough to make anytime.
No need to have a big occasion to whip these little treats up.
Plus, you can eat them with your hands, which is always a win, but you can also use a fork. It really doesn’t matter how you eat these, as long as you do it while wearing festive bunny ears, surrounded by that evil plastic Easter grass. 😉
More holiday desserts:
Easter Cookies: Our favorite cookie dough all dressed up for the Easter Bunny!
Butter Cookies: My mama makes these for every holiday.
Bisquick Peach Cobbler: So simple and always a hit!
Mini Cheesecakes: Topped with the best strawberry sauce!
Lemon Bars: The perfect spring dessert!
Carrot Cake Bars
Ingredients
For the bars:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teasoon baking soda
- 3 cups shredded carrots, about 6 medium carrots
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Stir in carrots, eggs, and butter until just combined. Fold in the pecans.
- Spread the batter evenly in a 15x10 rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan.
- To make the frosting, place the cream cheese and vanilla paste in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting reaches the consistency you prefer.
- Spread frosting on the cooled bars. Cut into 30 bars.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This post was original published in April 2014. It was updated with a video and new text March 2020.
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
Happy belated birthday to your kid! I am not excited for the growing-up-so-fast part of when I have my own little gremlins!
These bars look fab! Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting…I can’t say no! Pinned!
Karly says
@Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness,
Thanks, Taylor!
Brandy says
@Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness, One of my favorite desserts, cant wait to try out the recipe!
Chloe @ foodlikecake says
These bars look delicious! Love the cream cheese frosting 🙂 Pinned!
Karly says
@Chloe @ foodlikecake,
Thank you!
[email protected] says
if you have cream cheese in it; I am all over it!. Nothing better than a bar cake for Monday!
Karly says
@[email protected],
Agreed! Mondays need cake.
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
A very happy belated birthday to your son! Sounds like you guys had an awesome day, even if he had the nerve to do something like turn 14. Love that these bars are finger food. Less dishes for me equals winning.
Karly says
@Erin | The Law Student’s Wife,
Thank you!
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
Happy birthday to your son, Karly! I can never, ever resist a huge piece of carrot cake – and in bar form? Don’t mind me if I snag 2 or 3 of them. No self control over here!
Karly says
@sally @ sallys baking addiction,
Who needs self control, anyway?
Kathy says
Carrot cake is one of my favorites! These are happening in my kitchen soon!
Karly says
@Kathy,
Hope you enjoy them!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Happy Birthday to your little man. I mean your baby!! These carrot cake bars are gorgeous!!
Karly says
@Aimee @ ShugarySweets,
Thanks!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Happy Birthday to your son, Karly! Sounds like you had a fun day. And who wouldn’t love one of these bars with that creamy topping? So good!
Karly says
@Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor,
Thank you!
Terri/LoveandConfections says
I love all the carrot cake recipes this time of year – one of my favorite cakes!
Emily @ Life on Food says
We have so many birthdays in March and April. All men of the family. All love carrot cake. It is what we eat around now. These bars look great.
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
Anything I can eat with my hands is a winner in my boom especially if it involves cream cheese frosting! These look amazing!
Liz says
Thanks for the nice recipe and have a great week.
cheri says
Love cream cheese in frosting, and the cake sounds amazing with all the spices. Happy Birthday to your son!
Milisa Armstrong says
Love your photos and pretty sure I could devour this dessert all by myself! PS. why do our boys have to grow up so fast?
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
I could not be trusted around these bars! They look fabulous!
Happy birthday to you son, Karly!
LadyMichigan says
The trick is pick an age and stick to it. If you encounter a really RUDE person just stare at them till they go away 🙂 I am now at the age where I do not mind telling my age, once you are old people are awed that you made it this far. !
Lauren says
I’m a sucker for carrot cake!! LOVE!
Angelyn @ Everyday Desserts says
these look phenomenal! hope your son had a lovely birthday!!
marcie says
Happy birthday to your boy, Karly, and what a way to celebrate! These look outrageously good!
Joanne says
Oh I will definitely be using my hands to eat these. Mostly so I can double fist them.
Happy birthday to your son!!
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
The kiddos grow up so fast. If only they could stay wee ones forever. I’m totally diggin’ carrot cake in bar form. The easier, the better. Yum!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea says
I know what you mean about boys. I had two and they both did the same thing to me! Grew and Grew and Grew—in an eye blink. I live in a small town—but we have about 7000 people—in a rural
area. BUT we are a vacation destination, so we straddle both worlds a teeny tiny bit. But still two hours away from a big city. Carrot cake is such a favorite, one cannot go wrong fixing any kind of a variation of it. Bars are always a favorite too.
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says
Happy birthday to your boy Karly! Love these carrot cake bars – they look awesome! Especially that thick layer of frosting! Pinned 🙂 Also, so jealous over your cute vintage silverware!
Princess says
Hello. What if im using 9×13 pan? How many minutes will i bake this? Thank you
Karly says
@Princess,
I haven’t tried this in a 9×13 pan so I can’t be sure. I’d just keep an eye on them and pull them when a knife inserted comes out clean.
Nicole guerra says
The directions need to be edited !!!!
As I was following the directions and after I for it in the oven …(half way threw) I looked at the picture and thought… Wasn’t I suppose to put pecans in the mix?
The ingredients say pecans but if your like me only reading along and following directions you will miss putting the but in like I did.
The bars still can out delicious but I really wish the bits would’ve been in there. For others please edit the directions and add the nuts in with all the other ingredients !
Thanks !
Karly says
Sorry about that! I just updated the instructions! 🙂
JO says
I will make these for our family get together this month, they all love carrot cake & I know they will love these.
Thank you for the recipe
Karly says
Hope you enjoy!
Kirt says
I added small can crushed pineapple and a jar of baby food carrots
Karly says
Yum!