Description
Carrot cake bars bring all the beloved flavors of traditional carrot cake—moist, spiced cake with a creamy cheesecake swirl—into an easy-to-serve bar. Perfect for any occasion, especially Easter gatherings. They’re soft, flavorful, and a breeze to make from scratch, even if you’re new to baking.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (unpeeled works fine)
- For the Cheesecake Swirl:
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8×8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, melt the unsalted butter and whisk it together with the light brown sugar until smooth and combined.
- Add in the whole egg and egg yolk along with the vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Stir in the shredded carrots, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture.
- Spread the carrot cake batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Spoon the cheesecake mixture on top of the batter in dollops.
- Use a knife or toothpick to swirl the cheesecake mixture into the carrot cake batter, creating a marbled effect. Don’t overmix—just a few swirls will give you that perfect swirl pattern.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The bars should feel set but soft to the touch.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into squares. This ensures they hold together nicely.
- Once cooled, slice the carrot cake bars into squares and enjoy!
Notes
Store in an airtight container. Can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for 3-5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: carrot cake, cheesecake, bars, Easter