Carrot Cake Bars
We’ve been watching A LOT of college basketball lately, so it’s in this spirit that I pronounce these Carrot Cake Bars a “slam dunk”! From the speed with which they disappeared and the fact that I have already received two recipe requests for them, I’m kinda predicting that I’ll be making these on repeat all spring and summer long!
Guys, these are just absolutely yummy! Loaded with sweet carrots and crunchy toasted pecans and topped with a thick luscious layer of cream cheese frosting and even more pecans, they're the perfect alternative to traditional carrot cake.
Easier to make, since they they bake up neatly in one pan—
Easier to frost since there are no layers—
And easier to serve!
So portable and perfect for all the upcoming backyard bbq’s and picnics!
One bite and I think you’ll find yourself looking for just about any excuse to make them over and over again too!
Carrot Cake Bars
Makes 2 dozen bars
Prep Time for bars: 15 minutes; Bake Time: 25-30 minutes, plus one hour chilling; Prep Time for frosting: 10 minutes, plus about 1 hour chilling for frosting to set
Ingredients
For the bars
1 ½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons whole milk
3 cups grated carrots (about 3 large, peeled carrots)
1 cup toasted chopped pecans, divided
For the frosting
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
Two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
The Recipe
1. To make the bars: Make sure oven rack is centered and preheat to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper so that there is an overhang on both long sides. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and powder and salt together and set aside.
3. Place the butter in a medium skillet and heat over medium-high heat until butter melts and browns. This will take 3-4 minutes—you want to see those little brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Pour the butter, including any of those brown bits (just scrape them out) into a large bowl.
4. To that bowl, add both of the sugar and use a spoon to mix well. Then whisk in the eggs, yolks, and vanilla until well combined. Add in the sour cream and milk and whisk again until well combined. Add in the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to mix until well combined. Fold in the carrots, mixing until almost all combined and then add about ¾ of the chopped pecans, folding until well integrated.
5. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth it out so it is spread out evenly. If you see any air bubbles, tap the pan gently against the counter.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake, comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Then cover and place into the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
7. To make the frosting: Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter and cream cheese together until well blended and smooth, 2-3 minutes. Add in the vanilla and salt and beat to blend. Add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
8. Spread the frosting over the entire cake (you will likely have some leftover—you can keep this in the fridge for at least a week and spread on whatever you like). Scatter the remaining pecans across the top and chill the cake for at least 1 hour. Then cut into bars and serve. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. You can definitely make this at least a day ahead. If you do, wait until you are ready to serve them ti cut the cake into squares—less chance for bars to dry out.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from 100 Cookies by Sarah Keiffer. I cut the meringue topping, doubled the frosting, increased the cream cheese and added more toasted pecans for decoration.
