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The Ultimate Moist Carrot Cake Bars with Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting

Close-up of a moist slice of carrot cake bars showing shredded carrots and nuts, topped with thick cream cheese frosting.
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I’m Alex, and I believe incredible food doesn’t have to be complicated. These carrot cake bars deliver all the moist, spiced flavor of classic carrot cake in an easy, shareable format, topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. They are perfect for potlucks or any gathering.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
  • For the Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk (if needed for consistency)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  3. Add the vegetable oil and eggs to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Fold in the grated carrots, drained crushed pineapple, and nuts (if using) by hand until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  5. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared baking pan.
  6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. While the bars bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
  8. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract. If the frosting is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency.
  9. Let the carrot cake bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting. This prevents the frosting from melting.
  10. Once cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the bars.
  11. Cut into squares and serve. These make great make ahead dessert bars.

Notes

  • For the moistest bars, ensure your carrots are freshly grated, not pre-shredded from a bag.
  • You can easily make this a one pan carrot cake by using a larger sheet pan, though baking time may decrease slightly.
  • These bars freeze well. Cool completely, frost, then freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.purecookingjoy.com/moist-carrot-cake-bars-recipe/

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