Description
Delicious carrot cake bars with a creamy, tangy cream cheese swirl, perfect for gatherings or quiet moments at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup freshly grated carrots
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg yolk
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your baking dish.
- Combine light brown sugar, kosher salt, vanilla extract, and melted butter in a bowl.
- Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
- Fold in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder to form batter.
- Stir in freshly grated carrots.
- Soften cream cheese in a separate bowl with an electric mixer.
- Add granulated sugar and egg yolk to cream cheese and mix until smooth.
- Pour the carrot mixture into the baking dish and alternate dollops of cream cheese mixture.
- Swirl the cream cheese into the carrot batter.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan and cut into squares before serving.
Notes
For an extra touch, dust with powdered sugar before serving. Consider adding raisins, nuts, or chocolate drizzle for variations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg