Description
These Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Bars combine moist, spiced carrot cake batter with a luscious cream cheese swirl for a delightful dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. Easy to prepare and baked to perfection, these bars offer the classic flavors of carrot cake in a convenient bar form.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 to 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated carrots, loosely packed
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 4 ounces brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with heavy-duty non-stick aluminum foil for easy cleanup, then spray the foil with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Melt Butter: In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter by heating it on high power for about 1 minute. Allow it to cool slightly so you do not scramble the egg when mixing.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the whole egg, light brown sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, ground cloves, and vanilla extract to the melted butter. Whisk everything together until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir the all-purpose flour and kosher salt into the wet mixture. Mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix to maintain a tender texture.
- Fold in Carrots: Gently fold freshly grated carrots into the batter, which adds moisture and texture to the cake bars.
- Prepare Batter Base: Pour the carrot cake batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the surface evenly with a spatula. Set aside while preparing the cream cheese mixture.
- Make Cream Cheese Swirl: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, egg yolk, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture becomes smooth and fluffy, approximately 4 minutes.
- Swirl the Cream Cheese: Using a butter knife or spatula, lightly swirl the cream cheese mixture over the surface of the carrot cake batter. Avoid mixing too deeply, as this will create a marbled effect.
- Bake: Bake the bars in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating they are fully baked.
- Cool and Serve: Let the bars cool completely in the pan at room temperature for at least 2 hours, with overnight cooling preferred for best texture. Once cooled, slice into 16 bars and enjoy.
Notes
- Use freshly grated carrots for the best texture and flavor.
- Allow cream cheese to soften to room temperature to avoid lumps in the swirl.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bars tender and moist.
- Cooling the bars completely ensures clean slicing and better flavor development.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
