These Carrot Cake Bars are packed with wholesome ingredients like carrots, almond flour, and coconut oil for a delightful and nutritious treat. With a moist and flavorful base and creamy cream cheese frosting, these bars are sure to satisfy your sweet cravings without any guilt.
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Updated March 2024
Carrot Cake Bars: A Delicious and Nutritious Treat
If you’re looking for a delightful dessert that’s both indulgent and healthy, these Carrot Cake Bars are just what you need. They’re perfect if you love carrot cake but don’t want to make an entire cake.
Packed with wholesome ingredients and topped with a creamy frosting, they’re perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings without any guilt. The batter comes together in just one bowl and the carrot cake squares bake up perfectly soft, tender, fluffy and packed with all the classic carrot cake spices.
With their irresistible flavor and healthier ingredients that are easily customizable, these Carrot Cake Bars are sure to become a new favorite in your dessert repertoire. Try making them today and indulge in a delicious and nutritious treat that everyone will love whether you’re gluten-free, dairy-free or plant-based!
Why Make Carrot Cake Bars:
- Delicious and Nutritious: These bars are packed with wholesome ingredients like carrots, almond flour, and coconut oil, making them a healthier dessert option.
- Easy to Make: With simple instructions and readily available ingredients, these bars are quick and easy to prepare, perfect for busy days or special occasions.
- Customizable: You can easily customize these bars by adding your favorite mix-ins like nuts, raisins, or shredded coconut for a personalized touch.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re hosting a gathering, celebrating a special occasion, or simply craving a sweet treat, these carrot cake bars are a versatile and crowd-pleasing dessert option.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Flax Eggs: These vegan-friendly substitutes provide structure and moisture to the bars. If you prefer, you can use regular eggs instead.
- Maple Syrup and Coconut Sugar: These natural sweeteners add a touch of sweetness without refined sugars, enhancing the flavor of the bars. You can also sub with another liquid sweetener or brown sugar substitute of your choice for a lower sugar / lower carb / keto option.
- Almond Flour and Coconut Flour: These gluten-free flours create a tender and moist texture while adding a nutty flavor to the bars.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves infuse the bars with warm, aromatic flavors that complement the sweetness of the carrots.
- Grated Carrots: The star ingredient of these bars, carrots not only add natural sweetness but also moisture and nutrients.
- Pecans or Walnuts: Optional but highly recommended for added texture and crunch.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Dairy-Free Cream Cheese: Provides the rich and creamy base for the frosting, giving it that classic tangy flavor.
- Refined Coconut Oil: Adds stability to the frosting while keeping it dairy-free. If you prefer, you can use butter instead.
- Maple Syrup: Sweetens the frosting naturally, balancing the tanginess of the cream cheese.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the frosting with its warm and aromatic notes.
Instructions: How to make Carrot Cake Bars
Healthy Carrot Cake Loaf
Single-Serving Carrot Mug Cake
These Carrot Cake Bars are packed with wholesome ingredients like carrots, almond flour, and coconut oil for a delightful and nutritious treat. With a moist and flavorful base and creamy cream cheese frosting, these bars are sure to satisfy your sweet cravings without any guilt.
- 2 flax eggs , mix 2 Tbsp ground flaxseeds + 6 Tbsp water + let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, until thick and jelly-like. You can also sub with 2 large eggs if you're not plant-based / vegan.
- 1/4 tbsp maple syrup , or sub with Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup, allulose or your favorite liquid sweetener for a lower sugar / lower carb / keto option.
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar , or sub with golden monk fruit sweetener, brown swerve or your favorite brown sugar substitute for a lower sugar / lower carb / keto option.golden monk fruit sweetener
- 1/4 cup melted and slighlty cooled coconut oil , or other neutral flavored oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup superfine blanched almond flour , you can also sub with gluten-free fine oat flour if you need a nut-free option.
- 1/4 cup coconut flour , you can also sub with tapioca starch / arrowroot flour if you need a nut-free option.
- 2/3 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup finely grated carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts , optional
- organic raisins, no sugar added , optional
- 8 oz softened dairy-free cream cheese can use regular if not dairy-free
- 3 tbsp softened refined coconut oil can use butter if not dairy-free
- 3-4 tbsp maple syrup or Lakanto sugar free maple syrup
- 2/3 tsp vanilla extract
- chopped pecans or walnuts for garnish
Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
In a medium bowl, make the flax eggs by adding the ground flaxseeds with water. Let that sit for 5 minutes, until thickened and turns to a jelly texture.
Whisk in maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil and vanilla & mix until combined.
Place a large mesh sieve over bowl and sift in almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, spices & salt. Stir until well combined with no lumps.
Stir in your grated carrots and nuts or raisins, if you choose to use them. Then, transfer the batter to your lined loaf pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread the batter evenly using a spatula or back of a spoon.
Bake at 22-25 minutes, or until set and a toothpick comes out clean. When done, allow to cool completely before frosting.
Beat together all the ingredients for frosting and use an offset spatula to spread over cooled loaf. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired.
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