Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting pack all the cozy, spiced flavor of classic carrot cake into soft, easy-to-slice bars baked in an 8×8 pan. They are moist, warmly spiced, topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting, and make a simpler, more casual alternative to a full layer cake—perfect for spring, Easter, potlucks, or everyday snacking.
Why you’ll love these bars
These carrot cake bars deliver all the familiar flavors of carrot cake—cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and sweet carrots—in a straightforward bar format that is faster and less fussy than traditional cakes. The batter mixes in one bowl, bakes in under 30 minutes, and cools in the same pan, so cleanup stays minimal while you still get a bakery-style dessert with frosting.
The texture lands somewhere between a soft blondie and a snack cake: dense, moist, and tender thanks to melted butter and grated carrots. A simple cream cheese frosting on top adds tang and richness, while optional nuts provide crunch, mirroring many classic carrot cake bar recipes that pair spiced bars with a creamy frosting finish.
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