Carrot Cake Bars Recipe

This Carrot Cake Bars recipe is a moist and creamy recipe, which is made with a brown butter carrot cake batter and a rich cream cheese swirl. It’s the ultimate fall dessert, ready in about an hour, plus cooling time.

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Carrot Cake Bars Recipe Ingredients

For the Carrot Puree:

12 ½ oz. carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. salted butter, at room temperature

For the Carrot Cake Batter:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cup salted butter, divided
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs plus 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

For the Cream Cheese Batter:

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature

How To Make Carrot Cake Bars

Prep and Make Carrot Puree: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with a parchment paper sling. Steam the carrots for 20-25 minutes until very tender. While still hot, puree them with the butter in a food processor or with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
Brown the Butter: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 ½ sticks (12 tbsp) of the butter. Continue to cook, swirling, for 5-6 minutes, until the butter is golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, and swirl until it melts.
Make the Cake Batter: Whisk the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt into the brown butter. Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool to room temperature. While it cools, whisk the flour, baking powder, and spices in a separate bowl.
Make the Cream Cheese Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk the room-temperature cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in the sour cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, and egg until no lumps remain.
Combine and Layer: Once the brown butter mixture is cool, whisk in the cooled carrot puree. Whisk in the eggs and yolks. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, then fold in the pecans.
Swirl and Bake: Spread half of the carrot cake batter into the prepared pan. Dollop half of the cream cheese mixture on top and swirl it through with a knife. Gently spread the remaining carrot cake batter on top, then dollop and swirl the remaining cream cheese mixture.
Bake and Cool Completely: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before using the parchment sling to lift them out and cut into squares.

Recipe Tips

How to get a perfect cheesecake swirl? The secret is to not overmix when you’re swirling. Just a few passes with a butter knife or a skewer is all you need to create a beautiful marbled effect without fully incorporating the two batters.
Why brown the butter? Browning the butter is a simple step that adds an incredible depth of flavor. It gives the carrot cake batter a rich, nutty, and slightly caramelized taste that is absolutely irresistible.
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, these bars are a great make-ahead dessert. You can bake them, let them cool completely, and store them, uncut, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavor is often even better the next day.
How do I know when the bars are done? The cheesecake swirl should look set and no longer liquidy, and a toothpick inserted into a cakey part should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Be careful not to overbake for the fudgiest texture.

What To Serve With Carrot Cake Bars

These are rich and complete dessert bars that are a showstopper all on their own. The combination of moist carrot cake and creamy cheesecake needs no other accompaniment. They are perfectly paired with a strong cup of coffee or a chai latte.

How To Store Carrot Cake Bars

Refrigerate: Because of the cream cheese swirl, these bars must be stored in the refrigerator. Keep them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days. They are fantastic served chilled.

Carrot Cake Bars Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 bar
Calories: 450 kcal
Carbohydrates: 45g
Protein: 6g
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 15g
Sugar: 35g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Can I use shredded carrots instead of carrot puree?

This recipe is specifically designed for the smooth, moist texture that carrot puree provides. Shredded carrots would result in a very different, more traditional carrot cake texture, not the intended dense, brownie-like bar.

Why did my bars turn out greasy?

This can happen if the brown butter was too hot when you mixed in the other ingredients, or if the cream cheese was too soft (almost melted). Let the brown butter cool completely to room temperature before proceeding.

What if I don’t have an immersion blender?

A regular blender or a small food processor works perfectly for making the carrot puree. Just be careful when blending the hot, steamed carrots.

Try More Recipes:

Recipe by Marry ThompsonCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

450

kcal

A decadent dessert bar that combines a moist, spiced brown-butter carrot cake with a rich and tangy cream cheese batter, all swirled together for a beautiful marbled effect.

Ingredients

Carrot Puree: 12.5 oz carrots, 2 Tbsp butter.
Cake Batter: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves), 1 cup butter (browned), 2 cups brown sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 eggs + 4 egg yolks, 3/4 cup toasted pecans.
Cream Cheese Batter: 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 egg.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with a parchment sling.
Steam the carrots until very tender, then puree them with butter until smooth. Let cool.
Make the carrot cake batter by first browning the butter, then whisking in the brown sugar and vanilla. Let cool.
Make the cream cheese batter by whisking all of its ingredients until completely smooth.
Once the butter mixture is cool, whisk in the carrot puree, then the eggs and yolks. Fold in the combined dry ingredients and the pecans.
Create two alternating layers of the carrot cake batter and the cream cheese batter in the prepared pan, swirling each layer with a knife.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into bars.

Notes

The most important tip for this recipe is to let the bars cool completely before slicing to allow the cream cheese swirl to set up properly.
Browning the butter for the cake batter is a key step that adds a fantastic, nutty depth of flavor.
Using a parchment paper “sling” with an overhang is not optional; it’s the key to easily removing the entire slab from the pan without breaking it.
For the smoothest batters, ensure all your “room temperature” ingredients (eggs, sour cream, cream cheese) are fully at room temperature.