I’m an absolute sucker for carrot cake. Always have been. There’s just something about a warmly spiced cake paired with tangy cream cheese that sends me every single time. These Carrot Cake Bars take everything I love about classic carrot cake and turn it into something even more snackable and low-stress. Instead of a thick layer of frosting, there’s a creamy cheesecake swirl baked right into the bars, giving you that irresistible combo without the extra steps. They’re easy to make, easy to slice, easy to serve, and honestly kind of perfect.
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Grab-and-Go Spiced Carrot Cake Bars
These easy carrot cake bars combine the best parts of carrot cake and cheesecake bars into one easy bake. They have a soft, dense crumb and creamy cream cheese swirls throughout instead of a thick layer of frosting on top. To help those swirls bake smooth and set, I add an egg yolk to the cheesecake mixture, meaning the bars slice cleanly and stay together well! They’re lightly spiced with cinnamon, naturally sweet from the fresh carrots and brown sugar, and just rich enough from the cream cheese to feel indulgent without being heavy. I think they’re ideal for lunchboxes, Easter or spring lunches and dinners, or as an easy treat that’s just sweet enough to get you through the day.
Recipe Success Tips
- Give your pan a good coat of nonstick spray. This helps prevent the bars from sticking to the dish or cracking as they bake, and it also makes them easier to lift out once cooled. You can also line the pan with parchment paper if preferred.
- Freshly grated carrots work best. I always prefer shredding my own for this recipe because they’re finer, softer, and spread through the batter better. Bagged shredded carrots tend to be thicker and drier. You can shred your carrots with a box grater or a food processor with a shredding attachment. I like to peel my carrots before shredding to avoid a bitter taste in the finished bars.
- Mix just until combined. The cream cheese layer will naturally make these carrot cake bars a little denser, but overmixing will make the crumb tough.
- Pull them before they dry out. Look for a center that’s set and swirls that no longer look wet, and check with a toothpick for a few moist crumbs. That’s what keeps these bars soft and more like a dessert bar than a dry cake square.
- Cool completely before cutting. The cheesecake swirl needs time to set, and the bars slice much more cleanly once they’ve cooled all the way.
- Have fun with the mix-ins. I use chopped walnuts in these bars for a classic flavor. You can easily swap them for chopped pecans or chopped almonds if that’s what you have on hand! A small handful of shredded coconut, raisins, or a combination works well here too.
Carrot Cake Bars
Cost $3.90 recipe / $0.43 serving
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Base
- nonstick spray ($0.01)
- 6 Tbsp vegetable oil (3 oz., $0.22)
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed, (100g) $0.22)
- 2 large eggs ($0.33)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5ml, $0.68)
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 1½ medium/2 small carrots, (100 g) $0.21)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g, $0.17)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (3g, $0.05)
- ½ tsp baking soda (3g, $0.01)
- ½ tsp salt (4g, $0.02)
- 3 Tbsp walnuts (chopped, (22g) $0.65)
Cheesecake Swirl
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar (25g, $0.04)
- 4 oz. cream cheese (softened, (113g) $0.78)
- 1 large egg yolk ($0.17*)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (2.5ml, $0.34)
Instructions
- Gather and prep all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the grated carrots, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until combined.
- Fold in walnuts.
- In a medium bowl, beat together granulated sugar and cream cheese until smooth using a hand mixer.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix until creamy and lump-free.
- Add half of the carrot cake batter into the prepared pan and about half of the cream cheese mixture as dollops.
- Spread the remaining cake batter over the top, then finish by spooning the rest of the cream cheese mixture over it in dollops.
- Use a knife or skewer and swirl batters together.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the center is set and the cheesecake swirl no longer looks wet. A toothpick should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan and cut into squares and serve.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!how to make Carrot Cake Bars step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Combine the wet ingredients: Whisk together 6 Tbsp vegetable oil, ½ cup packed brown sugar, 2 large eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until the mixture looks smooth and well combined.
Make the batter: Add 1 cup grated carrots, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt. Stir everything together until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix to avoid a tough texture once baked.
Gently fold in 3 Tbsp chopped walnuts.
Make the cheesecake mixture: In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to beat 4 oz. softened cream cheese with 2 Tbsp granulated sugar until smooth.
Add 1 large egg yolk and ½ tsp vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture, then mix again until creamy and lump-free.
Add to baking dish: Spread half of the cake batter into the prepared baking dish, then spoon about half of the cheesecake mixture over the top in small dollops.
Add the rest of the cake batter over that layer. Then finish with the remaining cheesecake mixture spooned over the top in dollops.
Make the swirls: Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the cheesecake mixture into the carrot cake bar batter.
Bake: Place the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set and the cheesecake swirl no longer looks wet. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Let the carrot cake bars cool completely in the pan, then slice into squares. Serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
These carrot cake bars are best served at room temperature once fully cooled, so the crumb stays tender, and the cheesecake swirl is creamy. They’re delicious on their own, but I also enjoy them with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a cup of hot coffee, cold brew, or tea (I especially love chai with this). If you’re serving them as more of a plated dessert, a small dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream is really nice too. For the cleanest slices, chill the bars briefly before cutting, then let them sit out for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Storage Instructions
Because of the cheesecake swirl, these carrot cake bars should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze them (cut or uncut) for up to 2 months. Wrap them well in plastic wrap and foil, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
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