Description
Delightful and nostalgic carrot cake cream cheese bars with a rich cream cheese swirl, perfect for satisfying sweet cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup freshly grated carrots
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and prepare a square baking dish with parchment paper.
- Cream together the unsalted butter and light brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Add in the large egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg in a separate bowl.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the freshly grated carrots to add moisture and nutrition. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Beat the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar and egg yolk until smooth and creamy in another bowl.
- Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture onto the carrot cake batter, then use a knife to swirl the cream cheese throughout the batter gently.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.
Notes
For a delicious twist, add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter. Store in an airtight container in the fridge to keep them fresh.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: carrot cake, cream cheese bars, dessert, baking, sweet treats