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Easy One-Bowl Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Swirl

one-bowl carrot cake bars - featured image
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A quick and easy one-bowl carrot cake bar recipe featuring a luscious cream cheese swirl, perfect for busy days and any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, 60g)
  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
  • 1–2 tbsp (15-30ml) milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Grate the carrots finely using a box grater or food processor.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk together well.
  4. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Use an electric mixer or whisk to blend until smooth and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
  5. Fold in the grated carrots and nuts (if using) gently with a spatula.
  6. In a separate small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too thick, aiming for a spreadable consistency.
  7. Pour half the carrot cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
  8. Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl it through, creating marbled patterns.
  9. Top with the remaining batter and spread carefully to cover the cream cheese completely.
  10. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter.
  11. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing into squares.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to keep bars tender. Grate carrots finely for even moisture. Use a gentle hand when swirling the cream cheese to maintain visible patterns. Let cream cheese soften at room temperature before mixing. Cool bars completely before slicing to avoid crumbling. Bars can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: carrot cake bars, cream cheese swirl, one-bowl dessert, easy carrot cake, quick baking, homemade dessert, carrot bars

Find it online: https://evabakery.com/easy-one-bowl-carrot-cake-bars-with-cream-cheese-swirl-recipe-youll-love/