If you’re on the hunt for a dessert that feels like a warm hug in every bite, look no further than this Carrot Cake Bars with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe. Imagine tender, perfectly spiced carrot cake baked into easy-to-serve bars, topped with a luscious, nutty browned butter cream cheese frosting that’s silky smooth and packed with flavor. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just want a sweet treat to enjoy throughout the week, these bars strike the perfect balance between classic comfort and a fun twist. I promise, once you try them, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without this recipe in your collection.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of these Carrot Cake Bars with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe comes from a handful of straightforward, wholesome ingredients. Each one plays an essential role in building layers of flavor, texture, and that unmistakable warmth that carrot cake lovers crave.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the bars moist and tender without weighing them down.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: Combine for balanced sweetness and a subtle caramel depth.
- Large eggs: Bind the batter together and add richness.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the natural sweetness and spices with a comforting aroma.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure to keep the bars sturdy yet soft.
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger: Give those signature warm, cozy spices everyone loves in carrot cake.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help the bars rise for a perfect crumb.
- Salt: Balances all the flavors, bringing out sweetness and spice.
- Finely grated carrots: The star ingredient, adding moisture, texture, and natural sweetness.
- Crushed pineapple, drained: Adds juicy bursts of sweetness and extra moisture.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans (optional): Introduce a lovely crunch and earthy flavor.
- Unsalted butter (for frosting): Browned to nutty perfection to elevate the frosting’s depth.
- Cream cheese: Creates that classic tangy and creamy frosting base.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and smooths the frosting beautifully.
- Milk or cream: Adjusts frosting consistency for easy spreading.
- Pinch of salt in frosting: Balances the sweetness for a perfectly rounded taste.
How to Make Carrot Cake Bars with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Step 1: Prepare and Mix the Batter
First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your 9×13-inch pan by greasing it or lining it with parchment paper—this makes clean-up a breeze. In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until you achieve a smooth, slightly glossy mixture. This base is where the moisture and sweetness begin to build, so take a moment to appreciate that lovely blend before moving on!
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. These dry ingredients are the backbone of your carrot cake bars, giving them their structure and those warm, inviting spices that smell heavenly as you mix.
Step 3: Bring It All Together
Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined—overmixing can toughen the bars, so aim for a gentle fold. Now fold in the grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and nuts if you’ve chosen to add them. Those bits of pineapple will lend juicy pops of sweetness, while the nuts introduce a satisfying crunch that’s impossible to resist.
Step 4: Bake Until Perfect
Spread your batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Once baked, let the bars cool completely—this step is crucial because the frosting needs a chilled surface to spread beautifully without melting.
Step 5: Make the Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
While the bars cool, melt your butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally until it turns golden and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. It’s a magical process that transforms ordinary butter into a nutty flavor bomb. Pour the browned butter into a bowl and refrigerate until it firms up slightly but remains soft enough to beat. Then, whisk it together with the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk or cream, and a pinch of salt, beating until your frosting is creamy and perfectly spreadable.
Step 6: Frost and Slice
Spread the frosting generously over the cooled carrot cake bars, then slice into squares or rectangles to serve. Each bar should boast a moist, tender crumb paired with that decadently rich frosting. I guarantee these will disappear in no time!
How to Serve Carrot Cake Bars with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Garnishes
To add a personal touch, sprinkle chopped toasted walnuts or pecans over the frosting right after spreading for an inviting crunch and visual appeal. For a pop of color and freshness, a few finely grated carrot shavings or a light dusting of cinnamon on top are delightful options.
Side Dishes
These bars pair wonderfully with a simple cup of hot coffee or tea to balance the sweetness. If you want to go all out, serve them alongside a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream—the creamy contrast elevates the flavors beautifully.
Creative Ways to Present
Looking to wow guests? Consider cutting the bars into smaller bite-sized squares and serving them on a decorative platter with fresh fruit accents like orange slices or berries. For a fun twist, stack two bars with frosting in the middle to create mini carrot cake sandwiches—guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser at parties!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
These carrot cake bars taste even better the next day as the spices and moisture meld together. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just remember to keep them chilled to maintain the integrity of the browned butter cream cheese frosting.
Freezing
If you want to save some for later, freeze the unfrosted bars wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then foil for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw completely, then frost just before serving for that fresh-baked experience.
Reheating
Because these bars are best served chilled or at room temperature, I recommend enjoying them without reheating. However, if you prefer a warm treat, gently warm an unfrosted bar in the microwave for about 10 seconds and then add frosting afterward.
FAQs
Can I substitute nuts with something else?
Absolutely! If you’re not a fan of nuts or have allergies, you can omit them entirely or swap in raisins for a sweet chewiness that works wonderfully with the carrot and pineapple.
Why brown the butter for the frosting?
Browned butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that elevates the cream cheese frosting from ordinary to extraordinary. It complements the spices in the carrot cake and creates a frost that’s rich and complex.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes! Substitute the all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend designed for baking. Just make sure the blend contains xanthan gum or another binder to keep the texture just right.
Is it necessary to drain the pineapple?
Draining the crushed pineapple is important to avoid adding extra moisture that could make the bars soggy. Pat it dry with paper towels if needed before folding it into the batter.
How thick should I spread the frosting?
Spread the frosting about ¼ to ½ inch thick to get a perfect balance of creamy frosting with each bite of the spiced carrot cake bars. Too thin and it gets lost; too thick and it can overpower the bars.
Final Thoughts
I can’t wait for you to try this Carrot Cake Bars with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe and discover just how simple it is to make a dessert that feels so special. These bars are perfect for a cozy family gathering, a festive celebration, or just because you deserve a slice of happiness any day of the week. Once you taste that rich browned butter frosting paired with moist spiced cake, I bet this recipe will become one of your all-time favorites too!
Print
Carrot Cake Bars with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 20 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Carrot Cake Bars topped with a rich browned butter cream cheese frosting. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and enhanced with pineapple and nuts for added texture, these bars make a wonderful dessert or snack, especially around the holidays or any special occasion.
Ingredients
For the Bars:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
For the Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing which can affect texture.
- Add Carrots, Pineapple, and Nuts: Fold in the finely grated carrots, drained crushed pineapple, and chopped walnuts or pecans if using, ensuring an even distribution throughout the batter.
- Bake the Bars: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the bars are fully baked.
- Cool Completely: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the carrot cake bars to cool completely, which will make frosting application easier and prevent melting.
- Prepare Browned Butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt and brown the unsalted butter by cooking until it turns golden and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes. Carefully pour the browned butter into a bowl and chill until it solidifies but remains soft enough to beat.
- Make Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat the cooled browned butter with the softened cream cheese until smooth. Then add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk or cream, and a pinch of salt, beating until the frosting is creamy and spreadable.
- Frost the Bars: Spread the browned butter cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled carrot cake bars.
- Serve: Slice into bars and serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
- For best flavor, prepare the bars a day ahead and refrigerate overnight to enhance the spice and moisture.
- Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- You can omit the nuts or substitute raisins for a different texture and taste.
