Featured Recipe

Spiced Carrot Cake Bars

Name: Spiced Carrot Cake Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 9 bars
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup whole wheat flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 2/3 cup honey; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots, packed; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional; For frosting; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp fine salt; Zest of half a lemon; Splash of milk or cream, as needed

By Kate

Created on 22 January 2026

Carrot bars with swapped flour and sweetener, cinnamon and nutmeg for warmth. Butter swapped for oil for moistness, honey replaces brown sugar, with a cream cheese frosting boosted by lemon zest. Baked till light golden, soft inside, not dry. Parchment lift trick, don’t overmix batter. Freshly shredded carrots add texture, walnuts optional but recommended. Visual cues, aromas guide doneness. Frost thick but spreadable; add splash milk if needed. Store covered to keep moist. A carrot bar with a little twist—simple, reliable, textured, flavorful.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 25 min

Total: 50 min

Serves: 9 bars

baking desserts carrots

Introduction

Carrot bars reworked—oil swaps butter to keep crumb tender, honey instead of brown sugar for deeper sweetness and moistness. Whole wheat flour partly replaces AP flour for structure and earthiness; cinnamon teamed with nutmeg warms the mix. Carrot shreds fresh, not mushy, add subtle crunch, texture. Frosting is cream cheese-based, boosted by lemon zest to cut richness, keep brightness. Trick is batter thickness; thick, sticky but pliable. Use parchment overhang for mess-free pan removal, no chipped edges. Bake shorter than total time if toothpick still wet; bars should feel springy at center, edges pull from pan indicating perfect finish. Chill frosting briefly to prevent slide-off. This is about texture, aroma, balance—not overbaked dryness or runny icing. Simple bar, confident technique, known results.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup honey

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots, packed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

For frosting

4 oz cream cheese, softened

4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp fine salt

Zest of half a lemon

Splash of milk or cream, as needed

About the ingredients

Whole wheat flour adds nuttiness, fiber; don’t overdo or bars get heavy. If you don’t have honey, maple syrup or light molasses can stand in but adjust moisture; too much syrup makes batter runny, compensate with slight flour addition. Brown sugar is replaced here for less moisture but flavor boost; if preferring, use half honey, half brown sugar. Vegetable oil keeps bars moist longer than butter but flavor is milder; melted butter can replace oil but cool slightly before mixing to avoid cooking eggs prematurely. Freshly grated carrots recommended; avoid pre-shredded as often dry or coarse. Walnuts optional, swap for pecans or skip if nut allergies. Powdered sugar in frosting sift to avoid lumps—no one likes gritty frosting. Lemon zest in frosting vital to balance cream cheese richness, but can omit or replace with orange zest for different note. Salt is critical in both batter and frosting to heighten flavor, don’t skip.

Method

Preheat oven to 345°F. Line 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper leaving 2-inch overhang on two sides; easy release later.

In large bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt until uniform; break lumps. Sifting optional but helps even blend.

In second bowl, whisk oil and honey briskly until honey loosens and mixture looks glossy, no honey clumps. Helps incorporate better.

Add eggs one at a time. Whisk vigorously after each addition to emulsify fats and eggs; then add vanilla extract.

Fold dry ingredients into wet with a rubber spatula. Stop mixing when no streaks remain; batter thick, dense, slightly coarse. Overmixing toughens.

Fold shredded carrots and walnuts if using. Buckets of moisture here; coating carrot shreds lightens texture, walnuts add bite.

Scrape batter into pan. Thick, heavy batter tries to cling to parchment; use an offset spatula or wet hands to spread evenly. Pat down gently.

Slide pan into oven. Listen for ticking oven sounds, watch top color. Bars are done when edges pull slightly from sides, top turns lightly golden, and toothpick inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs but no raw batter.

Check at 22 minutes but trust visual and tactile cues more than clock. Underbakes handle better than dry bars; residual heat continues cooking outside oven.

Remove bars. Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes. Fully cool before frosting or cream cheese melts into mess.

For frosting, beat softened cream cheese and butter until velvety smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Whip until fluffy. If too thick, add small splashes of milk or cream; whisk between additions.

Spread frosting evenly on cooled bars, use offset spatula for clean edges. Sprinkle cinnamon or chopped walnuts on top if you like. Chill briefly to set.

Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 9 or smaller pieces with sharp knife wiped between slices to avoid crumbles.

Store leftover bars in airtight container in fridge up to 3-4 days. Bring to room temp before serving for tender crumb and flavor pop.

Technique Tips

Preheating includes parchment prep—overhang creates clean lift without knife for cutting; practical and neat. Folding dry ingredients preserves tender crumb; overmixing develops gluten, makes bars dense and tough. Thick batter won’t spread on its own; use offset spatula or wet fingers to spread evenly, a little patience here saves uneven cooking and ugly edges. Baking cue is not just minutes but color and touch: edges should shrink slightly from pan sides and top turn pale gold but not burnt. Toothpick test varies by oven—moist crumbs allowed but no wet batter. Residual heat carries bars close to done after removing; pull early versus overbaking. Cool completely before frosting—warm bars melt cream cheese and ruin appearance. Frosting shouldn’t be too stiff, but fragile; add milk 1 tsp at a time to keep spreadability. Use handheld mixer for quick, consistent batter and frosting texture; scrape bowl often. Chill frosted bars to set, easier slicing. Store in fridge tight; bars dry out fast if exposed to air. Let rest at room temperature for flavor bloom before serving.

Chef's Notes

💡 Use freshly shredded carrots. Pre-packaged usually dry, coarse. Grate your own. Better moisture, texture. Makes a big difference.
💡 Parchment paper helps with removal. Leave 2-inch overhang. Lift bars easily without mess. No knife, no crushed edges. Practical.
💡 For frosting, sift powdered sugar. Avoid lumps that ruin texture. If too thick, add milk slowly. Mix between additions for right consistency.
💡 Watch baking closely. Color is key. Edges pull away slightly from pan, golden top. Toothpick test—moist crumbs, not wet batter.
💡 If you run out of honey, try light molasses or maple syrup; adjust flour slightly. Liquid sweeteners change texture. Compensate.