Description
Delightful carrot cake bars swirled with cream cheese, combining warmth, nostalgia, and indulgence in every bite.
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 your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and kosher salt.
- In another bowl, cream the light brown sugar and unsalted butter until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until well combined.
- Gently fold in the freshly grated carrots into the butter mixture until evenly distributed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding carefully until no flour lumps remain.
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg yolk until smooth and creamy.
- Pour half of the carrot cake batter into the prepared pan. Scoop dollops of the cream cheese mixture over it, followed by the remaining carrot batter. Use a knife to lightly swirl the cream cheese into the batter.
- 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.
- Once cooled, lift the bars out of the pan using parchment and cut them into squares.
Notes
For a gluten-free variation, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend. Consider refrigerating the bars overnight for enhanced flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg