Ultra-Moist Spiced Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Swirl 🥕🍰✨
Moist, warmly spiced carrot cake layered with a velvety cream cheese swirl—perfect for cozy afternoons or sharing with friends.
Ingredients 🛒
Carrot Cake Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups finely grated carrots
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Method 👩🍳
- Prep oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8×8-inch baking pan.
- Mix dry: In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Mix wet: In another bowl, whisk eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla. Fold in grated carrots.
- Combine: Stir dry ingredients into wet until just combined.
- Cream swirl: Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Assemble: Pour carrot batter into pan. Dollop cream cheese mixture on top. Swirl gently with knife.
- Bake: Bake 30–35 minutes until set and golden. Cool before slicing into bars.
Tips
- Extra indulgence: Add chopped walnuts or raisins to the batter.
- Variation: Swap cream cheese swirl for a drizzle of cream cheese glaze after baking.
- Serving idea: Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel for a café-style finish.
Details
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Bake Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: ~55 minutes
- Kcal: ~210 per bar
Caption & Engagement
Caption: “Spiced Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Swirl—moist, cozy, and irresistible 🥕🍰✨”
- Comment prompt: “Would you add walnuts or keep it smooth?”
- Rotating closers: “Save for your next cozy bake.” • “Tag a friend who loves carrot cake.” • “Golden bars, velvety swirl bliss.”