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HOMEMADE CARROT CAKE BARS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Simple and Delicious Recipe for the Carrot Cake Bars
Course Dessert
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 18
Author Sandra Mihic

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Grated Carrots strain, and pat dry
  • 1 cup Crushed Pineapple drained (reserve juice)
  • 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg freshly grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Allspice
  • 1 cup packed light Brown sugar
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 4 large Eggs at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup Vegetable or Canola oil

Optional

  • 1 cup Chopped Walnuts
  • 1 cup Raisins, golden and black or whatever kind you have Soaked in Pineapple or Orange juice, rum if you prefer

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese chilled
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened at room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar sifted after measuring
  • 2 tablespoons pure Vanilla Extract
  • Walnuts, Pecans or Almond for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and eggs until thick and pale. Stir in the oil, then gradually mix in the sifted dry ingredients. Fold in the carrots and nuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. 

    Drizzle a few tablespoons of cold pineapple juice over the cake a allow it to cool down completely. When cool, slice it in half and add your favorite Cream Cheese Frosting. I just mix ingredients for cream, cheese frosting until creamy. 

FROST THE CAKE:

  1. Place 1 cake layer on a large plate and cover the top with about 1/3 of the frosting. Invert the second layer on top of the frosted bottom layer so that the flat side (the bottom) is on top. Spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top of the cake, if you wish. If you used walnuts or pecans in the cake, sprinkle the frosting with a few tablespoons of lightly toasted chopped nuts. Also, I sliced the cake in half and added a thin layer or the frosting in between. It is not necessary, but it tasted great. 

  2. Before serving, slice the cake into equal squares and serve as bars. 

Recipe Notes

TIPS Don't over-mix or let your cake sit too long. Baking soda reacts immediately so if you over-mix or leave it around, the gas will escape and your cake will be flat. Use the good pans. Line the bottom of your layer pans with wax paper or parchment paper. To make a bundt, bake at 325 for 75-90 minutes.