Heavenly Carrot Bars Cream Topping

These beloved family carrot cake squares pack all the wonderful taste of traditional carrot cake without any layer cake hassle. The tangy cream cheese topping pairs wonderfully with the spiced, carrot-rich base.

I whipped these up for the first time during a springtime outing when I wanted something easy to transport yet impressive. They vanished so fast I've started making twice as many for family get-togethers.

Ingredients

• Unsweetened applesauce or oil: 1¼ cups adds moisture while staying in the background
• Sugar: 2 cups creates just the right sweetness against the earthy carrots
• Eggs: 3 large ones build texture and depth in your squares
• Flour: 2 cups forms the base structure of these tasty treats
• Baking soda and baking powder: helps everything puff up nicely
• Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon brings that warm spice flavor carrot cake needs
• Grated carrots: 2 cups offer natural sweetness and juiciness
• Shredded sweetened coconut: 1 cup brings island flavor and nice chew
• Crushed pineapple: 1 cup makes everything super moist with a hint of tang
• Cream cheese: 8 oz gives the topping its signature zip
• Butter: ½ cup creates silky smoothness in the topping
• Powdered sugar: 1 pound balances the topping perfectly

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Your Oven And Pan:

Get your oven hot at 350 degrees and either grease your jelly roll pan lightly or use parchment paper for easy cleanup. A 10x15 inch pan works great but check our notes if yours is smaller.

Mix The Wet Ingredients:

Stir together the applesauce or oil with sugar and eggs in a big bowl until everything's mixed well. This wet mixture is why these bars turn out so wonderfully moist.

Add Dry Ingredients:

Carefully mix in the flour baking soda baking powder salt and cinnamon into your wet stuff. Don't overmix or you'll get tough bars.

Fold In The Mix Ins:

Add the freshly grated carrots coconut shreds any nuts you want vanilla and crushed pineapple with its juice. Don't drain the pineapple as that juice really makes everything extra moist.

Bake To Perfection:

Put your batter in the ready pan and spread it out evenly. Bake around 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke the middle.

Cool Completely:

Let everything cool all the way before you put on frosting. This stops the frosting from melting and lets all the flavors get friendly with each other.

Prepare The Frosting:

Whip your softened butter and cream cheese until it's light and fluffy for about 2 minutes. Add some vanilla and slowly mix in powdered sugar until everything looks smooth.

Frost And Serve:

Spread lots of cream cheese frosting on top of your cooled cake squares. Cut them up and watch them quickly disappear.

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My grandma always used oil when making these but I switched to applesauce years back and nobody can tell any difference. The secret weapon is definitely the crushed pineapple which keeps everything so moist these squares stay fresh for days.

Make Ahead And Storage

These carrot treats actually taste even better the next day. All the flavors get cozy together making them perfect to prep in advance. Keep your frosted squares in the fridge in a sealed container up to 3 days. You'll need to refrigerate because of the cream cheese but let them sit out about 20 minutes before eating so they taste their best.

Customization Options

You can really make this recipe your own. Throw in some raisins for extra sweetness or walnuts for some crunch. Want more kick? Add extra nutmeg or ginger for warmth. Looking for something fancy? Try mixing in a spoonful of orange zest to brighten everything up. The topping can also get jazzed up with maple extract or sprinkled with toasted coconut for extra wow factor.

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Healthier Variations

Want something lighter? Use only applesauce instead of oil, cut sugar down to 1½ cups and swap half the white flour for whole wheat pastry flour. They'll still taste amazing but won't be as heavy. You can also go easy on the frosting with just a thin layer or skip it completely for a breakfast-friendly snack. You can even mix Greek yogurt with some of the cream cheese in your frosting to add protein and cut down on fat.

Common Questions

→ Can I use oil instead of applesauce?

Sure thing, swap the applesauce for oil if you want something richer. Your Nana's special touch will still make them turn out awesome!

→ Do I need to drain the pineapple?

Nope, hang onto that juice as it makes everything nice and moist. Just make sure you're using crushed pineapple in its natural juice, not the syrupy stuff.

→ Can I omit the coconut or nuts?

Absolutely, they're just extras. Leaving them out won't mess up your baking, but your bars might taste a bit different and feel a little smoother.

→ What size pan should I use?

Go for a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan for best results. If you've got too much batter, why not make an extra cupcake or two?

→ How do I store leftovers?

Stick your leftover bars in a sealed container in the fridge. They'll stay yummy for up to 3 days that way.