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Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

By Georgia Johnson
Servings: 1 (13 x 9) pan / 12-15 bars

Ingredients 

Carrot Cake Bars:

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups peeled and grated carrots, (or 32 oz.)
  • 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: (makes enough to frost one 13 x 9 cake)

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 5 Tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9-inch pan. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugar, oil and eggs on low speed until well blended. Mix in dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in carrots and coconut.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let cake cool completely in pan before frosting.

To make frosting:

  • Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Add cream cheese, butter, vanilla and lemon extract. Beat with a hand mixer until well-blended and smooth enough to frost cake with. Avoid over-beating, which may make frosting too soft.
  • Frost cake. Once frosted, refrigerate at least 1 hour. Lift cake from pan and onto a cutting board; cut into bar-sized pieces.