This recipe makes a lot of batter, but I recommend pouring half of the batter into one 13 x 9 pan and freezing or refrigerating the rest in a resealable container.
Servings: 2(13 x 9) pans // 12-15 bars per pan
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Bars:
Nonstick cooking spray
2cupsall-purpose flour
1 1/4teaspoonsbaking powder
1teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonsalt
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
1/4teaspoonground nutmeg
2cupsgranulated sugar
1 1/4cupsvegetable or canola oil
4large eggs
4cupspeeled and grated carrots(or 32 oz.)
1cupsweetened flaked coconut
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: (makes enough to frost one 13 x 9 cake)
3cupspowdered sugar
18 ounce package cream cheesesoftened
5Tablespoonsbuttersoftened
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1teaspoonlemon extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 13 x 9 pan with aluminum foil. 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 the dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in the carrots and coconut.
Pour HALF of the batter into the 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 with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. Once frosted, refrigerate at least 1 hour. Lift cake from pan and onto a cutting board; cut into bar-sized pieces.
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.
Cover and store leftover cake in the refrigerator.