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Carrot Cake Bars With Cream Cheese Swirl

Recipe by Evelyn Marcella Rivera

Tender, warmly spiced carrot cake bars with a silky cream cheese swirl baked right through the middle — all the flavour of a classic carrot cake in a simple, sliceable 8×8 pan with no frosting required.

  • Total Time55 minutes
  • Yield9 bars 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

Cream Cheese Swirl

  • 6 oz block-style cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

Carrot Cake Batter

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup finely shredded carrots, packed

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Line the Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with non-stick baker’s spray. Set aside.
  2. Make the Cream Cheese Swirl: Beat the room temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar together with a handheld mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes until smooth. Add vanilla extract and egg yolk and beat for another 1–2 minutes until silky and unified. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined. Set aside.
  4. Make the Carrot Cake Batter: In a large bowl, beat the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high for 1–2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the finely shredded carrots with a spatula until evenly distributed.
  5. Layer and Swirl: Spread half the carrot cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Drop half the cream cheese mixture in dollops over the batter. Add the remaining carrot cake batter over and around the dollops, then add the remaining cream cheese mixture on top. Use a butter knife or skewer to swirl in slow figure-eight motions just until a marbled pattern forms — do not fully mix.
  6. Bake Until Just Set: Bake for 30–35 minutes until edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. The centre should have a faint, barely-there jiggle. If edges darken too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.
  7. Cool Completely and Slice: Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before lifting out using the parchment overhang and slicing into clean squares.

Notes

Use block-style cream cheese only — spreadable cream cheese won’t set properly in the swirl. All dairy (cream cheese, egg, egg yolk) must be fully at room temperature. Shred carrots on the fine side of the grater. Do not overmix after the flour is added. Swirl gently — a few passes only — for a clean marbled effect. Cover loosely with foil in the last few minutes if edges are browning too fast. Cool completely before cutting for clean, even slices.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert, Snack
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 280
  • Sodium: 175
  • Saturated Fat: 9
  • Protein: 4
  • Cholesterol: 75

Find it online: https://blesseddish.com/carrot-cake-bars-with-a-cream-cheese-swirl-youll-dream-about/