Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Swirls: The Ultimate Fall Treat
If you’re anything like me, the first crisp breeze of fall has you reaching for your favorite cozy recipes — and nothing says comfort quite like carrot cake. But what if we took all the warm spice, moist texture, and sweet nostalgia of traditional carrot cake…and turned it into an easy-to-share, grab-and-go dessert? Enter: Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Filling.
These bars are the perfect blend of spiced cake and luscious cream cheese — kind of like if your favorite carrot cake and a cheesecake had a delicious baby.
Why You’ll Love These Bars
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Portable: No fork or fancy plate needed.
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Layered Flavor: Sweet carrots, warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and a tangy cream cheese swirl in every bite.
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Crowd-Pleaser: Perfect for potlucks, holiday trays, or just a cozy treat with coffee.
Ingredients
- Cake Layer
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrot (you can used shredded if you get in a bind)
- 1 cup raisons or chopped walnuts (optional)
- Cream Cheese Topping
- 8 oz. Cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cake Layer
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. (I use an 8x10 and it works great.)
- Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- With mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the carrots and optional ingredients.
- Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Set aside while you make the topping.
- Topping
- Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat on medium until well combined. Dollop over the cake layer and then use a butter knife to swirl the two together.
- Bake for 32-42 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
- Uneaten bars can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- Cake Layer
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrot (you can used shredded if you get in a bind)
- 1 cup raisons or chopped walnuts (optional)
- Cream Cheese Topping
- 8 oz. Cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cake Layer
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. (I use an 8x10 and it works great.)
- Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- With mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the carrots and optional ingredients.
- Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Set aside while you make the topping.
- Topping
- Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat on medium until well combined. Dollop over the cake layer and then use a butter knife to swirl the two together.
- Bake for 32-42 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
- Uneaten bars can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What’s Inside?
The carrot cake base is soft, moist, and just sweet enough — thanks to sugar, grated carrots, and a touch of vanilla. But the real magic happens when the cream cheese filling gets swirled in. It’s rich, slightly tangy, and adds that perfect creamy contrast to the spiced cake.
Key Ingredients:
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Freshly grated carrots (don’t use the pre-shredded kind — trust me!)
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A swirl of sweetened cream cheese filling made with real cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla
How to Make Them
You’ll whip up two quick mixtures: the carrot cake batter and the cream cheese filling. The batter goes into your baking dish, then the cream cheese gets layered on top. Give it a gentle swirl, and bake.
Once cooled, they slice beautifully into bars — ready to enjoy right away or chill for later. Honestly, they might taste even better cold.
Tips for Success
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Grate your carrots finely for the best texture.
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Don’t overmix once you add the flour — just until combined.
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Use room temperature cream cheese so your filling is smooth and easy to spread.
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Let them cool completely before slicing for clean, bakery-worthy bars.
Optional Add-Ins
Want to customize? Try folding in:
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Chopped walnuts or pecans
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Golden raisins
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A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top before baking
Serving Ideas
These bars are incredibly versatile. Serve them:
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Serve with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream
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As a sweet bite on your Thanksgiving dessert table
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Wrapped in parchment for lunchbox treats or fall picnics
Final Thoughts
Carrot cake bars with cream cheese filling are the kind of treat that feel both nostalgic and new. They’re easy to make, impossible to resist, and guaranteed to be a hit with anyone lucky enough to get a bite.
Whether you’re baking for fall, the holidays, or just because you need a little comfort in dessert form — this recipe belongs in your rotation.
Happy baking! 🧡
