These no-bake carrot cake bars are a scrumptious spring dessert! A creamy, tangy frosting layer tops the warmly spiced carrot and date base.
I’ll be making these carrot cake bars all spring lengthy! I don’t learn about you, however I at all times crave carrot cake within the spring. The mixture of heat spices, candy carrots, and tangy cream cheese frosting simply appears like the right dessert as the times get hotter and longer. I’m not about to make a full-blown layer cake with any regularity…however these carrot cake bars? I attempt to maintain a stash readily available always. 🙂
Why You’ll Love These Carrot Cake Bars
- They’re filled with basic carrot cake taste. They begin with a spiced carrot and date layer that then will get topped with a tangy cashew “frosting.” Contemporary lemon juice provides the right tangy kick to the frosting layer—you received’t miss the cream cheese one bit!
- They’re no-bake. These bars arrange within the freezer.
- They’re made with easy, entire meals elements like contemporary carrots, dates, nuts, and maple syrup. They’re completely vegan and gluten-free!
I first revealed this recipe in my third cookbook, Easy Really feel Good Meals. I shared a video of the recipe on social media earlier than the e-book got here out, and it went completely viral. It’s gone viral once more just a few instances since, so I believed—over 5 million views later—that these bars had earned a spot on the weblog. In the event you haven’t tried them but, I hope you’re keen on them as a lot as I do!
Carrot Cake Bars Elements
You received’t discover customary baking elements like all-purpose flour, eggs, baking powder, and brown sugar on this recipe. As a result of it’s no-bake, you simply want these easy elements:
- Carrots, after all! I grate the carrots on a field grater once I make my common carrot cake recipe. However because the base of those bars comes collectively in a meals processor, you’ll be able to simply roughly chop them. No have to peel!
- Medjool dates – They add sweetness to the carrot layer and bind it collectively. In case your dates aren’t delicate, soak them in heat water for five minutes earlier than utilizing within the recipe.
- Walnuts and coconut – These basic carrot cake elements add nutty, chewy texture to the carrot base.
- Floor cinnamon and nutmeg – They add heat, spiced taste to the carrot layer. Different heat spices, like ginger and cardamom, can be nice right here too.
- Uncooked cashews and coconut milk – They mix collectively to create the creamy plant-based “frosting.”
- Maple syrup – It sweetens the frosting layer.
- Contemporary lemon juice – For that tangy cream cheese taste.
- Vanilla extract – It provides heat depth of taste to the frosting.
- And sea salt – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements under.
Learn how to Make Carrot Cake Bars
These carrot cake bars recipe has three principal steps:
1. Make the carrot layer. Pulse collectively the dates, carrots, walnuts, coconut, spices, and salt in a meals processor. Course of till the combination holds collectively when pinched, then press it into the underside of a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Make the cashew layer. Mix collectively the cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt till clean and creamy. Pour over the carrot layer.
- Tip: In the event you’re not utilizing a high-speed blender, soak the cashews for a minimum of 6 hours or in a single day in order that they mix extra simply.
3. Freeze till set, 8 hours or in a single day. Lastly, slice and serve!
- Tip: If the bars are too agency to slice instantly, allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to melt.
That’s it!
Storage Ideas
Retailer leftover bars in an hermetic container within the freezer for as much as 3 months. I like having them readily available for a fast afternoon deal with!
Extra Carrot Recipes to Attempt
In the event you love these no-bake carrot cake bars, strive one among these scrumptious carrot treats subsequent:
Carrot Cake Bars
Serves 8
These carrot cake bars are a scrumptious spring dessert, good for Easter, Mom’s Day, or an on a regular basis deal with. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and completely no-bake. They arrange within the freezer, so be certain that to prep them a minimum of 8 hours earlier than you intend to serve them in order that they’ve time to freeze.
Carrot Layer
- 12 delicate Medjool dates, pitted
- 1½ cups chopped carrots
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon sea salt
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Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
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Make the carrot layer: In case your dates usually are not delicate, soak them in a small bowl of heat water for five to 10 minutes. Pat dry earlier than utilizing. Add the dates, carrots, coconut, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a meals processor. Pulse till the combination sticks collectively when pinched.
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Make the cashew frosting layer: In a high-speed blender, mix the cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Mix till clean and creamy.
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Press the carrot combination firmly into the ready pan. Unfold the cashew combination evenly on prime.
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Freeze for 8 hours or in a single day. Slice into bars. If too agency, let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes earlier than serving.
*If not utilizing a high-speed blender, soak the cashews for a minimum of 4 hours or in a single day earlier than mixing. It’s possible you’ll have to mix longer to attain a clean, creamy texture.