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 find out about you, however I all the time crave carrot cake within the spring. The mixture of heat spices, candy carrots, and tangy cream cheese frosting simply looks 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 preserve a stash readily available always. 🙂
Why You’ll Love These Carrot Cake Bars
- They’re filled with traditional 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 gained’t miss the cream cheese one bit!
- They’re no-bake. These bars arrange within the freezer.
- They’re made with easy, complete meals components like contemporary carrots, dates, nuts, and maple syrup. They’re completely vegan and gluten-free!
I first printed 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 a couple of instances since, so I assumed—over 5 million views later—that these bars had earned a spot on the weblog. If you happen to haven’t tried them but, I hope you like them as a lot as I do!
Carrot Cake Bars Substances
You gained’t discover commonplace baking components 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 components:
- Carrots, after all! I grate the carrots on a field grater after I make my common carrot cake recipe. However because the base of those bars comes collectively in a meals processor, you possibly can simply roughly chop them. No must peel!
- Medjool dates – They add sweetness to the carrot layer and bind it collectively. In case your dates aren’t tender, soak them in heat water for five minutes earlier than utilizing within the recipe.
- Walnuts and coconut – These traditional carrot cake components 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, could 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 beneath.
The best way to Make Carrot Cake Bars
These carrot cake bars recipe has three important 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 easy and creamy. Pour over the carrot layer.
- Tip: If you happen to’re not utilizing a high-speed blender, soak the cashews for at the least 6 hours or in a single day in order that they mix extra simply.
3. Freeze till set8 hours or in a single day. Lastly, slice and serve!
- Tip: If the bars are too agency to slice immediately, allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to melt.
That’s it!
Storage Suggestions
Retailer leftover bars in an hermetic container within the freezer for as much as 3 months. I really like having them readily available for a fast afternoon deal with!
Extra Carrot Recipes to Attempt
If you happen to love these no-bake carrot cake bars, attempt one in all these scrumptious carrot treats subsequent:
Carrot Cake Bars
Serves 8
These carrot cake bars are a scrumptious spring dessert, excellent 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 make certain to prep them at the least 8 hours earlier than you intend to serve them in order that they’ve time to freeze.
Carrot Layer
- 12 tender 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 aren’t tender, 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 easy and creamy.
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Press the carrot combination firmly into the ready pan. Unfold the cashew combination evenly on high.
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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 at the least 4 hours or in a single day earlier than mixing. Chances are you’ll must mix longer to realize a easy, creamy texture.
