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 mix of heat spices, candy carrots, and tangy cream cheese frosting simply appears like the proper 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 hold a stash readily available always. 🙂
Why You’ll Love These Carrot Cake Bars
- They’re stuffed with basic carrot cake taste. They begin with a spiced carrot and date layer that then will get topped with a tangy cashew “frosting.” Recent lemon juice provides the proper 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, entire meals substances like recent 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 number of occasions since, so I assumed—over 5 million views later—that these bars had earned a spot on the weblog. In case you haven’t tried them but, I hope you’re keen on them as a lot as I do!
Carrot Cake Bars Components
You gained’t discover commonplace baking substances 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 substances:
- Carrots, after all! I grate the carrots on a field grater once I make my common carrot cake recipe. However for the reason that base of those bars comes collectively in a meals processor, you may 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 tender, soak them in heat water for five minutes earlier than utilizing within the recipe.
- Walnuts and coconut – These basic carrot cake substances 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.
- Recent 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 essential 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 case you’re not utilizing a high-speed blender, soak the cashews for not less than 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 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 like having them readily available for a fast afternoon deal with!
Extra Carrot Recipes to Strive
In case you love these no-bake carrot cake bars, strive certainly one of 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 ensure that to prep them not less than 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
Forestall your display from going darkish
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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 are usually not 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 clean 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 not less than 4 hours or in a single day earlier than mixing. You might have to mix longer to realize a clean, creamy texture.
