If you’ve been reading IGE for any length of time then you probably know there are three foods that I just have to cross my arms and stomp my foot down about. That is to say, you’ll rarely find these ingredients in recipes here on the blog:
Bell peppers. Red, orange, yellow and green – roasted, raw, or otherwise (except for Sabra’s Roasted Red Pepper Humus!) You know how some people have the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap on their tastebuds? Bell peppers taste worse than that to me. Ben too! We are a match made in bell pepper-hater Heaven in that way. Or something.
Mushrooms: The thing about mushrooms is that, well, they’re liars. Mushrooms smell incredible sizzling in a little butter and garlic, which encourages me to sneak a little taste whenever I make them for Ben, but 100% of the time this results in an immediate and violent NOOOOOPE! It’s a texture thing, you see. When will I learn?
(BTW: my ground beef/mushroom mixture is totally exempt from this hatred. Still using that swap at least 3-4 times a month for tacos or spaghetti night!)
Cooked Carrots: Blame this on the weekly family pot roasts of yesteryear, complete with mushy, beef-flavored cooked carrots. Candied carrots are even worse. I. Can’t. Even.
All that being said, you might be surprised to know that I will totally make an exception for one of my worst ingredient offenders when it’s melted into sweet cake and topped with a luscious swirl of decadent cream cheese frosting (or maybe not – cream cheese frosting has a way of fixing pretty much everything.)
It’s Magic Carrot Cake Bars, y’all!
Despite being loaded with shredded fresh carrots, baked carrot cake has been, and always will be, one of my favorite sweet indulgences. The bright orange color, hint of spicy cinnamon, and ridiculous, signature cream cheese frosting completely contradicts any savory cooked-carrot complex I might have.
I have a great recipe for Carrot Cake Bars which swaps out some of the sugar and most of the oil called for in traditional recipes for Pineapple Chobani Greek Yogurt. Like magic, this simple swap results in a moist and sweet cake that’s lower in sugar and fat – though I make no such claims for the cream cheese frosting. When it comes to frosting – go big or go home, baby!
An extremely subtle pineapple flavor permeates the cake batter, and the yogurt is the only unusual add-in you’ll find in my Magic Carrot Cake Bars recipe. Sorry nut and raisin fans, these bars are all about the carrots…and cream cheese frosting!
Start the Magic Carrot Cake Bars with 1-1/2 cups sugar drizzled promptly into a mixing bowl.
Next add 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 4 eggs.Â
Then add zee stah, dahling – 6oz Chobani Pineapple Greek Yogurt. A lot of carrot cake recipes call for pineapple tidbits, so I thought this would be a very complimentary flavor. And it so was. Plus it allowed me to cut out sugar and tons of vegetable oil.
Mix the wet ingredients until smooth then add in the dry ingredients in three batches. This includes 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon each baking soda and salt.
Next, shred 4 cups peeled carrots, which is about 5 medium-sized carrots. Hand shred or use your food processor (or use store-bought!)
Fold the shredded carrots into the batter then spread into a nonstick sprayed, 9×13″ baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely!
Once the cake is completely cool, make the lip-smacking cream cheese frosting. This is my go-to CCF recipe. It never fails! Add 1/2 cup butter and 8oz 1/3-less fat cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Make sure BOTH ingredients are 100% room temperature for smooth, velvety frosting.
Next add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon vanilla.Â
Cream the ingredients until smooth then add 2 cups powdered sugar and cream until smooth. Add 3 more cups powdered sugar, creaming between each cup, until completely smooth. OMG THIS STUFF IS SO GOOD!
Slather the cake with frosting then spread, slice, and serve!
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Carrot Cake Bars
Description
Magic Carrot Cake Bars are lighter than traditional carrot cake yet still soft and perfectly sweet.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 6oz Pineapple Chobani Greek Yogurt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 4 eggs
- 4 cups peeled and shredded carrots (about 5 medium carrots)
- For the cream cheese frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 8oz 1/3-less fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 cups powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray a 9x13" pan with nonstick spray and set aside. Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl then set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, mix sugar, Greek yogurt, and canola oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined before adding the next one.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three batches, mixing until just combined before adding the next batch. Fold in shredded carrots.
- Transfer batter to prepared baking pan then bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely then frost with cream cheese frosting. Store leftover bars in the fridge.
- For the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and cinnamon together until smooth. Add 2 cups powdered sugar then cream until smooth. Continue adding 1 cup powdered sugar at a time, creaming until combined before adding the next cup. Spread over cooled carrot cake bars then slice and serve.
Notes
- ***Edited to add:Â some have said this makes more than enough frosting. Freeze extra frosting or cut back on the amounts if you do not like a thick layer of frosting!***
- Refrigerate frosted Magic Carrot Cake Bars first to make cleaner cut lines.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
It’s good? It’s good! Enjoy these dreamy bars!
Sadye 06.13.2013
This looks AMAZING — and if this is the same frosting used in the apple pumpkin muffins, then I can definitely vouch for its addictiveness!
Katie @ Blonde Ambition 06.13.2013
I’ll never understand your bell pepper aversion, but I’m with you on mushy carrots. Yuck! I hate raisins, which is a reason why I usually avoid carrot cake. But I absolutely love that you added pineapple Chobani! Genius!
Chelsea @ Designs on Dinner 06.13.2013
Ugh, the thought of candied carrots made me shudder. Carrot in a cake is much, much better!
Kellie 06.13.2013
I’m so confused. Is this cake or is it bars? If it is bars then what is the difference? I adore carrot cake but what a conundrum lol.
Iowa Girl Eats 06.13.2013
I consider Carrot Cake “cake” when it’s layered and frosted, and bars when it’s baked in a large 9×13″ pan then sliced. Just my POV! :)
Kellie 06.13.2013
Ahhhhh gotcha. I am a native Texan and grew up eating cakes made in a sheet pan which we call cake pans lol. Thanks!
Rene @thedomesticlady 06.13.2013
Carrot cake and hummingbird cake are two of my favorites so I love the idea of the pineapple yogurt in the carrot cake. I am taking a meal to a new mom this weekend…this is going on the menu :)
Tracy 06.13.2013
It’s a wonder I like any of your recipes (I love them ALL) as those 3 foods are 3 of my favorites and eat them almost every day! Bell peppers are my favorite vehicle for hummus!
Do you like raw carrots? Those are my vehicle of choice for peanut and almond butter ;)
Iowa Girl Eats 06.13.2013
LOVE raw carrots (especially with peanut or almond butter!) :)
steph@stephsbitebybite 06.13.2013
Carrot cake is the best way to eat your veggies, right?! I want to face plant in this!
Lea 06.13.2013
Oh, I totally feel you on the mushrooms girl! Every so often I’ll try a stuffed mushroom because they look delicious. Nope. Every time.
Carrot cake looks amazing though. Can I count this as a vegetable?
Iowa Girl Eats 06.13.2013
Uh, absolutely! ;)
Molly 06.13.2013
I hear you on the bell peppers, but I recently started using this recipe and I pop them in my mouth like candy! Seriously! Give it a try.
http://asweetandsavorylife.com/roasted-mini-sweet-peppers/
Rhonda 06.13.2013
I think you and I might be twins separated at birth.
Claire @ Health Nut Claire 06.13.2013
Pineapple greek yogurt! Brilliant!
Julia 06.13.2013
Love the yogurt in these carrot cake bars. They look delicious!!
Whitney 06.13.2013
This looks fantastic – anything with cream cheese frosting does! I recently found an organic granola at Hy-Vee in West Des Moines that’s carrot cake flavored! It’s from Love Crunch – you should definitely give it a try!
Kari Knudson 06.13.2013
You are the best! I have two 10 foot rows of carrots coming up in my garden and one of our favorite late summer treats is carrot cake. Can’t wait.
DessertForTwo 06.13.2013
HOw perfect! My husband is a huge carrot cake fan, but I’m always looking for a healthier version! This fits the bill so well!
Jamie @ Sometimes Healthy Living Blog 06.13.2013
My boyfriend LOVES carrot cake. I myself am not as much of a fan, but I actually think this recipe would appeal to both of us :-).=
Jamie @lifelovelemons 06.13.2013
Carrot cake is my FAVORITE. Can’t wait to give your bar form a try!
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats 06.13.2013
I love love love carrot cake so these bars are right up my alley!
I am now so badly wanting carrot cake :)
Anne [A Squared] 06.12.2013
I am totally craving carrot cake now– these look so delicious!
Also, I totally second your feeling on mushrooms. Ick.
Abbe@This is How I Cook 06.12.2013
Love carrots and carrot cake! In my younger days I couldn’t stand tomatoes but loved ketchup. Now I do eat tomatoes, but only good ones, like right out of the garden, you know?