Carrot cake met cheesecake, fell madly in love, and gifted us the glorious Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars we all deserve. Think of these as the easiest mashup ever: spiced, tender carrot cake ribboned with creamy vanilla cheesecake. Every bite gives you both worlds—moist cake and silky cheese—without the drama of a multi-layer cake. Sound like your kind of weeknight win? Mine too.
I’m a big fan of two-in-one desserts (aka dessert duos). Why make one dessert when you can have two? This bar version turns a classic into something new and totally drool-worthy. Swap frosting for cheesecake batter and suddenly your classic gets an upgrade: no piping bag required, fewer steps, same crowd-pleasing applause. Plus, the marbled top looks fancy and delicious without the fuss. Win-win.
Want something for a last-minute get-together? Use this as a Quick Carrot Cake Dessert. The batter comes together fast, and you don’t need to babysit layers or endless frosting. Here’s the trick: spread half the carrot cake batter, dollop the cheesecake, then drop the rest of the cake batter and swirl gently. Less is more when it comes to marbling—over-swirl and you lose the pretty contrast. FYI: a light swirl gives you gorgeous ribbons of orange and cream.
Let’s talk texture. This recipe gives you soft, almost blondie-like bars—think carrot cake brownies but brighter and fresher. They’re sturdy enough to pick up and elegant enough to plate. Simple Carrot Cake Dessert? Absolutely. Carrot Dessert perfection? Yep. (Okay, I might be biased—IMO, cheesecake makes everything better.)
A couple of real, useful tips so your bars come out flawless: Don’t overmix when you add wet to dry—fold until the flour disappears, then stop. Overworking develops gluten and makes cakes tough. Also, mix the eggs into the cheesecake batter one at a time and stop when the yolks break; that keeps the filling silky and reduces air bubbles that cause cracks. Chill the finished bars before slicing—this improves flavor and gives clean cuts. Chill before slicing is your friend.
These bars make a perfect make-ahead dessert. Bake them, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The flavors marry beautifully overnight, so if you want to be an angel of hospitality, bake the day before. They also travel well—perfect for potlucks, Easter brunch, or any time you need a showstopper that’s actually easy. Looking for March Baking Ideas? These scream spring with their warm spices and creamy center.
Ingredient-wise, keep it straightforward: all-purpose flour, brown and granulated sugars, a blend of warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe a whisper of cloves), grated carrots, oil, sour cream, and a simple cheesecake mix of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. No raisins, no nuts—just pure carrot + cream harmony. If you want to dress them up for a party, top with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a few toasted pecans. For full party-mode, pipe a small swirl of whipped cream and a grated carrot curl on each square—hello, Decorated Carrot Cake Dessert.
Baking timing’s easy: bake at 350°F for around 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a couple of moist crumbs. Let the pan cool on a wire rack, then cover and refrigerate. Don’t rush the cooling—this step prevents the filling from sinking and helps the bars set perfectly. Serve chilled or at room temp (I like them straight from the fridge on hot days).
If you’re the kind who loves recipes from well-known sources, this riff fits right in next to other cult favorites—think Carrot Cake Cheesecake Recipe Allrecipes vibes with a personal twist. And if you’re hunting for a foolproof Carrot Cake Bars Recipe, this one should top your list. It’s approachable for beginners and reliably delicious for seasoned bakers.
One more idea: turn these bars into bite-sized treats. Cut them small, chill, and serve on a platter—instant party bites. Or layer them with whipped cream and berries for a quick trifle. Versatile desserts = life hack.
So—ready to make something that tastes like comfort and looks like effort? Grab your grater, cream cheese, and a 9×13 pan. Swirl, bake, chill, slice, and enjoy the best of both worlds in every forkful. These carrot cake cheesecake bars deliver on texture, flavor, and aesthetics—and honestly, what more do you really want from a dessert? Go bake something marvelous. Your guests (and your snack drawer) will thank you.
Simple Carrot Cake Dessert – Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 15 bars
Description
A warmly spiced carrot cake batter folded around a silky vanilla cheesecake filling, baked into an easy 9×13 pan of marbled bars.
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Batter
- 1 ¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour (measure by spooning into the cup and leveling)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup (118 ml) neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream (or plain yogurt or applesauce), room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (about 170 g) finely shredded carrots (roughly ½ pound)
For the Cheesecake Layer
- 16 oz (452 g) cream cheese, softened (two 8-oz packages)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper, leaving a couple inches of overhang to lift the bars out later.
- In a big mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until uniform. Set this dry mix aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until nearly combined—stop when you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Fold the shredded carrots into the batter gently. Don’t overwork the batter; fold only until the carrots distribute evenly.
- For the cheesecake filling: in a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition, until the filling runs smooth and lump-free. Avoid whipping in too much air.
- Spoon half of the carrot batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Dollop spoonfuls of the cheesecake mixture across the surface. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining carrot batter over the cheesecake dollops.
- Use a knife to swirl the two batters together to form a marbled pattern—make a few deliberate swirls; don’t overdo it, or the contrast will disappear.
- Bake at 350°F for about 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. The edges should look set while the center may still be slightly soft.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover the pan and chill in the refrigerator until firm (this makes slicing much easier).
- When fully chilled, lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and cut into squares. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to one week. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Quick Tip: If you grate carrots with the peel on, you may end up with tiny green specks in the finished bars. They’re harmless, but if you want a uniform orange color, peel the carrots first—I learned this the hard way in a bakery!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 227kcal
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 194mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 56mg