Carrot Swirl Bars (Printable Version)
Soft carrot bars loaded with sweet cheesecake swirls—great for sharing or snacking anytime.
# What You'll Need:
→ Carrot Cake Bars
01 -
115 g unsalted butter, melted
02 -
200 g light brown sugar, packed
03 -
1 large egg
04 -
15 ml vanilla extract
05 -
125 g all-purpose flour
06 -
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 -
0.25 teaspoon baking powder
08 -
0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
09 -
100 g freshly grated carrots
→ Cheesecake Swirl
10 -
115 g cream cheese, at room temperature
11 -
50 g granulated sugar
12 -
1 large egg yolk
13 -
4 ml vanilla extract
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease an 20x20 cm baking pan with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper, then lightly spray.
02 -
Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until fully melted but not hot, approximately 30-45 seconds.
03 -
In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract; mix until the texture is smooth and slightly thickened.
04 -
Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Stir gently just until combined to prevent overmixing.
05 -
Carefully fold freshly grated carrots into the batter, taking care to preserve their texture.
06 -
In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until completely smooth. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract; beat until creamy and pourable.
07 -
Spread half of the carrot cake batter evenly across the base of the prepared pan using an offset spatula.
08 -
Drop spoonfuls of half the cheesecake mixture evenly over the carrot base without swirling.
09 -
Gently spread remaining carrot batter over and around the cheesecake layer, then add remaining cheesecake mixture in additional dollops on top.
10 -
Using a knife or skewer, gently marble the batters by dragging through in figure-eight motions to achieve a swirled effect.
11 -
Transfer prepared pan to the oven and bake for 35–40 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the center should have minimal jiggle.
12 -
Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing into squares for clean presentation.
13 -
Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
For best texture, grate carrots by hand rather than using pre-shredded carrots, which tend to be dry.