My keto carrot cake recipe tends to be quite popular around the Easter holidays. Is that because we associate carrots with the Easter Bunny? Or is it because carrots are planted in the spring?
However, a full size, triple-layer cake isn’t something you can whip up in a flash. It takes a little advance planning and some effort. The results are worth it, to be sure. But sometimes you just don’t have the time or the inclination.
And that, my friends, is when you make a batch of Keto Carrot Cake Bars. All the deliciousness of the classic cake in a blondie style dessert bar. They are so moist and tender, and they have a swirl of cream cheese baked right in!
If you are looking for something for brunch or breakfast, try my Keto Carrot Muffins or my Keto Carrot Cake Scones. Just in time for the Easter holidays.
Why we love this recipe
- Easy peasy! It’s far easier than making a full cake and you still get all of that wonderful carrot cake flavor.
- Tender texture: Carrot cake bars are on the softer side for a dessert bar, but still firm enough to pick up with your fingers.
- Great for sharing: Take these bars to a spring brunch or get together and watch them disappear!
- Make ahead recipe: They freeze well too, so you can make them in advance and sock them away for a keto dessert emergency.
- Low carb: Yes, they contain real carrots. But each serving is still less than 5g of carbs.
Reader’s Thoughts
“I had been craving carrot cake when I came upon this recipe so I was inspired to try it right away. I will be honest I had low expectations and was not only blown away by the results but also that after a week of eating carrot cake every day, I actually lost weight!!! Carolyn, you’re a magician!!!” — Chelsea R.
Ingredients you need
- Carrot: I know, I know, carrots are not considered a keto-friendly vegetable. But you don’t have to add a lot to the recipe to give it the right taste and texture. The carrots in these bars add only 11g of carbs to an entire recipe that serves 16 people. So that’s less than 1g per bar.
- Almond flour: I use almond flour for this recipe. You cannot substitute with coconut flour, but you could try sunflower seed flour.
- Cream cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is properly softened so that it doesn’t clump up.
- Sweetener: You will want a powdered sweetener for the filling and a brown sugar replacement for the bars. See the Tips for Success for sweetener options.
- Heavy whipping cream: This helps thin out your cream cheese mix so you can make swirls in the bars.
- Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts give the bars classic flavor and crunch.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves are a must for that classic carrot cake flavor!
- Kitchen staples: Eggs, butter, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt.
Step by Step Directions
- Prep the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the sweetener. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk together the butter and sweetener, breaking up any clumps. Stir in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Stir in the shredded carrot until well combined.
- Swirl the mixtures: Spread about two thirds of the carrot cake mixture in the bottom of a greased 9×9 inch baking pan, then spread on the cream cheese mixture. Dollop the remaining cake mixture overtop and swirl lightly with a knife.
- Bake the bars: Bake at 325ºF for 35 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly. Remove and let cool, then chill at least 1 to 2 hours to firm up.
Tips for Success
You want to make the cream cheese swirl first so it’s ready to go when the batter is ready. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the sweetener. Always make sure your cream cheese is properly softened so that you can beat it smooth. I recommend warming it up a tiny bit in the microwave.
Look for the jiggle! You don’t want these bars to be completely set during baking. The sides should be set and the center should jiggle just slightly when you shake the pan.
You can easily make a dairy free version of these keto carrot cake bars with dairy-free cream cheese and avocado or coconut oil.
Sweetener options: Use powdered sweetener for the cream cheese filling, to avoid any residual grittiness. It can be erythritol or allulose. I like a brown sugar replacement for the bars themselves, as that gives it more of the classic carrot cake flavor. Keep in mind that if you use allulose in the rest of the batter, the bars may darken a lot more as they bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Since this is a dessert that is best refrigerated, you can make these bars a day or two in advance. They should freeze well too.
I know not everyone will agree with me, but I am of the mind that a small amount of carrots is acceptable on a keto diet. Particularly in keto dessert recipes, which only take a little bit of shredded carrot as it is. One cup of shredded carrot has 10.5g grams of carbs. My carrot cake bars take only 3/4 cup of shredded carrots. The recipe serves 16 people. Which means that each bar has only 0.5 grams of additional carbs. That’s unlikely to kick anyone out of ketosis. Hence, these keto carrot cake bars are definitely keto friendly!
This keto carrot cake bar recipe has 4.7g of carbs and 1.9g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.8g net carbs for each bar.
Keto Carrot Cake Bars
Ingredients
Filling:
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup (60.67 g) powdered sweetener
- 2 tbsp whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
Bars:
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter, melted
- 2/3 cup (121.33 g) brown sugar replacement
- 1 large (1) egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (210 g) almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) ginger
- 1/8 tsp (0.13 tsp) cloves
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 3/4 cup (96 g) shredded carrot
- 1/4 cup (27.25 g) chopped pecans or walnuts, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and grease a 9×9 inch metal baking pan well.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the sweetener. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the butter and sweetener, breaking up any clumps. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Add the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Stir in the shredded carrot until well combined.
- Spread about two thirds of the carrot cake mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan, then spread on the cream cheese mixture. Dollop the remaining cake mixture overtop and swirl lightly with a knife.
- Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly. Remove and let cool, then chill at least 1 to 2 hours to firm up.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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These look great going to bake tomorrow! Any way to incorporate protein powder in this recipe for a breakfast bar? That would be awesome!
I have made this recipe several times over the past year and it is a family favorite!
And occasionally I do double the filling, as I’m a cream cheese acholic.
Super delicious and a guilt free treat!
Thank you Carolyn!!!!
Great to hear!
I’ve tried a few of your recipes, and they are always a hit! I’m a type 1 diabetic, and try (not always successfully) to keep things low carb so I can have them, too! Could you possibly start giving us more detail in the nutrition facts, though? it says “serving size: 1 bar” but doesn’t tell you how many bars you should get in a batch. Adding a “servings per batch” category would be amazing! Thank you!
The number of servings is at the top of each recipe.
Could I use pecan flour instead of almond?
I can’t wait to try these for Easter, your recipes are always perfection!
If I want to make this bar as a standalone meal in a rush bar, how much protein powder should I add and do I need to take out any almond flour in order to achieve this?
Oh my Stars this is addictive! This recipe for Carrot Cake Bars is a requested Favorite by even my non-Keto friends. Wow! If you Love Carrot Cake, do try this recipe, I promise you won’t be sorry!
PS- These freeze nicely in individual bags and easily defrost on the counter in a short time for dessert throughout the week. 🙂
I haven’t had carrot cake in so long, and this recipe brought back the flavors that i loved and remembered. Thank you for the great recipe, i’ll make it again and again!
I do not have a metal baking pan 9×9. Is it OK to use a glass or ceramic baking pan?
It will bake very differently and likely take much longer so please keep your eye on them.
Man oh man – when my new oven gets here, I’m gonna make these early one morning and have a piece with my coffee. What a grand way to start the day. Thanks Carolyn !
These were absolutely awesome! Never did I think so much flavor could be wrapped up in a small bar. Try them, you will be glad you did.
Wow! This is so good! I was looking for a dessert that tasted like carrot cake and cheesecake and this is it! Thank you for a fantastic recipe.
I had been craving carrot cake when I came upon this recipe so I was inspired to try it right away. I will be honest I had low expectations and was not only blown away by the results but also that after a week of eating carrot cake every day, I actually lost weight!!! Carolyn, you’re a magician!!!
That’s so great to hear!