Heathy Carrot Cake Bars
Oh I’m so excited to share these [no-bake] healthy carrot cake bars with you! If there’s a cake I’d love to eat over and over again, it’s carrot cake! I absolutely adore it! And who can blame me? Carrot cake is sweet, wonderfully moist, perfectly spiced, heavenly scented, packed with sweet earthy carrot and in my opinion, the most cosy cake of them all. Love love love it! Especially with a thick layer of delicious frosting! Yum!But I have to be honest, traditional carrot cake can leave me feeling kinda…heavy. You get it, huh? So, in a delicious attempt to have my ‘cake’ and eat it too – these lighter, no-bake, healthy carrot cake bars came about! And I’m so thrilled they did!These carrot cake bars are delicious and have all of the flavours of traditional carrot cake, including the cosy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, natural sweetness from dates, honey and carrots and lots of other simple pantry staples packed with nutrients. You will never believe these bars are egg-free, refined-sugar free and a raw dessert – they taste just like the real thing!These carrot cake bars are made even MORE delicious thanks to a generous layer of luscious cashew nut frosting spiked with lemon and a little honey. The frosting is super smooth, totally luscious and marries perfectly with the textured, orange hued carrot cake bars.You’re going to love this lighter dessert. Each bite is soft and chewy, delicious, full of flavour, perfectly spiced and totally mouth watering. Yum. Yum. Yum.This recipe is simple-to-make, healthy, the ultimate guilt-free dessert and sure to impress your entire family!
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots - peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup dates, soaked at least 30 minutes and drained
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup dried pineapple
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cashew Cream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked 3+ hours and drained
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1-2 lemons, juice and zest
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1-2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8” baking pan or dish with parchment paper on the bottom and sides leaving some overhanging to act as a handle to get the bars out easier for cutting.In a food processor, pulse the carrots until chopped. Add the softened dates, dried pineapple and half of the oats (¾ cup). Pulse until a sticky paste forms.Add the other ingredients: rest of the oats, walnuts, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Pulse until the batter comes together. Be careful not to over process as its nice to have different sized ‘bits’ in your carrot bake bars.Transfer the batter from the food processor to the lined dish. Press it down into an even layer with a spatula or back of a spoon. Put in the freezer for an hour or until the bars to firm up while you make the frosting.
Cashew Cream Frosting
- Place cashews, coconut oil, lemon juice and honey into a blender. Start with 1 tablespoon of water then blend until smooth. If it's having trouble blending, scrape down the sides and add another tablespoon of water the blend again. Be careful not to add too much water or it will be too thin. Add just enough to get it moving but still maintain a thick consistency. Taste test and add more lemon or honey if you think it needs it.Transfer the frosting to a sealed container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.When the bars are solid, take them out of freezer and lift the parchment paper with the bars out of the baking dish. Spread the frosting on top of the bars in an even layer. Cut into 16 squares to serve.Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.To freeze, slice the bars then put in a single layer on a tray or plate in the fridge or freezer for 30 to 60 minutes to firm up the frosting. Once the frosting is firm, wrap each one in plastic wrap. Transfer to a freezer bag or container. Store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few minutes to soften before eating.
If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites
