Almond Flour Carrot Cake Bars

A carrot cake bar topped with vanilla icing. A bite has been taken from the bar.

4.82 from 37 votes

Almond Flour Carrot Cake Bars

Healthy carrot cake bars made with almond flour and sweetened with coconut sugar. They’re moist, delicious and perfect for the carrot cake lover in your life. Gluten-free and grain-free.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: bars

Author: Brittany Mullins

Ingredients

1 cup blanched almond flour I used Bob's Red Mill
⅓ cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ginger powder optional
⅓ cup grated carrots
⅓ cup chopped walnuts plus more for garnish
¼ cup raisins
3 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips optional

Frosting

1 ½ cups healthy cream cheese frosting or Lexi's vanilla buttercream frosting (page 288)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well blended.
1 cup blanched almond flour, ⅓ cup coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Whisk in the wet ingredients: eggs, applesauce, vanilla and ginger, if using, until smooth.
2 large eggs, ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ginger powder
Fold in the carrots, walnuts, raisins, and chocolate chips, if using.
⅓ cup chopped walnuts, ¼ cup raisins, 3 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips, ⅓ cup grated carrots
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, and bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
While the cake is baking, make the frosting and set aside.
1 ½ cups healthy cream cheese frosting
When the cake is done, let it cool completely in the pan before frosting or cutting.
Spread the frosting evenly across the top of the cake and garnish with extra chopped walnuts, if desired. Cut into 9 to 12 bars to serve.
Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Frosting: I used my healthy cream cheese frosting, but Lexi recommends using the vanilla buttercream frosting from her cookbook (page 288). Feel free to also go the store-bought route. My favorite healthier store-bought frosting is Miss Jones Baking Organic Buttercream Frosting.
Storage: Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze unfrosted bars in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then frost before serving for the best texture.

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