These Sheet Pan Carrot Cake Bars are moist dessert bars made with warm spices, walnuts, grated carrots, and pineapple, then topped with a creamy maple frosting. They give you all the cozy flavors of a classic carrot cake in easy-to-serve bars! I love the switch from a more traditional cream cheese frosting to maple in this carrot sheet cake recipe–it complements the spices perfectly! (Although I do have to brag a little about my homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, which you will want to try, too.)
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Carrots: I used 5 medium carrots in this recipe; freshly grated is best! They will give the bars the most moisture which is what I want in carrot cake bars (and most dessert bars). You could use pre-shredded carrots, but they may not have quite the same amount of moisture. They would be a convenient alternative, though.
- Oil: I used vegetable oil (or canola oil) in the bars to keep them nice and tender. For a lighter option, you could use applesauce in place of the oil.
- Spices: The warm spices in the bars are ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. If you don’t have those on hand, you could substitute pumpkin pie spice for both. It will give you a bit of a flavor twist, but it will still work.
- Walnuts: I love the nutty crunch from chopped nuts (I added walnuts). Pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts would all work, too! Or, leave them out for nut-free carrot cake bars.
- Pineapple: Although not all carrot cake recipes use pineapple, I like the added moisture and sweetness it gives the bars. I also used them in my carrot cake cupcakes recipe, which you will want to try, too!
- Maple Frosting: Trust me, this maple frosting works with these carrot cake bars! Look for pure maple syrup (not imitation) for the most authentic maple flavor in the frosting. I added maple extract, too, just to really make the maple taste shine through in each bite. Mix the two with unsalted butter and confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) to make the frosting.
Delicious Toppings For Sheet Pan Carrot Cake Bars
Although delicious as-is, there are always ways to customize the carrot cake bars to your liking! Here are some delicious toppings to try:
- Shredded coconut
- Chocolate chips (semi-sweet or white chocolate chips)
- Cream cheese drizzle
- Dried fruit like chopped apricots, cranberries, or cherries
- A drizzle of maple syrup (for even more maple flavor)
- Caramel sauce
How To Store Sheet Pan Carrot Cake Bars
To store the carrot cake bars, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last up to 3 days. (Set aside a bar to use in my carrot cake milkshake!) They will last a few additional days if stored in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze the bars.
Freezing Carrot Cake Bars
These bars freeze well, with or without the frosting. Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let the bars thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Sheet Pan Carrot Cake Bars
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ¾ cups (352 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup (117 g) walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 ¼ cups (248 g) finely grated carrots, about 5 medium carrots
- ½ cup (98 g) crushed pineapple, drained
Maple Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (105 g) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 3-4 cups (375-500 g) confectioners' sugar
- walnuts, chopped for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10×15-inch sheet pan (jelly roll pan) with parchment paper.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and eggs. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking soda, and kosher salt. Whisk to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Gently fold in the chopped walnuts, grated carrots, and drained pineapple. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly to ensure it bakes uniformly. Bake for 24-28 minutes. Begin checking at the 22-minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs (but not wet batter), the cake is ready.
- Once done, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before frosting.
Maple Frosting
- To a large bowl, add the butter, maple syrup, and maple extract. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, about ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue adding sugar until the frosting reaches a thick and creamy consistency. Adjust the amount of sugar based on your desired sweetness and creaminess level.
- Once the cake is completely cool, spread a thick, even layer of the maple frosting over the top. Smooth with a spatula. Or, if preferred, pipe decorative swirls for a special touch.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts for garnish (optional). Cut and serve.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
These carrot cake bars are absolutely delicious! The maple frosting adds a wonderful sweetness, and the texture is perfect. This will definitely be a hit at my family gathering!
Elizabeth
I was excited and curious about these carrot cake bars since I usually love a cream cheese frosting. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the maple frosting! Yum!
Annabelle
The combination of carrots and crushed pineapple keeps these bars moist and flavorful. The maple frosting is a fantastic addition.
Bella
I really enjoyed the flavors in these bars. The frosting is so good!
Selena
So good! The spices and the moist texture make these bars stand out. The walnuts give a nice crunch, and the maple frosting is heavenly!
Is that a whole lotta carrot and oil for that amount of flour?
A+++! This cake is ABSOLUTELY the best and the frosting is the bomb.com! I can brag on the frosting all day because the taste is flavorful and just out of this world. I also love it because I have a lactose sensitivity and the frosting recipe did not call for any cream cheese making it all the better which you will not miss by the way.
I will only make this once a year because some sort of way I keep eating 2 or more slices per day😭.
Thank you for sharing your love for baking with us!