Gluten free carrot cake bars are so simple to make and so delicious to eat!
Carrot cake has been my favorite since, forever. I remember as a kid, I would eat the cake and save the icing for last.
Ok ok, that’s kinda my M.O. with every cake.
Listen, I avoid raisins in my carrot cakes, but by all means, feel free to add them for an extra something something. If you need raisins in your carrot cake bars, please don’t let me stop you!
Ingredients for Gluten Free Carrot Cake Bars:
- salted butter
- coconut sugar
- agave nectar
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- oat flour
- ground ginger
- cinnamon
- sea salt
- baking powder
- shredded carrots
- chopped walnuts
How to make gluten free carrot cake bars:
Mix together the wet ingredients. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, coconut sugar, agave, vanilla, and eggs.
Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the oat flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Mix until everything is combined.
Fold. Fold in the carrots and walnuts.
Bake. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper and spread the batter evenly across the bottom. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Cool before frosting the cake. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Icing:
- salted butter
- cream cheese
- vanilla extract
- agave nectar
- chopped pecans
How to make cream cheese frosting:
The key to the frosting is using room temperature cream cheese and butter. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the icing ingredients.
Whip it on high until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Spread the icing on top of the cake and sprinkle with additional pecans.
Chill in the fridge for an hour for the icing to set before slicing them, or for gooier cake (like mine), just dive right in and cut into squares!
More carrot cake recipes to try:
Recipe
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Bars (with oat flour)
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Bars are easy to make, perfectly spiced and full of yummy ingredients like almond flour and fresh carrots!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup agave nectar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Icing:
- 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- 3 tablespoons pecans, chopped (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, coconut sugar, agave, vanilla, and eggs.
- Add the oat flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
- Mix until everything is combined.
- Fold in the carrots and walnuts.
- Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper and spread the batter evenly across the bottom.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is browned.
- Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan.
- When the cake is room temperature, pull the parchment paper to transfer it to a cutting board.
- In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the icing ingredients.
- Whip it on high until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Spread the icing on top of the cake and sprinkle with additional pecans.
- Chill in the fridge for an hour for the icing to set before slicing them, or for gooier cake (like mine), just dive right in and cut into squares!
Nutrition Info:
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 17.4g
- Sodium: 263mg
- Fat: 34.6g
- Saturated Fat: 15.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25.8g
- Fiber: 2.8g
- Protein: 6.1g
- Cholesterol: 89mg
Enjoy!! xo
Could I sub almond flour for the cashew? These look amazing and I’ve been craving carrot cake so bad!
Hey girl! Yeah almond flour should definitely work! Let me know how they turn out!! xo
Hey! Can I use honey instead of the coconut sugar! Love your page!!’ Xx
I’ve never tried it, but it’s worth a shot! Let me know how they turn out! xo
the only flours i have on hand are regular & coconut …. would coconut flour work??? (maybe decrease the amount?)
I’d steer clear of coconut flour because it will change the texture of the bars. Try regular flour, maybe use 1/4 cup less? Let me know how it goes! xo
Made these last year around this time and they were amazing- i did use almond flour and plan to do the same again since that’s what I have on hand 🙂
yay! I’m so happy you liked them!! I can’t wait to make them again 🙂
Great to hear about almond flour! I’m going to make these this week!!!! Thanks for posting. Also FYI your chocolate sea salt donuts are a family fav! Sometimes we make them in muffin tins so they are like bite size cakes!
Ah! I have to try them as cupcakes! So fun!! xo
Hi! I have a coconut allergy and I was wondering what you would use in place of the coconut sugar? Thanks so much!
Hi Sarah,
If you don’t mind about it being higher glycemic, you can use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. That’s the best granular sweetener sub probably! Let me know how you make out!
xo
This cake is amazing, it’s so simple and hearty and you don’t feel guilty at all eating it. Thanks so much for sharing, it’s a staple for family and coworkers. I was looking for a healthier version of an amazing carrot cake and this is legit!
Hi Dina!!
Yay!! I’m so happy you are liking it!! Your coworkers are so lucky you share 😆
xo
Also, I used almond flour because I didn’t have cashew flour and it’s BOMB.
Yay!! I’m so happy you liked them!! Carrot cake is one of my faves!! xo