Love carrot cake but hate the work? Try these easy Carrot Cake Blondies. Soft, chewy, and topped with rich cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the Blondies
3/4cup1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1 1/4cupsbrown sugar
1large egg
2tspvanilla extract
3/4cupgrated carrot
1 1/4cupsall purpose flour
1/2tspsalt
1/2tspcinnamonoptional
1/2cupchopped pecansoptional
For the Frosting
8ouncescream cheese, softened
1/2cupbutter, softened
2 1/2cupspowdered sugar
1tspvanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/2cupchopped pecans, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it turns a light golden color, remove from heat and immediately add brown sugar. Whisk brown sugar for 3 minutes until smooth.
Let cool for 10 minutes.
Grate carrots then stir carrots into the butter-sugar mixture. Stir in egg and vanilla.
Stir in flour and salt. Add cinnamon and pecans, if using.
Line a 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into the pan and evenly spread to the edges. Bake for 19-23 minutes. Let cool completely
For the Frosting
Cream together softened cream cheese and butter for 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, whip for 2 minutes longer.
Once the bars have cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. For easier cutting, chill before cutting. Keep refrigerated.