These soft, chewy carrot cake bars with cream cheese frosting are perfect for your Spring gathering. These carrot cake blondies taste even better than carrot cake!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt. Watch it carefully as you want it to turn to 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. Meanwhile, grate carrots with a grater or pulse them in a food processor. 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 aluminum baking pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into the pan and evenly spread to the edges. Bake for 19-23 minutes. Let cool. To expedite cooling, place in the freezer.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a mixing bowl, 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. For a sharp, clean-cut, I suggest using a plastic knife.