Keto Carrot Cake Bars

These dreamy Keto Carrot Cake Bars have a tender and moist cake, baked with warm spices and shredded carrots, then topped with a creamy vanilla frosting.

Keto Carrot Cake Bar held up by spatula with more bars in background on cooling rack

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❤️ Why You’ll Love this Carrot Cake Bars Recipe

  • Classic carrot cake flavor
  • Perfectly moist and delicious
  • Creamy vanilla frosting
  • Kid friendly
Keto Carrot Cake Bar on white square plate with bars on cooling rack in background

If you have always loved carrot cake but thought it was off-limits for Keto, this recipe is about to change your mind. With the perfect balance of sweetness and spice, these bars are packed with all the flavors you love in a classic carrot cake recipe but with a fraction of the carbs.

By using a few low-carb substitutes, like almond flour and monk fruit sweeteners, you can indulge in these delicious treats with only 5 net carbs per serving! And the best part? They taste so much like traditional carrot cake, no one will ever know they are a healthier alternative.

Keto Carrot Cake Bar on white square plate with bite missing

These carrot cake cream cheese bars are the perfect low carb dessert to take to potlucks, family gatherings, or just about any occasion.

If you love warm spices with this dreamy cream cheese frosting in these bars, you should also check out these Pumpkin Cupcakes and these Gingerbread Cupcakes!

🛒 What’s in Keto Carrot Cake Bars

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

🔪 How to Make Almond Flour Carrot Cake Bars

How to Make Keto Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, add in the almond flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.

almond flour and spices in glass bowl unmixed

Whisk to combine, then set aside.

wet ingredients for Keto Carrot Cake Bars in glass bowl unmixed

In a separate bowl, add in the eggs, melted butter, heavy cream, sweeteners, vanilla extract and the (optional) blackstrap molasses.

Tip: The blackstrap molasses is optional and does add a tiny bit of carbs, but I think it’s worth the added flavor that you can’t really get anywhere else.

dry ingredients for Keto Carrot Cake Bars being poured into wet ingredients in glass bowls

Using a hand mixer, mix until combined. Pour in the dry ingredients and continue mixing, only until combined.

wet ingredients for Keto Carrot Cake Bars in mixing bowl being mixed with hand mixer

Add in the shredded carrots.

shredded carrots in carrot cake batter in glass bowl mixed

Then fold them in using a spatula.

Keto Carrot Cake Bars batter in baking pan with parchment unbaked

Pour the batter into a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick spray (I used coconut oil).

Keto Carrot Cake Bars batter in baking pan with parchment baked

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean.  Then allow to cool completely before frosting.

To Make the Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting

Add the cream cheese and butter into a mixing bowl.

cream cheese and butter in glass bowl unmixed

Using a hand mixer, whip until combined and fluffy.

whipped butter and cream cheese with sweetener and vanilla in glass bowl

Add in the heavy cream, sweetener and vanilla bean paste. 

Keto Carrot Cake Bars frosting in glass bowl being mixed by hand mixer

Continue mixing until well combined and is the perfect frosting consistency.  Add in a little more heavy cream if needed.

Tip: I chose to use vanilla bean paste in the frosting because it gives a huge kick of vanilla flavor that works really well in this dessert, but if you don’t have any, you can use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract instead.

Keto Carrot Cake Bars in baking pan with parchment paper with vanilla frosting on top

Once the carrot cake has cooled, frost them using an offset spatula and cut into 12 bars. 

Keto Carrot Cake Bar on white square plate with more in background on cooling rack

You can also top them with the toasted chopped walnuts or omit them if you’d like. Store leftover carrot cake squares in the fridge in an airtight container for up to several days.

Tip: The chopped walnuts topping is also optional, but it adds a really nice contrast in texture so I recommend adding them.  Alternatively, you can use chopped pecans if you’d like or omit the nuts all together.

Keto Carrot Cake Bars on cooling rack

Can I Eat Carrots on Keto?

While some people think carrots are totally off limits on Keto, that is not the case. Yes, carrots do contain more carbohydrates than leafy green veggies, because they are a good source of fiber, they are relatively low in net carbs.

What’s the Carb Count in Carrots?

When deciding if carrots are okay for Keto, consider the grams of fiber and carbs:

  • Total Carbohydrates: 12.8 grams
  • Fiber: 3.6 grams
  • Net Carbohydrates: 9.2 grams

This recipe makes 12 servings, which means that the shredded carrots add less than one net carb per bar.

Keto Carrot Cake Bar being held up with spatula with more bars in background

Can I Freeze These Healthy Carrot Cake Bars?

Because of the frosting, they are best when eaten freshly made, but they will freeze fairly well.

For best results, place them on a baking sheet and place in the freezer until the frosting hardens. Then, wrap the individual bars in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Frozen carrot cake can be stored for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before serving.

How to Shred Carrots for Carrot Cake

Start by peeling the carrots to remove the outer skin. You can then use a box grater or a food processor with the grating attachment.

Once the carrots are shredded, make sure to blot them with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This helps prevent the carrot cake from becoming soggy.

Keto Carrot Cake Bar on white square plate being cut into with fork

Low Carb Carrot Cake Variations and Add-ins

Coconut flaked: Add shredded coconut flakes to the batter for a nutty twist.

Lemon zest: Brighten up the flavors of these easy carrot cake bars by adding in a pinch of freshly grated lemon zest into the batter.

Pumpkin spice: Instead of adding individual spices, you can use about a tablespoon of this homemade Pumpkin Spice blend. You’ll want to adjust the amount to your liking.

Chocolate chips: To add rich chocolatey goodness to each bite fold in some sugar-free chocolate chips into the batter.

Carrot cheesecake bars: Swirl in some softened cream cheese into the carrot cake batter before baking.

Caramel drizzle: You can skip the frosting and add a drizzle of these homemade Keto Salted Caramel Sauce over the top of the cooked cake bars.

Keto Carrot Cake Bar on white square plate with bite missing

Why is My Carrot Cake Soggy in the Middle?

Following the steps in this recipe should prevent your bars from being soggy. If the cake seems a little too wet in the middle, it is typically because you did not bake it long enough.

Another cause if that the carrots contain a lot of moisture. Be sure to squeeze them out with paper towels before adding them to the batter.

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Keto Carrot Cake Bar on white square plate with bars on cooling rack in background

Keto Carrot Cake Bars

These dreamy Keto Carrot Cake Bars have a tender and moist cake, baked with warm spices and shredded carrots, then topped with a creamy vanilla frosting.
5 from 47 votes
Author: Julianne
Servings 12
PREP 10 minutes
COOK 25 minutes
TOTAL 35 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the Carrot Cake Bars

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup monk fruit/allulose
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, or as needed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Optional: chopped toasted walnuts for the topping

Instructions
 

To Make Keto Carrot Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a mixing bowl, add in the almond flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, add in the eggs, melted butter, heavy cream, sweeteners, vanilla extract and the optional blackstrap molasses. Using a hand mixer, mix until combined.
  • Pour in the dry ingredients and continue mixing, only until combined.
  • Add in the shredded carrots and fold them in using a spatula.
  • Pour the batter into a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick spray (I used coconut oil).
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean. Then allow to cool completely before frosting.

To Make the Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add the cream cheese and butter into a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, whip until combined and fluffy.
  • Add in the heavy cream, sweetener and vanilla bean paste. Continue mixing until well combined and is the perfect frosting consistency. Add in a little more heavy cream if needed.
  • Once the carrot cake has cooled, frost them using an offset spatula and cut into 12 bars. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for several days or freeze.

Recipe Notes

I do not recommend buying carrots that are pre-shredded, because they are typically too thick.  It’s best to grate your own, on the finest grate of your box grater or a thicker grate microplane.
The blackstrap molasses is optional and does add a tiny bit of carbs, but I think it’s worth the added flavor that you can’t really get anywhere else.
The chopped walnuts topping is also optional, but it adds a really nice contrast in texture so I recommend adding them.  Alternatively, you can use chopped pecans if you’d like or omit the nuts all together.
I chose to use vanilla bean paste in the frosting because it gives a huge kick of vanilla flavor that works really well in this dessert, but if you don’t have any, you can use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract instead.

*Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 359kcal
Nutrition Facts
Keto Carrot Cake Bars
Amount per Serving
Calories
359
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
34
g
52
%
Saturated Fat
 
16
g
100
%
Carbohydrates
 
7
g
2
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
7
g
14
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.

© Copyright for Keto Cooking Christian LLC. Please use the share buttons to share on social media, but please do not copy/paste the recipe.

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5 from 47 votes (41 ratings without comment)

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17 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    thank you so much for posting this recipe. I have been looking for something like this for a long time, to no avail. I was so pleased when I came across this recipe today and I’m definitely going to make it tomorrow, the next day, the next day and so on and so on. LOL please keep your amazing recipes coming and have a blessed day 🙏
    Kay R
    West Palm Beach FL

  2. I really enjoyed this 🙂 i accidentally grated the carrots on coarse, but it turned out just fine. Thank you so much! I wanted to eat two pieces but I really couldn’t lol, so rich and lovely! Thank for the recipe it is really good and moist.
    It is best room temp. I like frozen treats but it had no flavor frozen, but once thawed it is sooo good.
    In fact I am planning on making another cake tonight!

    1. This made me smile! 😊 Sounds like it turned out amazing, even with the coarse grated carrots. Totally get what you mean about wanting a second piece but just not being able to…rich desserts will do that! And yeah, some cakes just don’t taste the same when frozen, but once they hit room temp they are delish. Love that you’re already planning to make another one!

  3. Hiya! I am fixing to bake this today. Per your nutritional chart, are these 7 net carbs per bar? I see you say it makes 12 bars! Thanks! I

  4. 5 stars
    This was so good, I cant belive it is keto! Its rich and moist, and everything tastes just like a normal, great carrot cake!

  5. 5 stars
    I never thought almond flour would make a good carrot cake. Thanks for proving me wrong! This carrot cake was super easy to bake and tasted just like regular carrot cake. Using pre-shredded carrots was a great idea.

    1. I’m thrilled that you thought it tasted like traditional carrot cake,that’s definitely the goal! I do recommend shredding your own carrots (in the recipe notes) since store bought pre-shredded carrots tend to be too thick. I’m glad it all worked out for you though!

  6. 5 stars
    I served this for a girls brunch and they could not even tell it was a Keto recipe (sometimes you can tell). Anyways it was moist, delicious, and curbed my sweet cravings. Will definitely be making this again.

  7. 5 stars
    I love carrot cake and was so excited that there was a keto version of it! Also loved your tips for helping keto cakes to not come out soggy! This has been a huge complaint of some of my keto friends. The tips helped a lot thank you!