Carrot Cake Bars with Citrus Cream Cheese Icing
 
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Carrot Cake Bars with Citrus Cream Cheese Icing Delicious carrot cake bars that are loaded with carrots, raisins, coconut, and walnuts, topped with a tangy citrus cream cheese icing. Vegan and Gluten Free
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • 2 C Gluten Free Oat Flour
  • ¾ C agave syrup
  • ⅓ C coconut oil, softened
  • ⅓ C unsweetened applesauce
  • 1⅓ C water
  • 1 C Carrots, shredded
  • 1 C chopped Walnuts + a little more for garnishing
  • 1 C Raisins
  • 1½ C shredded coconut
  • 1½ t baking powder
  • ½ t sea salt
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • ⅛ t nutmeg
  • ⅛ t allspice
  • 1½ t vanilla extract
  • For the icing - You may need to adjust liquids for your taste, or if you use a different cream cheese.
  • 4 oz. vegan cream cheese, softened (I used Follow Your Heart's Vegan Gourmet Cream Cheese)
  • a few drops of stevia (About ⅛ tsp.)
  • 2-3 tsp.lemon juice, fresh squeezed
  • 1- 2 tsp. orange juice, fresh squeezed
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest, freshly grated + more for garnishing
  • 2 tsp. orange zest, freshly grated + more for garnishing
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease a 13x9 baking pan and set aside.
  2. Put water in measuring cup (1⅓ C), and add raisins.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Mix together thoroughly with a fork or whisk. Add shredded coconut and mix. Add agave, grated carrots and walnuts. Add oil, and vanilla. Next pour water and raisins in and mix everything together.
  4. When thoroughly mixed, pour into pan and spread until it's even. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
  5. Let cool in pan.
  6. While bars are baking/cooling prepare icing.
  7. Icing - In a small bowl, stir cream cheese, until soft and creamy. Mix in vanilla, and then stevia. Start with a drop or two, you can always add more if needed. Add lemon juice, and orange juice to taste, little by little to get the consistency you want. Every brand of cream cheese varies in sweetness, taste, and salt levels, so you will need to taste as you go along. Icing should be creamy and light, like a glaze, but not runny.
  8. Refrigerate icing until ready to use.
  9. When bars are cool, cut into 20-24 even squares. Drizzle icing on bars with a spoon, or add icing to a bag and cut a small hole or use a piping tip and drizzle over bars. Garnish with more citrus zest and a few walnuts.
  10. Refrigerate leftovers....if there are any!
Recipe by High Vibe Lifestyle at https://highvibelifestyle.com/carrot-cake-bars-citrus-cream-cheese-icing/