Vegan Carrot Cake Bars (Paleo, Nut Free)

These healthy Vegan Carrot Cake bars are just what you need for a simple, yet tasty Easter morning treat.  These bars are Paleo, Vegan and even allergy friendly (nut free).  In addition, these carrot bars are only sweetened with bananas - the perfect addition to any family brunch.

I'm hosting brunch this Easter!

And, I'm quite excited about it!  We'll be heading to an early church service, taking the kids on an Easter egg hunt, and then brunching with extended family. 

Something you may not know, I'm often shy about sharing my baking and cooking with others.  Yes, that's right!  I don't really like to cook for anyone outside of my immediate family.

But this year I've got these healthy vegan carrot cake bars up my sleeve.  I'm pretty sure even my vegetable-hating father in law will love these 😉 

Besides appealing to the taste buds of my family members who don't like vegetables, my goal was for for these bars to be toddler friendly.  As in, free of all common allergens and not loaded with sugar.  Oh, and of course tasty!

Carrot Cake For Babies and Toddlers

My recipe for vegan carrot cake bars is perfect for babies and kids (and adults) since it contains healthy, allergy-free ingredients.  These bars are:

• paleo and vegan
• nut free
• dairy free
• egg free
• gluten free & grain free
• only sweetened with bananas
• moist and tender

My picky toddler gave these bars his approval.  Which, makes me one happy mama since they are a great way to squeeze in extra nutrients.

This gluten free carrot cake bar recipe definitely tastes like dessert, but they are healthy enough to enjoy at breakfast or brunch.  Even more so if you swap out the frosting for a sugar free alternative like coconut butter.  

Ingredients

These healthy carrot cake bars contain a few simple, every day ingredients. Here's what you need:

For the Carrot Cake

• flax eggs
• ripe bananas
• shredded carrot
• coconut oil
• vanilla extract
•  coconut flour
• tapioca flour
• baking powder
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• salt

For the Frosting

• non-hydrogenated shortening (or butter)
• maple syrup
• vanilla extract
• tapioca flour (or powdered sugar for a sweeter frosting)

How to Make Carrot Cake Bars

These batter for these vegan carrot cake bars is made in one bowl and baked in an 8" x 8" glass pan. Here's what you need to do:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8" square glass pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Next, make the flax eggs by mixing together ground flax and water.  Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

Peel the bananas and mash them in a large mixing bowl. Add in the shredded carrot, melted coconut oil, flax eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

Next, add in the coconut flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix with a spatula until well combined.

Scoop the batter into the lined baking pan and smooth it out in an even layer.

Then, place the pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

After baking, remove the bars from the oven and cool them to room temperature in the baking pan.

Carrot Cake Bar Frosting

These paleo carrot cake bars are frosted with a low sugar buttercream.  It's made of four simple ingredients: non-hydrogenated shortening, maple syrup, vanilla and tapioca flour.

The frosting is mildly sweet, but can be made sweeter by swapping the tapioca flour for powdered sugar.

To make the frosting, whisk together all frosting ingredients in a small bowl. If necessary, melt the shortening for 5-10 seconds in the microwave. This makes the frosting creamier and easier to work with.

Storage

Since these paleo vegan carrot cake bars are moist, you will want to store them in the fridge.  They stay well up to a week.  The frosting solidifies at cold temperatures.  However, you can let these them rest at room temperature before serving and the frosting will soften.

More Paleo Vegan Desserts

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