Carrot Cake Blondies

When I saw this recipe for Carrot Cake Blondies over on Crazy for Crust, I was hooked.

And I don't know why.    Carrot Cake is not my thing.   I wouldn't order it at a restaurant.   I would probably pass over it at a banquet.   If we were doing dessert speed dating, I would skip right to the next dessert.

Wait...I know why.   It has cinnamon cream cheese frosting.   And that frosting is so delicious in its own right that even if you didn't want the carrot cake, you could dip pretzels in it.   Or just eat it with a spoon.

Note:  I followed the original recipe with the following modifications.   I used 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar....'cause that's what I had in the pantry.   And instead of grated carrots, I bought the pre-shredded carrots at the store and then chopped them up a little more.  

What You Need

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon  (it will seem like a lot, but it gives the carrot cake feeling)
2 cups grated carrots (or shredded carrots, chopped a little more to make the pieces smaller)
2 cups flour

For the amazing frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 oz cream cheese, very soft
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

What You Do

Line a 9x13 pan with foil and coat with cooking spray for easy cleanup and removal.

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.   Cream the brown sugar and butter in a bowl with an electric mixer.    Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.   Mix in the dry ingredients and then stir in the carrots.

Press batter into your pan.   It will be sticky - either coat your hands with cooking spray or flour so that you don't stick to yourself.      Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, you want it to be a little wiggly in the center and that's ok.    Cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting use a hand mixer and combine the butter and cream cheese together.   Add the powdered sugar and then the vanilla and cinnamon.    Frost the bars in the pan.    I frosted the bars and then put them  in the fridge before slicing.    

These are amazing and I have to salute Dorothy at Crazy for Crust for her brilliance.

Meanwhile in Maui

Kite festival at the Wing Ho Museum on Friday during the Lahaina Town Party.   Yes, we have town parties...

So...what's your opinion on Carrot Cake?