Description
Carrot cake bars! Vegan, gluten-free, and paleo no-bake bars topped with a decadent vegan cashew cream cheese frosting. A perfect healthy dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Base
- 1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1 cup raw walnuts (plus more for garnish, optional)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened, dried shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Vegan Cashew “Cream Cheese” Frosting
- 3/4 cups raw cashews, soaked at least 4 hours
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 1 tablespoon coconut milk (or water)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Make the carrot cake base. Line a small pan or container with parchment paper (we used a 7 x 5-inch glass container).
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Add walnuts to a food processor and blend until finely chopped (but not paste-like).
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Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the fruit is finely chopped and blended and the mixture begins to stick together. This should take a couple of minutes and you may need to scrape the sides with a spatula occasionally.
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Spread the mixture evenly in the parchment lined container and place in the freezer until set, about an hour.
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Make the vegan cashew “cream cheese” frosting. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until very creamy.
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Spread mixture evenly on top of carrot cake base, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cinnamon (if desired) and put back into the freezer another hour.
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When set, remove from freezer, allow to thaw for a couple of minutes and cut into the desired shape. Keep the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months.