Carrot Cake Bars

• FOR THE CAKE BARS:
• 1/2 cups Unsweetened Applesauce
• 2/3 cups Sugar
• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3 whole Large Carrots, Finely Grated
• 1/2 cups Chopped Walnuts
• FOR THE ICING:
• 4 Tablespoons Butter, Room Temperature
• 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1 cup Chopped Walnuts

1. For the cake bars:
2. Start by whisking the applesauce, sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla in a bowl until blended.
3. In another large bowl, sift the whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Make a well in the flour and add the apple/sugar mixture and blend well.
4. Next, add the grated carrots and walnuts to the cake batter and mix well. Pour the mixture into a rectangle baking pan and bake in a 350u0b0F oven for 35 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool completely, before icing.
5. For the icing:
6. Add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract to a bowl and beat until blended until blended. Next, add the icing sugar, sifting 1/4 cup at a time into the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth.
7. Smooth the icing over the top of the cooled cake. Decorate with walnut pieces. Slice into bars.

cake, unsweetened applesauce, sugar, eggs, olive oil, vanilla, whole wheat flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, carrots, walnuts, butter, weight cream cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, walnuts

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/carrot-cake-bars-3/ (may not work)