Carrot cake bars are less fussy than making a layered carrot cake and they are filled with vitamin-packed carrots...so it's a healthy dessert (wink wink).
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8X8-inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray; set aside.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in 30 second increments until full melted. Let cool slightly for ~5 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, oil and vanilla extract together. Whisk until combined.
In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and all the spices together.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir until just combined; don't over mix.
Add carrots and any other mix-ins (raisins or walnuts). Stir to combine. (Batter will be thick).
Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
Bake for ~26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Don't over bake - they will be dry. Allow bars to cool in pan for about 30 minutes before cutting and glazing.
Frosting
In a large mixing bowl, use a hand held mixer to beat the softened cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add in powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, until combined. Add in the vanilla extract and milk and beat again until smooth. This makes a lot of frosting which we love, but feel free to cut the recipe in half if you only want a little!