Prep your pan and oven

First, preheat your oven to 350°F and get your 8×8 pan ready. A light spray of nonstick spray is fine, but I recommend lining the pan with parchment paper first. Trust me, it makes cutting the bars later so much easier.

Make the carrot cake batter

Melt ½ cup of butter in the microwave. I usually start with 30 seconds and then give it another 15 if needed. Combine the melted butter with 1 cup of brown sugar in a bowl, mixing until smooth. Add the egg and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, stirring to combine.

Next, fold in 1 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. The batter will be thick, but that’s exactly what you want! Gently fold in 1 cup of shredded carrots, making sure they’re evenly distributed.

Whip up the cheesecake swirl

In a separate bowl, beat 4 ounces of room-temperature cream cheese with ¼ cup of granulated sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolk and ¾ teaspoon of vanilla extract, mixing until creamy and lump-free.

Assemble and swirl

Now for the fun part! Spread half of the carrot cake batter into your prepared pan. Drop dollops of the cheesecake mixture on top—don’t swirl yet! Add the remaining carrot cake batter in spoonfuls around the cheesecake dollops, then top with the rest of the cheesecake mixture. Use a knife or skewer to create swirls—go as simple or intricate as you like.

Bake to perfection

Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center has just a slight jiggle. Cool the bars completely in the pan before slicing. This part requires patience, but it’s worth it—the bars set as they cool, making them easier to cut.