Carrot Patch Bars

Spicy, soft and cakey treats. I thought it'd be fun to try carrots instead of pumpkin in a recipe and see how it turned out. Hope you enjoy them.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 1 pan

Ingredients

• Bars

• 6  ounces all-purpose flour
• 7  ounces brown sugar, firmly packed
• 4  ounces granulated sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  eggs, lightly beaten
• 8  ounces  cooked carrots, well mashed
• 4  ounces  chopped pecans
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

• Topping

• 2  ounces  soft  caramel candies
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease/flour a 9 x 13" baking pan.
3. In a large bowl stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
4. In another, smaller, bowl mix the beaten eggs, mashed carrots, pecans and vanilla.
5. Pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix well,'til everything is nicely combined.
6. Spread in the prepared pan.
7. Bake 30 minutes and test in the center with a toothpick.
8. If it comes out mostly clean, they're done.
9. Cool in the pan on a baking rack.
10. While bars are cooling, put caramels in a small saucepan with the milk over low heat.
11. Stir constantly'til the caramel is melted.
12. Spoon, or pour, or drizzle over the bars and spread the caramel mixture around a bit.
13. Cut into bars before caramel gets too firm.