These super-soft and spicy gingerbread cake bars are loaded with gooey chocolate chips and frosted with a tangy cream cheese frosting for the easiest last-minute holiday dessert!
Cake bars for breakfast on the weekend is officially a GO, guys. With a side of gingerbread because it’s clearly my ‘errrrrrrthing right now.
Seriously though, December had better go slow because I need approximately like 500 days to get my gingerbread fix.
And then, you know, January rolls around and suddenly anything sweet is outlawed and we find ourselves drowning in salad.
Not necessarily a bad thing…but gingerbread cake bars just take it all every time, guys.
In actuality though, the gingerbread bars don’t take anything. I just take them all.
And please, can you really blame me?
Here’s how Friday indulgence goes down today, guys. >>> it starts with the softest, gingerbread-iest cake bars + chocolate chips. Mixes up in one bowl and bakes up in 20 minutes flat. Eaaaaaaasy.
Next comes cream cheese frosting followed by toasty pecans and MORE chocolate chips, because it’s just a need.
Also, is spicy fragrant gingerbread + tons of tangy cream cheese frosting not the BEST combo in the whole freaking world?
Just to make sure, I think I’d better eat more.
So there you have it, guys. You heard it here first that gingerbread season officially lasts forever.
And the party commences with gingerbread cake bars.
Can I just eat these for breakfast now? Kthanks.
Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Bars:
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips for garnishing optional
Instructions
- Make the bars: Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 18x13 baking sheet pan with tin foil and lightly grease. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat oil, sugar, molasses, eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake bars at 350F 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs sticking to it. Cool bars completely.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese until creamy, then add powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla and beat until completely smooth and creamy. Frost cooled bars and sprinkle with chopped pecans and chocolate chips if desired. Slice into squares and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Cake for breakfast sounds like my kind of meal! Love the looks of these bars, Sarah! Especially with that frosting…YUM! I think I could eat this entire pan by myself!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Mmm I wanna go to any party that has these! I’m seriously swooning over how delicious they look – and paired with the cream cheese frosting, they’re perfection. I want a slice!
Margaret Ann @ MAK and Her Cheese says
These look divine! Classic and festive, but I LOVE the addition of chocolate chips. Why doesn’t all gingerbread have chocolate chips??? Things I will never understand…
Thanks for the recipe!
MAK
[email protected] says
I wish I had this for breakfast every day!! drooling over the frosting!
Filipino Recipes by Ed Joven says
Omgosh this looks AMAZING!!! Gingerbread with cream cheese and choco chips, So delicious!! Can’t wait to try it!!