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This healthy carrot cake is a fluffy and moist cake made with wholesome ingredients! No eggs or refined sugar is needed, it makes a fabulous healthier dessert.
Who said desserts can’t be healthy?
When done correctly, they taste just as good as their traditional counterparts. Some of our favorite desserts we’ve given a healthy makeover include chocolate cake, brownies, and this glorious carrot cake.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
Because I feel it necessary to eat carrot cake every day, I wanted to come up with a healthier version of it, but without sacrificing taste. That is a common issue with ‘healthy’ cake recipes- They turn out dry and lack any sweetness.
This carrot cake is the exception. Don’t let the ‘healthy’ in front of it deter you.
- It uses simple ingredients. No hard-to-find flours, sugars, or baking agents are needed.
- Perfect with or without frosting. Let’s be honest, the best part of any cake is the frosting, but this one is different. It’s so delicious on its own.
- The best texture. It is just as fluffy and moist as any good carrot cake out there, loaded with shredded carrots and perfectly sweet.
How to make a healthy carrot cake
You won’t need any fancy mixers or kitchen gadgets to make them- Just one bowl. The hard part is waiting for the cake to cool!
- All Purpose Flour– I used white whole wheat flour, which is essentially wholewheat flour, but bleached white. It is higher in fiber than traditional white flour.
Dietary swap
Following a gluten free diet? Swap out the flour for a cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend.
- Baking powder and baking soda– Leavens the cake, and gives it some rise and fluffiness.
- Cinnamon– A must for any good carrot cake!
- Sugar of choice– Choose coconut sugar to keep the cake refined sugar free or opt for something like allulose to cut the sugar completely. White or brown sugar also work.
- Milk of choice– Almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc.
- Coconut Oil– A fantastic substitute for butter. Use refined coconut oil to ensure there is no coconut flavor. If you can’t tolerate coconut oil, any other neutral-tasting oil will work (e.g. sunflower oil or vegetable oil).
- Grated Carrots– The carrots must be grated, not chopped. This ensures they mix into the batter well.
- Almonds and Walnuts– For some added texture to the cake! I used chopped almonds, but walnuts would be a great addition too.
- Raisins– Optional, but I believe every good carrot cake has some raisins in them!
In a mixing bowl, mix together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together your sweeteners, milk, and coconut oil, until combined and glossy.
Combine your wet and dry ingredients together, until just combined. Fold through your shredded carrots, nuts, and raisins.
Transfer the batter between two cake pans and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out just clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan completely.
- This makes a layer carrot cake. If you’d like this to be a single cake, simply halve the ingredients.
- Do not overmix the batter. We want the ingredients to be mixed, but just until they are combined. Overmixing can potentially lead to a less fluffy cake.
- Do not make any substitutions unless one of the ones recommended in the ingredient list. Using another flour or adding something else into the batter can affect the taste, texture, and cooking time.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover cake should be stored in the refrigerator, in a sealable container. It will keep well for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: You can either freeze the cake as a whole cake or in individual portions. Keep the cake in a freezer friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More healthy desserts to try
Yes! This cake doesn’t have any eggs or dairy in it, making it suitable for those following a vegan diet.
While this batter can be used to make muffins, you may prefer making carrot muffins instead. The ingredients are quite similar but are designed to be made into muffins.
Not necessarily! People often assume that just because there are carrots in carrot cake that is the healthiest option. However, most cakes use butter, oil, and plenty of sugar in it! Let’s not forget the cream cheese frosting that comes with it.
Healthy Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour Gluten free, if needed
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar * See notes
- 1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup coconut oil melted (can use any neutral tasting oil)
- 3 1/2 cups carrots grated
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
- 1/2 cup raisins Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together your granulated sweeter, coconut sugar, milk of choice, and melted coconut oil, until glossy and smooth.
- Combine your wet and dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold through your shredded carrots, nuts, and raisins.
- Distribute your cake batter evenly amongst the two cake pans. Bake for around 40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pan completely. Once cooled, you can frost them, if desired.
Arman this looks really good and super healthy too – boom.
I had a massive craving for salty, buttery toast the other day. That craving got nailed 🙂
I always have that craving- maybe it’s an Australian thing 😉
Oh my gosh, I love me some carrot cake! This would be good even with plain cream cheese slathered on top.
YES! I made your carrot cake last year for a brunch lol!
Wowww that must be amazing cake! I LOVE carrot cake, but i always thought it was partially bc i LOVE cream cheese frosting. Coming from another cream cheese frosting appreciator i will take your word on that this cake doesnt need it- and i tip my hat to you sir- thats a job well done!
Thanks buddy. We can save the frosting for the spoons. I wonder if I can make this primal…. 😉
yum yum yum. I know what will pair well with my AM coffee 😉 sounds heavenly !
That’s how I roll too!
While I am slightly disturbed and upset that you forgot the frosting, I suppose I can forgive you because this stuff sounds BOMB. Im a carrot cake lover as well, and I thought it was because of the frosting, but then I realized that I don’t really care for red velvet cake [which also has cream cheese frosting] so I suppose Im just a carrot cake lover! Which means that I will love this cake with or without the frosting.
Of course, frostings always better. 😉
I’ll forgive you of your slip up….this time….
WELL. Thanks for forgiving me. I have a surprise recipe which you’d approve of then coming up 😉
HOLLA!
Mmmk sooo I am not a huge fan of cakes. Like, I’ll eat cake…BUT it’s not my first choice when it comes to desserts. With that being said, carrot cake is the one and only exception. If I had to choose only one dessert to eat for the rest of my life…that would be it. There’s actually a restaurant here (called Fresh) that has a killer carrot cake. It’s vegan but you wouldn’t even know. Should we add that to our list…? 😉 I hope you’re bringing stretchy pants.
I owe you a reply. Expect one tomorrow. 😀
We need to marathon x 100 before we go on our eating bender.
Where’s you mums bloody spoon? I need to whack you with it. Just kidding, although frosting is my favorite part of carrot cake, and I just so happened to eat a ton of cream cheese frosting this weekend on top of some apple cake. Yes, I took one for the team and loved every single minute.
I do like this recipe: Carrot Cake Bread topped with some lovely butter. I could get down with that.
YES- I saw that! I need to pick your brain about it! Okay, messaging you now!
Team cream cheese frosting all the way! It’s the best part of carrot cake. And hey, who says you can’t have cream cheese frosting on breakfast cake… it’s basically just like putting cream cheese on a bagel, right? 😛
It is pretty much the beautiful swan of the ugly sister, being the cream cheese 😉
Sometimes I test a recipe to make sure it’s “ok” and accidentally eat the entire thing. It happens. Glad this didn’t need the icing! Not that I’m against cream cheese icing (never) but carrot cake minus the icing=perfect breakfast.
YES. I made cookies the other day and I ate it because….I’m a twat.
BRO. This is perfect. Carrot cake is my favorite kind of cake, and if the cake itself is good enough, there is no need for frosting. That being said, no need for frosting does not mean no lingering desire… Just as long as it doesn’t overpower the cake!
Your mom should be mad at you for many other reasons besides you bastardizing her carrot cake. One reason being the fact that you’ve eaten kangaroo sausage.
I bet you’ve subconsciously eaten kangaroo sausage before.
I love carrot cake, you’re on a rolllll!
So good!
This looks fabulous. Carrot cake and red velvet cakes are my favorite.
Thanks Hollie- Red Velvet cake’s icing is epic.
Oh wow yum- love carrot cake! We’d make a good team, as I’m on team cake…unless it’s exceptional frosting, I tend to scrape it off. I bet this would taste excellent with some coconut butter slathered on top…or even just as is sounds pretty perfect to me. Nice work, Arman…I’m sure your momma would be proud ;)!
Thanks Khushboo. Coconut butter on it would be great!
Just a question (I’m french..) : what does the T means? from 1 T coconut oil, melted
Thank you and thanks for the great recipes!
Bonjour, Vicca! It stands for tablespoon, so 15 mls 🙂
Cake with a bit of frosting though more of a glaze or thin coat. Wow, I think I can smell that through my computer (:
Thanks Natasha! How good does it smell 😉
This looks so delicious you inspired a new pinterest board! Healthy Baked Goods!
Thank you! what a great pinterest board idea!