Healthy Carrot Cake
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My healthy carrot cake recipe yields a fluffy, moist cake with warm cinnamon flavor. It’s made with white whole wheat flour and NO eggs!
If you’ve never baked with vegetables, you’re missing out. It’s one of my favorite sneaky ingredients (hello, zucchini chocolate cake!) because it adds flavor, texture, and even fiber.
Made with a short list of ingredients, my healthy carrot cake turns out wonderfully moist with a light crumb. It is lightly sweetened with a little sugar, carrots, and plump raisins.
Table of Contents
Arman’s recipe highlights
- Great with or without frosting. I love the cream cheese frosting, but it holds up on its own.
- Smart swaps. Just because ‘carrot cake’ has carrots doesn’t mean it’s healthy (I’m sorry to break the news). I use about half the sugar of traditional cakes and far less fat (many classic recipes use over a cup of oil or butter), and swap regular flour for white whole wheat flour.
- Egg-free. I purposely made this cake without eggs, so it works for egg allergies.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- White whole wheat flour. I first tested this cake with regular flour, then switched to white whole wheat flour. I didn’t notice a difference in texture, but it did add extra fiber.
- Baking powder and baking soda. They add rise and fluffiness.
- Cinnamon. I like a pinch of cinnamon for a pleasant, warming flavor.
- Sugar. I used white and coconut sugar for a moist cake, but allulose (a lower sugar option) works.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk will do.
- Coconut oil. Use refined coconut oil so there’s no coconut flavor. Alternatively, use butter or a neutral-flavored oil.
- Grated carrots. Grate them fresh and don’t chop them, so they easily melt into the cake and add moisture. Avoid using packaged pre-shredded carrots, as they tend to be quite dry.
- Almonds and walnuts. For added texture. I used chopped almonds and walnuts, but pecans would be a great addition, too.
- Raisins. Optional, but I really like the bursts of sweetness added.
- Frosting. Optional.
How to make a healthy carrot cake
Step 1- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, milk, and oil until smooth. Combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients, then fold in the carrots and mix-ins.
Step 2- Bake. Pour the cake batter into the two cake pans and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 3- Frost. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan. Once cooled, layer the cakes, frost, slice, and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Grate the carrots very finely. The finer the carrots, the more easily they mix into the batter. I like using the small holes of a box grater.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix until no visible streaks of flour remain. Overmixing results in a dense or gummy cake.
- Use a different cake pan. This recipe makes two 8-inch cakes in 40 minutes, but you can also make two 9-inch cakes (decrease the bake time by 5 minutes), one 9×13-inch rectangular cake (increase the bake time to 50 minutes), or two 9×5-inch loaf pans (50-60 minutes). As always, do the toothpick test to check.
Variations
- Make a single-layered cake. Halve the ingredients in the recipe.
- Make carrot cake cupcakes. Pour the batter into a 12-count lined cupcake tin and bake for 18-20 minutes. I recommend checking at 18 minutes.
- Make a gluten-free carrot cake. Use a gluten-free flour blend with added xanthan gum.
- Swap the mix-ins. Instead of raisins and nuts, try shredded coconut or crushed pineapple (with the juice drained and patted dry).
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Freeze leftover cake slices in a freezer-safe container for up to six months.
More wholesome cakes to try
I’m always looking for ways to healthify cakes, and here are a few more of my favorites:
- Healthy chocolate cake
- Healthy apple cake
- Healthy banana cake
- Blueberry breakfast cake
- Healthy mug cake
Healthy Carrot Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour Gluten free, if needed , 390g
- 2 teaspoon baking powder 9g
- 2 teaspoon baking soda 10g
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar 200g
- 1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar, 200g
- 1 1/2 cups milk I used unsweetened almond milk, 360mL
- 1 cup coconut oil melted but cooled (can use any neutral tasting oil), 220g
- 3 1/2 cups carrots grated, 385g
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped, 60g
- 1/2 cup raisins Optional, 75g
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 the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, 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!