Healthy Carrot Cake

By Arman Liewupdated on Oct 25, 2026
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Comments (166)
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12 servings

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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!

healthy carrot cake.

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
  1. Arman’s recipe highlights
  2. Key Ingredients
  3. How to make a healthy carrot cake
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Storage instructions
  6. More wholesome cakes to try
  7. Healthy Carrot Cake (Recipe Card)

Arman’s recipe highlights

Arman Liew
  • 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.
healthy carrot cake on a small white plate.

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

cake batter in a bowl.

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. 

cake batter in cake tin.

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. 

frosted healthy carrot cake.

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. 

slice of healthy carrot cake with frosting.

More wholesome cakes to try

I’m always looking for ways to healthify cakes, and here are a few more of my favorites:

healthier carrot cake.

Healthy Carrot Cake

5 from 178 votes
My healthy carrot cake recipe yields a fluffy, moist cake that’s full of warming spiced flavor. It’s made with whole wheat flour and NO eggs! Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen!
Servings: 12 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
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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.

Notes

* I used white wholewheat flour, for added nutrition. You can use any white or all-purpose flour. 
TO STORE: Leftover cake should be stored 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSodium: 332mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gCalcium: 90mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 23g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a three time cookbook author, culinary school graduate, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

5 from 178 votes (169 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Just made this and it’s amazing. I used white whole wheat and oat flour, olive oil for the coconut oil (I was lazy to melt it lol) and 1/4 cup dark brown sugar for the sweetener. I found the walnuts made the cake over the top amazing. Thanks for the recipe. I hope to share it with friends and get some great feedback.

    Reply

    1. Regina- It’s comments like this which absolutely MAKE my day! thank you so much for this. I’m going to share this on the Facebook page! Thank YOU for making it! (PS- I would have been lazy too :))

      Reply

  2. Hey Arman, I’m very new to the whole baking concept and was just wondering, when you say 1T coconut oil, is that 1 teaspoon?

    Reply

  3. AAAHHH…carrot cake is my most favorite, and you’ve just made it healthier? What’s not to love? ;-} Thanks a million for sharing your deliciousness with us at Weekend Potluck. Please come back again very soon. Pinning!

    Reply

    1. Thank YOU for hosting such a fantastic link up- You’ve really inspired me to make more of an effort in the kitchen to participate each week!

      Reply

  5. Never in my life have a had a carrot cake before. I guess you cannot call me a bunny. The Playboy mansion would not accept me. Wait, even before they knew this tid bit, they wouldn’t accept me because of something else, LOL!

    Reply

  6. I cannot get my bread game together. It’s always just a giant fail. Your bread game, however, is on point… I have some carrots and random things I really need to start using up, I’m going to have to make this… well, anytime, since I have an open schedule.

    Reply

  7. I used to love cream cheese frosting – I used to eat the frosting and leave the cake – but that was then – now lactose does not love me! So I will gladly take this carrot cake without frosting – love the lightened up version – but you wouldn’t think it from the looks of it!

    Reply

  8. Definitely team cake! I don’t like frosting at all. I even removed the frosting from my wedding cake ;-P
    Carrot has always been my favorite. My mum used to make me carrot cake for my birthday. Best damn cake ever!
    Your mum should be proud of her talented son and give you access to all her recipes 😉

    Reply

  9. I’m the biggest glutton when it comes to frosting. I want it all over my face. I need a 5 to 1 frosting to cake ratio at all times. OK, but really…I’m still obsessing over your photos lately. They have gotten SO GOOD.

    Reply

  10. Carrot cake is in my top 3 for desserts! So so so yummy. And people think it’s healthy when it’s on a restaurant menu LAWLZ. Don’t hate me for saying this but this recipe looks so…..moist haha. And yeah you’re right who needs carrot cake to be an excuse for that frosting when you can just use a spoon

    Reply

  11. I’m team 50% frosting, 50% cake 🙂 And now I’m craving some kind of breakfast bread – banana, zucchini…ahhh!

    Reply