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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!
Love all things carrot cake? Check out my carrot cake bars, carrot cake cookies, or carrot cake muffins next.
If you’re not baking with vegetables, you’re seriously missing out. It’s one of my favorite secret ingredients (hello, zucchini chocolate cake!) because it adds flavor, texture, and tons of fiber.
Made with a shortlist of ingredients, my carrot cake is tender and moist, with the perfect crumb and added sweetness from carrots and plump raisins.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Perfect with or without frosting. Let’s be honest: the best part of any cake is the frosting, but this is different. It’s so delicious on its own.
- It’s actually healthy. Just because ‘carrot cake’ has carrots doesn’t mean it’s healthy (I’m sorry to break the news), but my recipe is made with wholesome ingredients.
- The best texture. The carrots are baked until tender, and the nuts add a crunch factor.
Ingredients needed
- All-purpose flour. I used white whole wheat flour since it’s higher in fiber than traditional white flour, but you could use regular flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda. Gives the cake some rise and fluffiness.
- Cinnamon. A must for spiced carrot cake!
- Sugar. I used white sugar, but brown sugar or a sugar-free sweetener would work. You could even use maple syrup or coconut sugar for a refined sugar-free option.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but milk will do.
- Coconut oil. My preferred substitute for butter. Use refined coconut oil so there’s no coconut flavor. Alternatively, use butter or a neutral-flavored oil.
- Grated carrots. They should be freshly grated and NOT chopped, so they don’t distract from the texture.
- Almonds and walnuts. For added texture. I used chopped almonds, but walnuts or pecans would be a great addition, too.
- Raisins. Optional, but I think they’re essential for a proper carrot cake!
- Frosting. Another optional ingredient, but what is a carrot cake without frosting?
How to make a healthy carrot cake
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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 cohesively they mix into the batter.
- Don’t overmix the batter. We want the ingredients to be mixed, but just until they are combined. Overmixing can potentially lead to a dense cake.
- Use a different cake pan. This recipe makes two 8-inch cakes, but you could also use it to make two 9-inch cakes, one 9×13-inch rectangular cake, or two 9×5-inch loaf pans.
Variations
- Make a single-layered cake. Halve the ingredients in the recipe.
- Or make carrot cake cupcakes! Pour the batter into a lined cupcake tin and bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Make a gluten-free carrot cake. Use a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum added in.
- Swap the mix-ins. Instead of raisins and nuts, try shredded coconut or crushed pineapple (with the juice drained).
Storage instructions
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.
Frequently asked questions
This cake could technically be vegan if you used dairy-free milk and vegan frosting.
Not necessarily! People often assume that because there are carrots in carrot cake, it’s a healthier option. However, most cakes use butter, oil, and plenty of sugar! Let’s not forget the cream cheese frosting that comes with it.
More wholesome cakes to try
- Healthy chocolate cake
- Healthy apple cake
- Healthy banana cake
- Blueberry breakfast cake
- Healthy mug cake
Healthy Carrot Cake
Video
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
- 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 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
Nutrition
Originally updated March 2023, updated and republished September 2024
Truly appreciate the way you made this wonderful and delicious carrot cake. With having fresh carrots this season, I think there nothing best to make your lovely cake. Everything is so nicely described that would help to make this carrot cake at home.
In your muffin and cake recipes can I swap a couple of whipped egg whites for baking powder? I can’t eat it, or baking soda. Thanks. LOVE your recipes!
Haven’t tried that, feel free to experiment and see!
Oh lord, please help me. I am so sorry for the dumb question, but when you say “¾ cup gluten free flour;
½ cup certified gluten free oat flour (can sub for standard gluten free flour)”, do you mean I can use just another 1/2 cup of gf flour instead of the oat flour? Or is it saying use the 1/2 cup of oat flour instead of the gf?? (If that makes no sense, my main question is, how much would it be I only have gf flour??)
Super yummy! Can’t believe how moist given how little oil is in this recipe. I made muffins because they’re just so fun and easy, especially when I use parchment muffin liners, so no greasing is necessary! The recipe made 8 regular-sized muffins. I used 1 c. oat flour and 1/4 c. tiger nut flour. I used an egg, but want to try the vegan version, too. I used Garden of Life Raw Vanilla Chai Protein Powder and Kite Hill plain almond yogurt. I used 365 unsweetened almond milk, but didn’t have to add very much, maybe a scant 1/4 c. I used 1/8 c. coconut sugar, a scant 1/8 c. xylitol and a packet of Truvia. I think they will be lovely spread with almond butter or applesauce. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh wow, tiger nut flour- Thanks so much for the feedback, Kim- I’ll need to try this version out!
Could you use more oat flour to sub. For the gf flour of choice?
That would work, although it will be a little more dense.
I’ll try adding 1 or 2 more eggs and some more milk if needed. Want to try it out for Mother’s Day. Thank you
Ashy! So sorry, my comment got cut off- Try out my flourless blueberry breakfast cake- There is a paleo option, switch out the blueberries for 1 cup of shredded carrots 🙂
Can I use coconut flour for the gluten free flour, usually you have subs for all types of lifestyle paleo, vegan, GF, DF… Maybe I missed it because i was drooling at carrot cake & healthy.
Thank you for all that you do for the flow cooks out there!!
Fellow* lol
Hi Ashy! I haven’t tried it with this recipe sorry!
Do you think this recipe would work substituting the Greek yogurt with coconut yogurt? Thanks for your help.
Can we substitute the wheat flour for something else? like, more oats flour ?
Hi Gaby! You can try it with oat flour- I’m not sure how good it will be- You can try my flourless carrot breakfast cake if you’d like all oat flour 🙂
Hey, I have to tel you this is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had! I substituted the egg for 2 egg whites, I used olive oil and left all the flour to be oats flour, it tastes really good! 😀
Thanks a lot for uploading this kind of recipes! Saludos desde México
Normally I go for carrot cake BECAUSE of the frosting, but this recipe looks and sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try it!!
😀 thanks so much, Rebecca!
You know its a winner when frosting isn’t needed..because daaaaang that cream cheese frosting can make ANYTHING GOOD #bestfrostingever
xo
Sarah Grace