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.
I’ve tried numerous recipes from THE BIG MAN’S WORLD. They’re all amazing! This carrot cake is out of this world delicious. I love making it with a mix of carrots & zucchinis. I also add diced pineapples. Chopped apricots are great replacement for raisins. I make my icing wth coconut oil, coconut cream, yogurt and vanilla bean. THANKS ARMAN
Thanks so much for the very kind words Sabrina! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes, and these additions to the carrot cake sound INCREDIBLE!
Thanks for the great looking recipe! Is there a recipe for the frosting?
Hi Chloe, I have a few different frosting recipes on the site. I’m currently working on a cream cheese frosting for this though, which would be perfect 🙂
Its really healthy. Raisins, walnuts, carrots very good combination.
Hi what alternative to oil to be used
Hi Janine, if you’re not a fan of coconut oil, you could try avocado oil, as it’s nice and neutral. Or you could use melted butter instead.
Hm walnuts and raisins go well together? I am curious now!
You state this recipe is made of whole wheat flour yet in the ingredients list it says ALL PURPOSE FLOUR.
Hi Lori, thanks for spotting this. I did state that I used whole wheat flour in the body of the post but I’ve just updated the recipe card to reflect this too.
It really is healthy recipe. I have all imgredients except milk as I never buy it. Tomorrow I will. Thanks!
Carrots, cinnamon, walnuts-very good combination. Just for this fall. While watching a movie at night, in warm house, this warm cake. Amazing.
I love this recipe. I will be making it again this year. Thank you so much.
My carrot cake just cooled, tasted it. Very soft, fluffy and moist. Lessened the granulated sugar from 1 c to 3/4 c, just right, not sweet, delicious and healthy vegan carrot cake. Thank you for sharing this recipe, Arman! It’s a 5!
I have baked your healthy carrot cake (single layer, sweetener/ date syrup, and walnuts only) about three times now, within the past 6 weeks and everyone simply loves it. I am very careful with what I eat since I found out I am pre diabetic, so I am trying to ward off getting fully diabetic, as well as being a vegetarian. This cake is enjoyed by my husband, Mum, sisters, vegan nieces, mother-in-law etc. Well done for such a great receipe 👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😋😋
Where is your frosting recipe??!!
Hi Rachel, I have a couple of different frosting recipes here on the site and I’m working on a cream cheese frosting recipe for carrot cake at the moment.