Paleo Carrot Cake (No eggs or dairy!)

The BEST paleo carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting made without dairy! Moist, fluffy, and with a light tender crumb, this quick and easy recipe uses just one bowl, and requires no eggs, suitable for a vegan diet! No one will know it’s also keto, gluten-free and low carb. 3 grams net carbs per serving. 

Paleo Gluten Free Carrot Cake

We love all things carrot cake here.

Our favorites include carrot cake cookies, carrot cake smoothies, carrot cake mug cake, and baked carrot cake oatmeal, it’s time for a new carrot recipe to enter the mix! 

I didn’t think it was possible, but an eggless low carb carrot cake recipe?

Friends, this one is a winner.

This delicious carrot cake ticks all the boxes.

It’s packed with carrots, filled with delicious spices and studded with walnuts.

Let’s not forget the EASY dairy free cream cheese frosting which makes it the ultimate dessert! 

Moist on the inside, fluffy on the inside, we use coconut yogurt and arrowroot to give it that incredible texture…without eggs! 

How to make Paleo Carrot Cake from scratch

• Step 1: Prep your ingredients and pan– Line a 9 x 9-inch square pan or loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients, except for the walnuts and carrots, and mix well. In a seperate small bowl, combine your wet ingredients and mix well. 
• Step 2: Combine all your ingredients- Combine your wet and dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in your chopped carrots and chopped walnuts.
• Step 3: Transfer to a loaf pan or square pan- Transfer the batter into the lined pan, using a rubber spatula to spread it out in an even layer. Top with extra walnuts.
• Step 4: Bake at 175C/350F- Bake the carrot cake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. I found using my oven, 43 minutes was the right amount, so just be sure to double-check. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Step 5: Prepare your frosting and frost the cake- Prepare your healthy cream cheese frosting by combining your cream cheese of choice with sticky sweetener and vanilla extract. Frost the carrot cake, and top with extra chopped walnuts, before slicing up. 

Ingredients and substitutions

• Almond Flour– Blanched almond flour is preferred, but if you only have access to almond meal/traditional almond flour, that will be fine too. Just be wary that the cake will be darker. 
• Sweetener of choice- Any granulated keto or low carb sweetener will work. I’ve tried both monk fruit and swerve, and prefer the final texture of the monk fruit. 
• Arrowroot starch- Arrowroot starch isn’t typically considered keto-friendly, however, the amount used in this recipe is a mere 1/2 cup. When divided amongst the entire recipe, it will still only yields 4.5 grams of net carbs per serving! You can substitute this for tapioca flour. 
• Baking soda– Gives the cake some rise, and leavens it out well. 
• Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt- Replaces any need for eggs or oil. You can also use unsweetened applesauce, but that will add extra carbs. If you don’t follow a vegan or dairy-free diet, any plain style yogurt will work. 
• Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)– T give the carrot cake some delicious traditional flavor! 
• Chopped carrots- Chopped or shredded carrots, with the excess liquid squeezed out. 
• Lemon juice– works with the baking soda to ensure the cake rises enough, without sinking in the middle. 
• Walnuts– Optional, but adds some delicious crunch. You can add any chopped nuts you like, or simply omit! 

Frosting Ideas for Carrot Cake

Use either full-fat cream cheese (keto/gluten-free) or vegan plain cream cheese (vegan/dairy free). Avoid using reduced-fat or fat-free cream cheese, as it will increase the overall carbs, and also be void of a rich flavor.

A frosting substitution is a thin layer of melted coconut butter. It will firm up and give the cake a delicious hint of coconut cream. This is the best solution for a paleo option. Alternatively, Natalie’s recipe uses a homemade cashew cream cheese frosting. 

Grain Free Carrot Cake Nutritional Information 

You will get 8 servings from this carrot cake. On its own, a thick slice of this carrot cake is 148 calories. 12 grams of it is fat, 7 grams of carbs (4 grams of fiber), and 5 grams of protein. 

Each slice yields 3 net carbs. 

Storing and Freezing paleo carrot cake

Try not to keep the carrot cake at room temperature, as the ingredients in the cake aren’t designed to be stored like that. 

• To Store: This keto carrot cake is best stored in the refrigerator as it will keep this way for at least 5 days. Ensure the carrot cake is in a sealed container, or on a plate covered in plastic wrap.
• To freeze: This low carb carrot cake is freezer friendly and will keep well frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap the carrot cake in individual slices, as refreezing the carrot cake isn’t recommended. 

Paleo Carrot Cake Tips and Tricks

• I opted to use chopped carrots, as opposed to shredded carrots. I found the first time I made this using shredded carrots, it didn’t evenly distribute in the batter, and left certain parts a little dry.
• Please avoid using a thick ‘Greek-style’ yogurt, as the more liquid-like the yogurt is, the better it will be for the texture.
• This carrot cake is extremely fragile, so be careful when removing it from the pan.
• For best results, consider refrigerating your carrot cake for several hours before frosting.

More delicious cakes and muffins you’ll enjoy

• Blueberry Cake
• Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
• Cinnamon Bun Cake
• Best Banana Bread 
• Easy Vanilla Cake
• Easy Chocolate Cake