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Raise your hand if carrot cake is your favourite dessert.
If there is going to be any kind of cake – I want it to be carrot cake. Which is why I love this healthy and easy carrot cake recipe that is super moist with an outstanding spice flavour. And you can’t forget the cream cheese frosting – it is what makes this healthy carrot cake recipe the best.
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
You are going to want to cut a bigger slice of this carrot cake.
Why you will love this Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe
- Moist – You will taste how moist this carrot cake truly is in every bite
- Easy – Whip this carrot cake up for any occasion in only 35 minutes
- Healthy – Made with healthy and natural ingredients like unsweetened apple sauce and gluten free flour
Ingredient Notes
Almond Flour: Because why use regular flour when you can use almond flour is low in carbs and packed with nutrients. It also has a slightly sweeter taste and is gluten free – making it the perfect alternative for this health carrot cake recipe.
Unsweetened Applesauce: One of my favourite ingredients to bake with is unsweetened applesauce. It is high in fibre and what makes this carrot cake so moist and healthy!
How to Make This Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles at the bottom.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a large bowl, and using a hand mixer, whisk together the eggs, apple sauce, Lankanto sweetener, and vanilla until combined. Slowly stream in the melted coconut oil. From there, you will add the dry ingredients to the large bowl, whisk the ingredients together on media speed until 3/4 fully combined.
- Scrape the edges with a spatula, and add the small-grated carrots.
- On medium speed, mix until carrots are fully incorporated and the batter is uniform. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Test the doneness by inserting a toothpick and it comes out clean. Remove from the pan immediately and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- For the cream cheese icing, melt the butter in the microwave or over low heat in a small pot.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whip the cream cheese with a hand mixer on medium/high speed for 1 – 2 minutes until soft.
- Add the icing sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla, whipping until light and airy.
- Slowly stream in the melted butter, continuing to whip until smooth.
- Set in the fridge until the cakes are completely cooled.
To assemble
- Once completely cooled, place a small spoonful of cream cheese icing onto a serving plate or board. Set one cake layer upside down to reveal the flat side (remove parchment paper). Cover the layer with cream cheese icing, about ½ inch thick.
- Arrange half of the number of chopped walnuts onto the cream cheese layer. Set the second cake layer upside down on top of the icing & walnuts to reveal the flat side (remove parchment paper).
- Cover the top and the sides of the cake with icing. Carefully spread and scrape the sides of the cake while rotating your base to rid of excess. Do this until you’re happy with the result. Once the entire cake is covered, arrange the second half of the walnuts over the entire top.
- Gently press the walnuts into the top of the cake.
- Next, with the extra icing, prepare a piping bag with a large tip. Holding the piping bag perpendicular 1cm overtop of the cake on one edge, squeezing the icing out while lifting the bag slightly to form dollops. Repeat this on the opposite side and equally pipe 8 dollops on the cake.
- From there, sprinkle the coconut flakes on top and around all of the dollops.
- Keep your cake in the fridge until ready to serve OR allow to soften slightly prior to serving and enjoy!
Expert Tips & FAQ
Add ¾ – 1 cup of raisins, nuts, coconut, or even chopped pineapple to your cake- customize your cake to make it perfect for you! (and delicious!)
Instead of classic Lakanto sweetener, you can use ¾ cup honey OR 1 ½ cups sugar.
Use sunflower/safflower/avocado oil instead of coconut oil if you wish.
Turn this cake into cupcakes- bake for 16 – 18 minutes instead.
Use honey or maple syrup in your cream cheese icing to make it healthier! Make sure to use about half of the amount of icing sugar calls for.
To make this dairy-free, use vegan cream cheese and butter in the cream cheese icing.
Make or buy coconut whipped cream to use for your cake!
For an egg-free option, substitute for 1:1 Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacement.
This recipe is PERFECT for Spring Time + Easter! Impress all of your family and friends with this delicious, healthy dessert!
Finally, store the cake in the fridge for 4 – 5 days or in the freezer for 1 month.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
1-Bowl Easy Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe
Vegan Upside-Down Banana Bread Cake
Vegan Apple Coconut Crisp Cake
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Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅔ cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 ½ cups classic Lakanto sweetener – SEE NOTES
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten-Free Flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ginger
- ⅓ tsp nutmeg
- ⅓ tsp cloves
- 3 cups carrots, grated-small
Cream Cheese Icing (if DF, use this recipe)
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 4 ½ tbsp butter, melted
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 3 tbsp almond milk or plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla
To Garnish:
- 1 ½ cups walnuts, chopped
- ¼ cup coconut flakes
Instructions
Start Cooking- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles at the bottom.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a large bowl, and using a hand mixer, whisk together the eggs, apple sauce, Lakanto sweetener, and vanilla until combined. Slowly stream in the melted coconut oil. Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl, whisk the ingredients together on medium speed until ¾ fully combined.
- Scrape the edges with a spatula, and add the small-grated carrots.
- On medium speed, mix until carrots are fully incorporated and the batter is uniform. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Test the doneness by inserting a toothpick and it comes out clean. Remove from the pan immediately and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- For the cream cheese icing, melt the butter in the microwave or over low heat in a small pot.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whip the cream cheese with a hand mixer on medium/high speed for 1 – 2 minutes until soft.
- Add the icing sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla, whipping until light and airy.
- Slowly stream in the melted butter, continuing to whip until smooth.
- Set in the fridge until the cakes are completely cooled.
- To assemble, once completely cooled, place a small spoonful of cream cheese icing onto a serving plate or board. Set one cake layer upside down to reveal the flat side (remove parchment paper). Cover the layer with cream cheese icing, about ½ inch thick.
- Arrange half of the number of chopped walnuts onto the cream cheese layer. Set the second cake layer upside down on top of the icing & walnuts to reveal the flat side (remove parchment paper).
- Cover the top and the sides of the cake with icing. Carefully spread and scrape the sides of the cake while rotating your base to rid of excess. Do this until you’re happy with the result. Once the entire cake is covered, arrange the second half of the walnuts over the entire top.
- Gently press the walnuts into the top of the cake.
- Next, with the extra icing, prepare a piping bag with a large tip. Holding the piping bag perpendicular 1cm overtop of the cake on one edge, squeezing the icing out while lifting the bag slightly to form dollops. Repeat this on the opposite side and equally pipe 8 dollops on the cake.
- Next, sprinkle the coconut flakes on top and around all of the dollops.
- Keep your cake in the fridge until ready to serve OR allow to soften slightly prior to serving. Enjoy!!!
34 people are discussing this recipe. Join in
Made this for my husband for Valentine’s Day. The best gluten free carrot cake recipe I’ve tried! We both loved it and I’ll definitely make it again!
this makes me so happy, thank you!!!
My kids ate it all and barely left any for me…
My little one asked me to bake this for her upcoming birthday.
Much love from Switzerland.
Oh no! Looks like you’ll have to make it again 😉 hide some in the freezer! So happy you all love it !!
Hello! I am very excited to try this recipe!
I’m excited for you to try this recipe !
I really like the way you decorated the cake, can’t wait to make this!
I’m excited for you to try it!!
This is ridiculously good. I’m having a hard time connecting the “healthy” with this as the taste is fantastic!
Healthy is meant to be tasty too 😉
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe <3
You’re so welcome Gina 🙂 !
I made this cake for breakfast this morning. It turned out great, and actually quite good for a morning bite with coffee. Thank you for this!
You’re so welcome, and thank you!
I baked this cake today and wow! The smell alone is delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect!
Amazing! Love to hear that!
Can I make this recipe in cupcake form?
Yes you can, it is great as cupcakes. Bake them for 18-20 minutes and fill the cupcake liners 2/3-3/4 full.
A perfect carrot cake recipe. Nice consistency and super delicious. Thank you for this recipe!
Great! Thank you Kelsey for your feedback!!