Irresistibly moist and secretly healthy carrot cake… This recipe is so good, you’re going to want to eat it again for breakfast the next morning!
I am the girl who eats carrot cake all year.
If you haven’t tried my recipe yet for Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes, that post continues to be one of the most popular recipes on my blog…
So I guess I’m not the only one who eats carrot cake year-round!
Since the carrot cake cupcakes have been so popular, I knew I wanted to get an actual healthy carrot cake recipe up on the blog this year.
With Easter less than a week away, today seems like the perfect time to share this moist and incredibly delicious healthy carrot cake, loaded with sweet cinnamon and carrots.
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
The carrot cake above is topped with my Cream Cheese Greek Yogurt Frosting – which I even successfully made vegan!
It also tastes amazing topped with melted coconut butter (one of my favorite ways to eat carrot cake), or the cake is so perfectly spiced and flavorful that you might want to simply eat it unfrosted.
Above – watch me make the healthy carrot cake
The recipe was adapted from my Vegan Carrot Cake.
Healthy Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 packed cup shredded carrot (200g)
- 1/2 cup applesauce (120g)
- 1/3 cup oil, or sub applesauce only if you don’t mind a gummy texture (60g)
- 2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups spelt, white, or Bob’s gf flour (180g)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup sugar, xylitol, or evaporated cane juice (65g)
- 1/16 tsp uncut stevia OR 2 additional tbsp sugar
- optional shredded coconut or chopped walnuts
- optional 1/2 cup raisins
Instructions
- *For a double layer cake, simply double all ingredients and bake in two pans.Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line an 8-inch square or round pan with parchment. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients and let sit at least 10 minutes or fridge overnight. In a separate bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients. Pour wet into dry, then stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour into the prepared pan, and smooth down evenly. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. The carrot cake tastes much sweeter and better-textured the day after it’s made, and leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or even sliced and frozen. I frosted the cake with about 1/2 cup of the frosting recipe linked under the second photo in this post – If using a preservative-free frosting like the one I used, it’s best to frost directly before serving.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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Shawna Hussey says
Making this for my hubby’s bday this week! Just one question: can I sub almond flour or will that compromise the dough?
Kristen Wood says
I value the blog post. Really looking forward to reading more.
Suzanne Holt says
I have always been a sucker for a good slice of carrot cake… and your recipe was my solution! I do not feel guilty eating this cake, everything in moderation… am I right? Thank you for sharing this recipe with the world!
Hannah says
Would I use whole spelt or white spelt in this recipe?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I usually use whole-grain spelt; but it works with all purpose flour, so white spelt should also work!
Marina says
I love this cake! The result came out super good! Thank you for the recipe.
Julie says
Do you need to get dry the carrot after you shred it? It wasn’t listed in the steps so I didn’t and mine came out very soggy. Wondering if that’s why
Gayle Williams says
I’ve tweaked your recipe the tiniest bit and it is now my favorite! It will be posted to my blog on Monday (National Carrot Cake Day) with a link referencing that yours was the basis.
Lisa says
Thank you Katie for this lovely recipe. I just fell in love with this cake and my boyfriend can’t stop talking about it ? looking forward to try another amazing recipe from you!
Racquel says
Can i use almond flour?
Jason Sanford says
Sorry we have not tried it! Be sure to report back if you experiment!
Jason (media relations)
BCattalani says
Delicious! I made this for Mother’s Day, using crushed pineapple instead of applesauce. I added the coconut, pecans and raisins as suggested and let it sit overnight. It was tender and so tasty- loved every bite! Next time I’ll make a cream cheese frosting (instead of store bought) because this cake is worth the extra effort. Thanks for the recipe!
Magy says
Hey, Katie, love your recipes!! Do you think that I could sub Monk Fruit for the sugar? I am refined sugar free but have heard some great things supercalifragilisticexpialidocious this cake! Thanks and love it!
CookieDoughLover says
I just made this yesterday and it was so delicious! Thank you Katie! For anyone making this, be sure to use the optional oil and it tastes great with cream cheese icing. 😋
CCK Media Team says
❤❤
Shana Covel says
Hi. I can’t seem to get this cake to “cook.” I baked for 50 minutes and still totally raw. I used almond flour. Can’t figure out what I did wrong. Flavor is good!
CCK Media Team says
Almond flour is not listed as an option for this cake. It’s important to use one of the flours listed in any recipe, because different flours will act very differently in recipes (especially flours like almond or coconut) and you can’t always substitute something that isn’t listed as an option. However, Katie does have a different carrot cake recipe that uses almond flour: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/keto-carrot-cake/
Shawn says
I’m so excied to make your recipe especially after the rave reviews! Question, would you suggest using a plant based cream cheese alternative? I’m looking at all options. Thanks!
maggie says
I made this yesterday for easter and it was delicious! Even my non-vegan friends enjoyed it for dessert and ate two slices 🙂 I baked two layers in a square 8×8 pan and used Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Cream Cheese frosting as I was in a time crunch, and it also happens to be vegan! For the optional mix-ins, I used crushed walnuts, shredded coconut, and a handful of raisins as well. I will definitely be keeping this recipe on hand the next time I need a carrot cake! Thanks, Katie!
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for making it 🙂
Sha says
Hi Katie / Jason,
The nutrition info is based on oil or only applesauce?
Rachel says
Thanks for all the amazing recipes!! Is crushed pineapple a sub for the apple sauce in this recipe? I know there was an option for either in your other carrot cake recipe. Thanks!
Becky says
This recipe is soooo bang on! I was looking at recipes online and totally shocked at how unhealthy a standard carrot cake recipe is!! Yikes.
The only thing I did differently was add 1.5 cups of shredded carrot for maximum carrot-ness. Lol. And my add-ins were 1/2 cup of unsweetened, shredded coconut and 1/2c of pineapple pieces. And because this recipe saved me so many calories I made a classic cream cheese frosting to use with it. Yum. Turned out AMAZING. Already copied into my family recipe cookbook!
CCK Media Team says
This makes us so happy, thank you for trying it 🙂
Paula says
This is soooo good. I did have to add 1/2 cup of plant milk since the batter was very dry but it turned out delicious. Even my very picky husband loved it.