This healthy carrot cake recipe is incredibly moist and nobody will believe it’s whole wheat! Recipe includes a less sugary cream cheese frosting. Can also be made with all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour.
Please note that although the video says Gluten-free Carrot Cake – this video is also how this healthy carrot cake is made! It just uses a different flour.
I accidentally republished my whole wheat rolls recipe last week and it went out to my email subscribers. Sorry about that! I don’t normally post recipes without gluten-free options. All I wanted to do was update the photos.
Today’s recipe can be made with whole wheat but also with gluten-free flour. The gluten-free option isn’t a whole grain healthy option but it is crazy delicious. All-purpose flour also works great.
And all three versions are just as delicious! And nobody can tell the difference between the three.
I have to say that I’m not a fan of carrots. I wanted them to be undetectable in this cake, so I used the really fine grater of my food processor. I’ve also used a Microplane zester but that takes a long time.
I used to bring this carrot cake into work every Easter and the Americans recognized it as carrot cake. But nobody has ever had any idea that it was a whole wheat carrot cake!
I don’t think they have carrot cake here in Germany (it might be at Starbucks or something like that) and whenever I give this to Germans, they say it’s the “best Christmas cake ever!”
At first I thought it was absurd, but then I realized they have a point. This has cinnamon and ginger. That is kind of Christmasy.
Do we associate carrot cake with Easter because the Easter Bunny eats carrots? I’ve googled it and couldn’t find an answer. It’s because of the bunnies, right? :D
To turn this carrot cake into a healthy carrot cake, in addition to the flour change, I reduced the sugar (by quite a lot!) and used coconut sugar. You can use granulated sugar if you prefer.
Instead of all oil, you use a mix of oil + applesauce. But unlike some other recipes that use applesauce, this change didn’t make this healthy carrot cake any drier or less tasty.
I also healthified the frosting! A lot of cream cheese frosting recipes use a ton of sugar. Not this one.
I reduced the sugar by quite a bit and now it tastes more like a cream cheese tart filling than super sugary frosting.
It’s a 1.5x version of my healthier cream cheese frosting. If you just want to frost the top of each layer and nothing on the side, check out the notes below for how much to use.
By the way, if you’re wondering what else to make for Easter, this scalloped potatoes and ham recipe from A Mind “Full” Mom look incredible! And if you prefer a sheet cake, try this maple carrot sheet cake from Healthy Seasonal Recipes!
Questions about this healthy carrot cake?
Fat
- Can you taste the olive oil?
I used extra-virgin olive oil and you can taste it in the batter and while the baked cake is still hot. Once it cools, you can’t taste it. If you’re worried about it, use light olive oil (the light refers to the taste and not calories).
- Can I use another oil other than olive?
You can use canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, etc. Anything neutral tasting. I haven’t tried coconut oil but if you do, I’d recommend using refined coconut oil unless you want some coconut taste in your cake.
- Can I use butter? I bet you could use butter in this cake but it wouldn’t be as moist (butter is 80-82% fat and oil is 100% fat).
- Can I use a different gluten-free flour?
I’ve only used the one listed in the recipe. If you have another brand that works as a sub for all-purpose flour, then you could probably use it here. I can’t say the texture would be as perfect as with the flour mix I used, though.
- Can I use a liquid sweetener?
Unfortunately not without experimenting!
- Can I reduce the sugar?
This carrot cake recipe already calls for a lot less sugar than a regular cake. Reducing sugar also reduces moistness so unless you want a dry cake, I wouldn’t recommend reducing the sugar any more.
- How can I make the frosting dairy-free?
You could use dairy-free cream cheese and butter in the below recipe or you could make my vegan cream cheese frosting (it doesn’t actually use cream cheese!).
- Does the cream cheese frosting pipe well?
You can pipe it if you double the amount of butter.
- Can I use a different sized pan?
Here’s a super handy pan conversion chart that should be able to help. Looks like a 9″x13″ should work well, though I haven’t tried it.
- Can I make this recipe into cupcakes?
Yes! This recipe will yield 24 cupcakes. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Use the smaller amount of frosting found in the recipe notes (the one that uses 12 ounces of cream cheese and not 16). This will yield about 2 cups so that means 4 teaspoons of frosting per cupcake.
- Can I freeze the layers / frosted cake?
Freezing the layers would definitely work. Freezing frosted layers, though? I’m not too sure about that. Does anyone know if freezing cream cheese frosting works well?
- Can I add pineapple, walnuts, raisins, etc.?
Walnuts or raisins wouldn’t be a problem but I’m a little doubtful of crushed pineapple or anything liquidy. The cake is already so moist that I’d be afraid that pineapple would make it soggy. I could be wrong, though!
If you try it out, please let us know in the comments and I’ll update this. :) You could also alternatively try this carrot cake with pineapple!
Flour
Sweeteners
Frosting
Random
If you try out this healthy carrot cake, I’d love if you could leave a comment with some feedback! Thank you and enjoy. :)
Healthy Carrot Cake (gluten-free, whole wheat options)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 12-16 slices
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) whole spelt flour or whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour or for a gluten-free version, 2 cups (276 grams) Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 large (50 grams each, out of shell) eggs
- 1 cup (200 grams) coconut sugar1 or granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (183 grams) unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/2 cup (118ml) olive oil (canola oil or another vegetable oil would work fine)
- 14.5 oz / 410 grams grated and peeled carrots2
- 18 ounces (510 grams) cream cheese, room temperature4
- 4.5 tablespoons (63 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting: (see note below)3
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C and grease three 8″ pans or line them with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the sugar, apple sauce, and olive oil and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined.
- Then fold in the carrots, again only until combined.
- Bake for 13 – 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. I accidentally had the fan on so these minutes could be off. It might be longer, but just check it at 13 and see how it is.
- Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, and then turn onto a wire rack to cool.
- Frost when completely cooled.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together with an electric hand mixer at medium speed until well combined. It's okay if it looks a little crumbly.
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until totally combined and then beat in the salt and vanilla. Frost the cake with about 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup per layer and the remaining frosting on the sides. If you bake the cake and prepare the frosting in advance and want to refrigerate the frosting, note that it gets quite firm, like a cream cheese tart filling. If that happens, just bring it to room temperature, stir and then frost. The frosting firms up once refrigerated so if you want the softer frosting texture (rather than a cream cheese tart filling kind of texture), let the cake come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Note that it's best to weigh coconut sugar! Some brands are light and coarse and some brands (like the one I use) are very fine and dense.
- I used the fine grater of my food processor. I can’t say if this would work if you grate them coarsely. It might lose some of its moisture. Mine was almost like a puree.
- This is enough to frost it like in the pictures, with about 2/3 cup on top of each layer and some frosting for the sides. If you just want to frost the top of each layer, use 12 ounces cream cheese, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- We have a different type of cream cheese in the US that's firmer and meant for baking, rather than for toast, like in Europe. For 8 ounces (225 grams) of cream cheese, buy a 300-gram package (the stuff at Aldi, Lidl, etc. works just as well as Philadelphia), put it in the center of a clean tea towel or cheesecloth, and squeeze out the liquid until you have 225 grams of cream cheese. You can now make cream cheese frosting without issue. So for this recipe, buy 675 grams of cream cheese and squeeze out the liquid until you have 510 grams.
- This recipe was updated on 3/14/18 with a new frosting recipe. The previous was called for 8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese, 1 6-ounce container (170 grams) Greek yogurt, and 1/2 – 1 cup (60 – 12 grams) powdered sugar.
Adapted from from Smitten Kitchen's carrot cake recipe
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147 comments on “Healthy Carrot Cake (the most amazing texture!)” — Add one!
5 comments are awaiting moderation!
I don’t know if it’s different in Europe, but after 15 minutes in the oven at 350, the cake is still liquid…. Also, your directions for the frosting mention Greek yogurt but I see no mention of that in the ingredients-I am viewing on my phone but still….
Thank you very much for pointing that out! The previous frosting had Greek yogurt in it. I just fixed the directions. Did the cake come out ok after a few extra minutes? What type of flour did you use and what country are you in? Flour unfortunately behaves differently from country to country (I’m from the US but live in Germany).
I’m a semi-professional baker (I recently sold my bakery in the States and moved to Belgium), so I usually bake for flavor and texture and don’t think too much about the amount of sugar or less-healthy flour is in a recipe. That being said, I’m a hit of a fanatic when it comes to ingredients in my own home, and I strictly avoid processed foods, refined oils, etc. so, I’ve been thinking about refining my baking habits and including more “healthy” options into the mix. This was my first go, and I was skeptical. I’m SO glad I started with this cake! It is awesome! Even my (very picky) 8 yr old LOVED IT. It’s true what she says about the texture. Amazing.
A few comments – in the notes it says 1.5 cups of sugar. In the recipe it says 1 cup or (200g). I think this is a typo because 1 cup of coconut sugar is not 200g according to my scale. Anyway, I went with a cup and figured whoever wants a sweeter taste can spread some honey on a slice (which is delicious by the way).
I grated the carrots on the normal side (bigger, I guess?) of my box grater and the cake was still amazing and moist.
You can definitely taste the olive oil. I think I will try with coconut oil next time. I would prefer to taste coconut in my cake. Also, coconut is more stable at higher temperatures. (Just thinking of my health and avoiding burned oil).
Finally, the baking time says 13-17 minutes. In the notes it says cupcakes will take 18-20 minutes, so I think this is another typo. I used a 9” round and baked it for close to 40 minutes at 350 and my oven tends to bake things quickly. I always have to reduce baking times. I did cover it halfway through baking and then removed the foil for the last 5-7 minutes.
Hello! Thanks for your comment. I’m so glad you and your kid loved it! The recipe calls for using three round 8″ pans. When you only use one 9″ round pan, it’s normal for it to take a lot longer to bake. So that’s why you needed 40 minutes instead of 13-17. I’m surprised it baked through at all! That’s great.
The recipe post says to bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes (not 18-20). I’ve made this recipe using three 8″ pans and cupcake pans 2-3x a year for 14 years, so I can attest to the baking times being correct. :)
Thanks for pointing out where I said you can reduce the sugar to 1 cup from 1 1/2 cups! I originally posted this recipe in 2012 with 1 1/2 cups of sugar. I’ve since updated the recipe to use 1 cup, but forgot to change the post. I’ve also added a note saying to weigh the coconut sugar, if possible. The brand I have is 200 grams per cup. Several brands say 1/4 cup = 50 grams on the pack of their coconut sugar packages. It really depends on the brand and how finely ground it is.
What kind of olive oil did you use? I ask because I always use the organic extra-virgin olive oil from Aldi and Lidl and have never tasted any olive oil in this cake. If you use a very expensive, very intense olive oil, then I can imagine you’d be able to taste it.
If you’d like to avoid coconut flavor (I know you said you’d prefer coconut flavor to olive oil flavor, but if you wouldn’t like any additional flavor from the oil at all), you can use refined coconut oil. Or just a lighter, less intense olive oil. I haven’t tried coconut oil in this cake, but I find that with cakes in general, the result is often firmer and less fluffy when at room temperature than cake made with a liquid (at room temp) oil.
Hi to make this diabetic friendly, how can I substitute the sugar ( should i use a blend of xylitol, erythritol and stevia like you did in the chocolate chip cookie?)
I’m so sorry for just now seeing this! That blend I use isn’t a 1:1 blend for regular sugar, so I wouldn’t do that. I would recommend using a sweetener that’s a 1:1 sub for regular granulated sugar. I don’t use sugar subs, so I can’t recommend one. Sorry that I’m no help!
I made these into cupcakes and adjusted for high altitude. I also added about 1/4 cup med shredded unsweetened coconut for a bit of the carrots and then some! I almost halved the icing recipe and thought it was the perfect amount to add just a small layer on top of the cupcakes. I also used homemade applesauce—just cooked! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
I’m sorry for just now seeing your comment! Your changes sound great and I’m glad that the cupcakes came out well at high altitude. :) And homemade applesauce – yum! Thanks a bunch for your feedback.
YUM!!!! Looks delicious Erin!
Thanks! Hope you’ll get to try it out. :)
Delicious! I made this with the gf flour mix recipe on your website, the children really enjoyed them! We also finely grated the carrots… The cake is moist and delicious! Thank you for another great recipe!
You’re welcome! Do you mean the Bob’s Red Mill GF Baking Mix or the one that I use in a few recipes with white rice flour, potato starch, etc.? Thank you again for your feedback. It’s always nice to hear from you. :)
I can’t make this for my family due to many reasons but it really bothers me that you don’t yet know that canola oil is not a healthy oil. I used it for many years but stopped 5 years ago when I learned the truth about it. I won’t bother you with all the details, but please check it out. There are lots of expert sources that will tell you that.
I do already know that canola oil is not healthy. I list olive oil as the oil to use but people don’t always want to use that so I list as many options as I can because people always ask. I get emails telling me how one shouldn’t bake with olive oil. I get angry emails about how coconut oil is just terrible and causes this and that. If I used ghee or butter, I’d get angry emails about that. If I used lard or palm oil, I’d get angry emails about that, too. Someone always has issues with something. So I’ve learned to just offer people choices and let them decide themselves what to use. :)
Freedom of choice, with everyone sick these days we all need to experiment on what works within our own environment.
Coconut oil takes time to adjust one’s taste buds.
Just apply what a person likes.
Thanks! I agree. :)
This really was the best gluten free carrot cake I have ever had – added chopped pineapple & toasted walnuts to top-notch will absolutely make again & again!!
Yay! I’m really happy to hear that! Thanks for your comment. :) And yum to pineapple and walnuts!
Wonderful recipe and so easy to follow! I’ll be checking what other recipes of yours I can try!
– Novice Baker ;)
I’m sorry for just now seeing your comment! I’m so glad that you liked the cake. :) I hope you’ll find some other recipes that look good. Thanks for your feedback!
Hi there! :) will this recipe work if I want to bake it in one pan and then cut it in half/thirds? I don’t have two round pans of the same size and I don’t want to buy just for one recipe :/ Thanks !
Yes, that’d work! Just keep a close eye on the baking time. :)
This recipe was great! I made this for my sons first birthday. I’m about to make it for the second time in a week! I used whole wheat flour, I added shredded coconut, raisins and walnuts to the mix and substituted 1/4 cup of oil with yogurt. my parents and I were fighting over the last peice so I figured I would just make another cake and send some back home to TX with them! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
I’m so sorry for just now seeing your comment! I love that you made another cake to send your parents back home with. :) Your additions sound great. Thanks for your feedback and sorry again!
excellent recipe. made in a 13×9 pan. used coconut sugar and added sultanas and walnuts. perfectly sweet. frosted with maple cream cheese frosting from another site and it was a perfect match. will make again as half recipe in an 8×8 pan.
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! I bet it was amazing with the maple cream cheese frosting. Yum! Thanks for your comment. :)
How long and at what temp did you bake this recipe in a 13×9 pan!!!? :) Let me know, thanks!
That person didn’t have the email notification option selected so they won’t see your comment unless they come back to this page and reread their old comment. I haven’t tried it but I’m guessing 350 degrees F but have no idea of the baking time. Just keep a close eye on it. :)
Thank you so much for sharing this low sugar carrot cake recipe. HEre 1 Teaspoon means flat or heaped teaspoon?
ALso one more doubt, the weight of the carrot is before peeling or after peeling?
I’m so sorry for just now seeing your questions! Measurements are always flat unless the recipe specifically says heaped. :) The weight of the carrots is peeled. Hope you’ll enjoy the cake!
Thank you for your reply. Before getting your reply, I tried as a sheet cake by doubling the recipe by replacing the apple sauce with equal cups of greek yoghurt (since i didnt want to add much oil) , but it was so yoghurty, still it tasted awesome after 2 days. Is there anything else i can add to replace the applesauce?
As you can probably tell, I’m having issues with the comments. :( Sorry again for just now seeing this. There’s not really a good sub for applesauce. You could do oil or a mix of sugar and oil but I don’t think that’ll help you. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
do I need to put applesauce In an earlier comment, you said substitute with oil but along with the olive oil, would it be too oily?
You can use either applesauce or oil. It wouldn’t be too oily with more oil. That’s how I used to make it!
Delicious! I used one cup of brown sugar and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe :)
Awesome! Glad to hear that it worked out well with less sugar. Thanks for your feedback. :)
Hello, I am wondering if this would do well in sheet pan? Also would I most likely double the recipe for a sheet pan? Thanks so much!
Hello! I haven’t tried it but here’s a pan conversion chart that you might find useful. :) Hope you’ll enjoy the cake!
This recipe looks delicious from the description and reviews. I am in Denver and could use some ingredient adjustments for high altitude. Any suggestions? Thanks. :)
Hi there! I unfortunately have zero experience with high altitude baking but I think this guide might be helpful! Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you. :(
This cake is absolutely delicious! I have made it multiple times over the past couple of years. I’ve made it as a sheet cake, as a layer cake, and most recently, as cupcakes. Per a comment I saw, I added 1 tsp. of baking powder to the recipe when making this recipe as cupcakes and it was perfect! Thank you, Erin for sharing this lightened yet decadent treat!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy that you’ve been enjoying it over the years. :) Thanks for the tip with the baking powder and cupcakes! I’ve made them often as cupcakes and they’re always so fluffy so I’m curious how they are with the extra baking powder! Thanks again for your comment. :)
Hi, this recipe looks delicious! Is there a way we could get nutrition facts on it? Thank you!!
Hi there! You could use this recipe analyzer if you’d like for that info. :)
Hey,
I did the recipe, and the cake was amazing! I did a few shorcuts thou and it worked out amizingly : I mixed all the ingredients together, along with chunks of carrot in the blender, and just blended everything together. Used the spelt flour. The mix was really liquid but I added some shredded coconut and some walnuts. Took about 30 minuts to bake and was amazing. I topped it whit whipped coconut cream and slathered with maple syrup. Next I am trying it without eggs and sub them for flax eggs. It was amazing the flavour and texture. :) Thank you
I also baked this on Easter Sunday. Everyone loved it, especially my German husband 😉
Thank you for the recipe!
Haha. Happy your German enjoyed it. ;) Thanks again for your feedback!
Do you know if I can use almond flour instead? I cant eat gluten so was wondering. Thanks!
You can’t but I have a super delicious paleo carrot cake recipe that uses almond + coconut flour. :)
Thanks will check it out :)
Hi! These sound delicious!
Would I be able to sub butter in place of oil?
Also I’m planning on making cupcakes, do you think this recipe will yield around 24?
Thank you!
Hi! I haven’t tried it but I think it’d work. But the cake would be less moist so I definitely recommend some kind of oil. :) And it will yield 24 cupcakes. Hope you’ll enjoy them!
Thank you! I’ll stick with oil.
Also, do you think I could sweeten the cream cheese- Greek yogurt frosting with maple syrup (as your other recipe does) instead of sugar, or would it be too runny? I could of course skip the yogurt, but it sounds like such a yummy addition!
I think it’d be too runny. Which recipe of mine uses maple syrup? I have so many I many I’ve started to forget. :D This one just uses maple, but it’s based on mascarpone and heavy cream. And it’d be amazing on this carrot cake!
Oh my word!! LOVE carrot cake and this heathier version. I will be making this with my scalloped potatoes for sure!
Woohoo! Hope you’ll enjoy it. :)
I found your website today while looking for a spelt carrot cake recipe. Made this and loved it! I halved the recipe and baked it in my cast iron skillet. I didn’t have regular Greek yogurt, so I subbed coconut Greek yogurt. It was amazing! I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
Awesome! I’m so happy that it came out well and cooking it in a cast iron skillet sounds like a great idea. Thanks for your comment. :)
Hey would love to try these, any substitute for applesauce?
Hi there! Oil should work. That’s what the original recipe used and I subbed applesauce for it. :) And sorry for my slow reply!
Thanks! Will make it today!
Awesome! Hope you’ll enjoy it. :)
Made these today, 5 stars for taste. I really don’t like too sweet desserts and this was great. Really like that the ingredients are simple and had half the sugar of other recipes I read. Made them as cupcakes, 22 total. Would have preferred they rise more but I’ve never had cupcakes rise well. Would try it again as a round cake and might add nuts. Thanks for including the grams, made measuring much easier. Also like the icing, used 3/4 cup sugar and can actually taste the cream cheese instead of store bought sugary stuff.
Hmm. That’s interesting about them rising. Were they still fluffy? I remember them being nice and fluffy as cupcakes, but I don’t remember exactly if they rose a lot. Either way, I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for your comment. :)
This recipe was a bit of a disaster! I checked and rechecked the amounts but my batter was waaaay too wet. No way these would be done baking in the timeframe given as a cake (I did cupcakes and still had to bake longer). I added more flour to second batch to help remedy them. It also seems like way too much oil, as the cupcake papers ended up saturated in oil. Good flavor though.
I’m sorry it didn’t work out! If you click on “older comments” at the bottom of the page, you’ll find several reviews and they’ve all been positive. I’m afraid something must have gone wrong. They definitely shouldn’t be oily! Did you make any changes or subs at all to the recipe?
Made these as cupcakes this morning and they turned out incredible! The flavor is fantastic and the texture is awesome! They are moist yet light. The flavor reminds me a lot of Morning Glory muffins, which are my favorites but I have never found a good recipe for them. The only things I did differently was adding some vanilla because I love vanilla and adding one tsp baking powder for extra fluffiness. I am so glad to have found this recipe. My son loves it as much as my banana muffins and thus far those have been undefeated favorites. Thanks for a wholesome alternative to the traditional cake. Serving these with cream cheese frosting on Easter and I don’t think anyone will miss the sugar. Excellent job!
Thanks so much! I’m so happy that they worked out well as cupcakes for you and that you’ll be making them again for Easter. I’ll have to try these with extra baking powder and see how they are! Thanks a bunch for your thoughtful comment. :)
Hey! This looks amazing and I am thinking of making it for Easter. I always want to use whole wheat flour in cake but have found that it requires a recipe intended to be that way for it to turn out well. So I am really excited to try this. I was wondering if you have any idea how many cupcakes this might make? I look forward to making it and letting you know how it turns out.
It’ll make 24 cupcakes (each mold filled 3/4 full). Bake for 12-18 minutes. :) I hope you’ll enjoy them!
Hi, I just had a couple of questions… I read above that you think I could substitute coconut oil, no problem? And if I wanted to make a slightly bigger cake, would you recommend 2 x 9″ square pans? Also… approximately how many cups of grated carrot do I need? I’ve been looking all over the internet for a yummy, slightly healithier carrot cake recipe for Easter (yes, Easter=bunny=carrots=carrot cake for me!) and I’m really excited to give yours a try!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t guarantee it but I’m pretty sure coconut oil would work fine. :) You could use two 9″ pans and bake them for about 30-40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and then turn out onto cooling racks. And that’s about 3 cups of carrots. Hope you’ll enjoy the cake! :)
Honestly the best carrot cake!!! A bit too sweet for me but perfect. Unfortunately i put al the mixture in one big pan and when i tried to cut in halves I realised that it was still uncooked in the middle :( i baked it for only 30-35 mins. I believe next time i will have to bake it for 45-50 m.
I did use a toothpick but i guess i didnt push it all the way down !!!
Still the cooked pieces are perfect! 10 stars for it!! May i ask if we can use coconut oil instead??
Thank you!!
Oh no! I hope next time will work better. :) What size pan did you use? I think you’d have to use a very large pan for the full recipe! I haven’t tried it but I’m pretty sure coconut oil would work fine. :) Thanks so much for your comment!
hello! yes, it was a big one :)
I slightly changed the frosting, so I used just the cream cheese and 3 TBS of honey. Few lemon drops as well.
P.S: kind request:Please make us a marble cake !
I’m happy that the cream cheese came out well with so little honey! That’s great. I’m sorry to say that I’m not so sure about a marble cake. I don’t have any vanilla flavored cakes on here because they’re hard to make healthy and taste good. I’ll keep it in mind, though. :)
You nailed it, girl! The best I’ve ever made. I halved the recipe, added 1/2 c. drained crush pineapple, and baked it as a thin, one layer cake in rectangular glass pan (25 min. on 325) Used regular cream cheese icing recipe w/ 1/2 tsp. orange extract added. Divine!!
Thank you for the recipe. My baking usually does not end up this scrumptious!
The little clock for comments is wrong. I submitted this around 8 pm, not 2 AM!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it and that the added pineapple worked out well! Thanks for sharing the baking time and pan size. I’ll have to try that! Thanks a bunch for your comment. :) And the time you see is my time. I currently live in Germany. Sorry for the confusion!
Hi! I am interested in trying out this recipe to make for my family but the problem is that we are sugar free. Seeing that this has a cup of sugar in it, i was wondering how could i replace that with something more natural or even and artificial sweetener. plz help!
Hi! You could use raw sugar but I don’t use artificial sweeteners so I can’t help you there. I reduced the sugar quite a bit already from the original recipe and I don’t recommend reducing it even more.
Made this for my hubby’s birthday and he LOVED it. It made a nice treat for my severely diabetic father-in-law too. AND my sister-in-law made white-flour-full-sugar carrot cake at Thanksgiving and my hubby says this one’s much better! ;)
This recipe is so good!! And as healthy as carrot cake can get! I used the normal grater on my food processor (because I can’t figure out the fine grater attachment!) I also added 1/2 cup of walnuts and 1/4 cup of raisins. It may have been a touch dry with the added ingredients. I’m wondering what would happen if I doubled the applesauce (and cut back on the sugar). I also baked this in a 9 x 9 x 2 baking dish for about 35 mins! The frosting is perfect!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it! This cake definitely shouldn’t be at all dry so maybe reduce the added ingredients next time. :) I wouldn’t recommend doubling the applesauce. It’d make the cake less moist (since you’re reducing the amount of sugar and sugar adds moisture and creates a nice texture). And then you’d have to figure out how to reduce the other liquid (since you’re adding liquid in the applesauce). And it’s great to know it fits a 9×9 well! Thanks a bunch for your feedback. :)
Dear Erin, I have never commented on any on your recipes before, I am more of a secret admirer type of person :D but I absolutely have to do it now. This cake is incredibly soft, moist, fragrant and delicious. I made it for my husband yesterday, changed nothing, just added some blueberries and bananas and we both loved it. Thank you so much for your hard work and all wonderful recipes (your GF chocolate muffins are the love of my life :)). Have a happy summer <3
Hi Sasha! Thanks so much for your nice comment. :) I’m happy to hear that you liked the cake and the chocolate muffins! Your blueberry and banana addition sound nice! I’ll have to try that. Thanks again for your comment and happy summer to you, too!
Hiiiii , I have a question what can I put instead of the apple sauce ???
Hi there! The recipe I adapted my recipe from (I link to it at the bottom of the recipe) uses 2 cups granulated sugar and 1 1/4 cups canola oil so you could do that instead of the amount of sugar, applesauce and oil I list in my recipe. Enjoy! :)
Can I use raw honey instead of sugar? If yes then does the quantity remain the same as sugar or can we alter it?
Sorry for my slow reply! Subbing honey or any liquid sweetener for sugar can be tricky. The original recipe (I link to it at the bottom of the recipe) uses 2 cups of sugar and I reduced that to 1 cup and added 3/4 cup applesauce (I also reduced the oil). If I were you, I’d try 1/2 cup honey and 1/3 cup sugar, though I haven’t tried it so I can’t say if it’d work well. Using only honey would require adjustments to the liquids and since I haven’t tried it, I have no idea what they’d be here. Sorry about that! I hope you’ll enjoy the cake if you try it. :)
did you use plain regular applesace or the type with cìnnamo?
I used regular unsweetened applesauce but sweetened works as well. And if you have applesauce with cinnamon, I’m sure that’d be fine, too. :)
Sublime!!! Do you think it would work if I pureed the carrots in a blender?
I’m so happy you liked it! And I’m afraid that it probably wouldn’t work if you pureed the carrots in a blender. Too much moisture would be released and I think that’d throw everything off (though I could be wrong!) Let me know if you try it. :) Thanks for the feedback!
Corn is not a vegetable.
Well, it was a toss up between this cake and the carrot cupcakes. This won and I’m so glad I made it! It was moist and tender, sweet without being overly sweet. I threw a cup of walnuts in there because, face it, I just love walnuts in carrot cake! My husband isn’t a carrot cake person and he said that the cake was delicious even before he got to the frosting. He had a second piece and still doesn’t know it was healthified! A huge thumbs up from my family!!!! Another one of your awesome recipes that wiill be a mainstay in our house. You are a genius, Erin!!!
Yay! So happy that you and your husband enjoyed it. Maybe him not liking carrot cake and him liking this one explains why I don’t like any of the carrot cake recipes I’ve been coming up with. They taste like carrots and this one doesn’t. This one is just lovely spices and doesn’t make me think of veggies at all. ;) Thanks again for your feedback! So happy that you tried it. :)
Me too! I took note of your instruction advice and fine grated the carrot, that helped the texture a lot! Some carrot cakes I’ve had in the past were more carrot-y and not as “delicate” as this one. It was like a yummy spice cake with a mild carrot flavor going on..
Aha! Apparently I need to go back and reread my posts for tips like finely grating the carrot. ;) Thanks for pointing that out and for your comment!
Hi! What would I do if I just wanted to make a one layer version?
Sorry for the slow reply, Allie! If you only want one layer, then make half of the recipe and use a 10″ cake pan rather than an 8″ pan. I’m guessing you’ll have to bake it for 15-20 minutes, but it’s just a guess. :) I hope it works out for you!
We Do have carrot cake in germaby, its called rüblitorte or möhrenkuchen here;)
Aha! Thanks for the tip. :) I’ve only seen it in American bakeries.
I’ve baked this carrot cake and it turns out awesome ! I love it ! Can you tell me how much calories i should count for one slice?
I’m so happy that you liked it, Laura! :) I’m afraid that I don’t know the calories but you can copy and paste that info into the CalorieCount Recipe Analyzer and it’ll tell you all the nutritional info. :) Thanks so much for the feedback and the rating. I really appreciate it!
This looks and sounds GREAT! I am on a whole grain and sugar free diet, so it is difficult to bake things that I can eat too. I am going to try this cake tomorrow subsituting Truvia for the sugar and running the Truvia through the food processor for the powdered sugar. I will let you know how it comes out.
blending 1 cup of sweetner(truvia splenda etc) + 1 tbsp of cornstarch will give you diabetic icing sugar the corn starch is the key ingredient so that your icing will hold consistency just like regular icing sugar does ;)
Thanks for the tip! :)
This is a great idea, I love carrot cake, it has to be the best cake ever. Love the site too.
Just wondering…. where do you buy your coconut sugar in Germany? And allspice?
I got mine from Metro. You can get it from the Bio stores but it's extremely expensive there. Allspice = Piment and you can find it in any non-discounter. :) Good luck!
This recipe is easy if you have a food processor to grate your carrots, or if you buy them pre-grated. Otherwise it's a huge pain. Literally. You'll scrape the heck out of your knuckles on the grater. Thanks.
Great recipe, loved your carrot cake (and just blogged about it as well:). Thank you!
I'm so happy you liked it! Thanks for letting me know and blogging about it. Will check it out. :)
Ugh. JEN, I mean. :)
Jens – Haha. At least you read them. I bookmark things and years later they're still there, waiting to be read. So good for you. :)
Oh this looks so incredibly yummy. You can tell how much I am behind in reading my bookmarked articles LOL, Jen
Jonathan – Thanks! I hope you enjoy it. :) And yeah, the whole grain thing is definitely a plus! It really doesn't taste "healthy."
This looks incredible!!! And the 100% whole grain is a plus!!! Can't wait to make this.
Sonia – Sorry I'm just now replying. I had to go outside in my pajamas in the snow to get reception to answer that last question.
Your site was working last night so that's good! It must be some Wordpress wide problem. Last night I tried commenting on Nora's page and it didn't work although it had started working again a few days previously. It's wacky.
Sorry I didn't see your Facebook comment. :( I try to keep up with Facebook but I'm just bad at it. I usually only remember to post my own links several days after originally making the post. I'm sorry the cake didn't come out the way you wanted, but I'm sure if your family liked it, it must be good! If you added some honey, I surely wouldn't be disappointed. Good luck with the next attempt! :)
Sorry for the slow response! I'm in a forest with no reception. I suggest trying 2/3 cup honey but I can't guarantee it'll work. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it! :)
Oh, so my site is being an idiot too? I don't know what's up with that, but I've been unable to comment on many of my favorite blogs lately. I'm really sorry about that, I'll definitely have to look into that situation and try and get it resolved! There has to be a solution!
As for the chocolate cake, I did leave a comment on my facebook page to the effect that I had made a first attempt but wasn't as pleased with it as I wanted to be, so decided it was a no go and I had to take a second shot at it. However, after it was half gone, my daughter and mother just kept raving about it, they absolutely LOVED it, so I'm wondering if perhaps, I won't keep it exactly as is, without any added sugar. Still debating. Second take should be happening this weekend. Stay tuned! :)
You think I would have read your comment right above mine. So, if I do try to make it all honey, how much do you think I'd need? The same amount by weight?
This cake looks so yummy. Is there a way to make it using only honey. My brother and sister-in-law are on a diet that allows only honey as a sweetener. Could it work?
Sonia – Wow, what a compliment! Thank you. :) You know, you're really clever. Marzipan is all over the place here and I used gum paste that I brought with me from the US. I would never eat the stuff, but I'll put it on as decorations. Marzipan would be so much better! Especially homemade marzipan. My carrot mixture was basically puree and it always works out nicely! I can't wait to see what you come up with.
When's that chocolate cake coming? Or did I miss a mention somewhere? :) Your site and all Wordpress sites have been a pain in the butt recently with the comments which is why I've been quiet. Thanks again for the kind comment!
Dawn – Go go go! I'd love to try a low sugar version. I felt kind of bad posting this recipe, but it's so good I couldn't keep it back. I was almost tempted to use all honey, but I couldn't mess with our Easter cake. Maybe later. Happy Easter to you! :)
this looks tasty! I love carrot cake, especially with cream cheese frosting. I haven't had that since I started this low sugar diet. You have given me inspiration to work on a low sugar version. ooh yummy!
Well, Erin, I don't know if your carrot cake is indeed the best carrot cake ever, but I have to say it's by far one of the most beautiful I've ever seen! I love your little carrots! Are those marzipan? And it does look like it's unbelievably moist.
I love the idea of grating the carrots super fine to create even more moisture. Like a carrot puree, almost. I will be giving that technique a try for sure. As a matter of fact, I'm still on a quest to find the perfect carrot cake, and seeing as how I haven't found it yet, I was planning on giving it another shot soon. Guess who will be my inspiration? :)
Honey – I never thought of red velvet cake as Christmas cake. It's obviously a good choice but my family always had green velvet cake for my mother's birthday, which is St. Patrick's Day. Red velvet cake is good for anything, I guess!
Marisha – I'm not a big fan of pineapple in baked goods. It's weird because it's probably in my top three favorite types of fruit. And you should definitely try adding adding some whole wheat flour to your recipe! Just start off with 1/3 whole wheat. It might take some getting used to. Good luck. :)
Katelyn – I don't like them that way either but thanks for the tip. :) Good luck with the soup! I know somebody who would love that and I'll probably end up making it if you succeed.
I love carrot cake. My favorite version is dusted with toasted coconut on the outside. I don't like carrots in all contexts though. They're really good roasted until the point of caramelization with a little brown sugar. Maybe you'd like them like that? I've been trying to capture that flavor in a soup for a while. Three tries so far and no dice.
I love LOVE carrot cake. Smothered in cream cheese frosting. Sigh. I made carrot cake cupcakes last week and the house smelled cinnamon-y and delicious. Complete with piped on, super thick cream cheese frosting. I will definitely have to try using whole wheat flour – that's my next step in baking healthier. My recipe uses pineapple – have you ever tried that??
i love your baking style.. i incorporate whole wheat pastry flour in almost everything i bake. i also find ways to tone down the fat.. brilliantly done. i LOVE carrot cake. Here in the US, our xmas cake is Red Velvet Cake. :-)
Amy – Thanks! I hope it doesn't disappoint. Don't tell people it's whole grain though or they'll complain. Let them shower you with compliments first and then tell them. That's always my method. :)
this looks absolutely wonderful + i love that you made it taste as least vegetably as possible. i might give this a try for easter – thanks!
Katrina – Really?! You're the second one to say that. Maybe I'm just not super picky about carrot cake or maybe it's just that this one is so amazingly good. :)
Miryam – It's not really! There are so many crumbs in the frosting layers. I wanted to ask in my post how to cut such clean layers, but I figured it has to do with the moistness of the cake. And if you haven't, please read the note about the frosting! It's not pipeable. It'd still be good on cupcakes, but you would only be able to spread it on. I hope you like it! You can always add more sugar if you want. Butter's not needed though. :)
This cake looks amazing. The cut piece looks really clean, I can't never get my peaces to look like that!! I love carrot cake. It is not something that I made regularly but now that I have seen yours I should make it again. I have never seen Greek yogurt on frosting, very cleaver. I am using this frosting recipe for my next needed cake or cupcakes, I love it!!
(Good) carrot cake is my favorite! I still haven't found THE one yet. The best I've ever had is sold in this little cafe about a 3 hour drive away..a trip I don't mind making sometimes it's that good. I'm so happy you posted a whole grain one. I can't wait to make it!
Cassie – Thank you! And dreamy? That's a new one. It gave me a huge smile. :)
Rachel – What?! You need to make some carrot cake. It's good stuff, especially if it's covered in cream cheese frosting. I went light with it in this one, but you have to drown the cake in the stuff to get the full experience. And use regular cream cheese frosting too! Your kids have to experience the "real" thing. :)
Nora – I guess de-glutenizing it would be quite difficult. I feel bad when I post a recipe that you can't make. :(
Caroline – Uh oh, I guess I should be kind of nervous. I LOVE this cake, but if you've never found one you like as much as the bakeries, then I'm nervous. Everyone I've given some to has loved it, but they're not carrot cake experts like you are. I hope you like it!
Melinda – Hi and thank you! It's always great to hear from new readers. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you like what you're finding. :)
Becca – Yeah, I think so too! I'm happy you like the photos. I won't mention how long it took to get that first photo. I went through tons of backgrounds and it turns out that white is always better. I've learned my lesson. No more trying to be creative!
I assume carrot cake is associated with Easter because the Easter Bunny eats carrots…. That's the only reason I can come up with.
I don't like carrot cake (or carrots in general), but I like your photos; they're beautiful :)
Hi Becca! Just happened to come onto this "amazing" site and started to look at everything(makes me hungry) and read a lot of what is here. My Carrot Cake is probably the one and only thing in my life that I am good at!!! EXAMPLE: Where I used to work, we would do a fundraiser for a charity that raised money to buy toys for children for Christmas time. This charity made sure all children were looked after! Anyways, where I worked, was in an old house, and each year I had to make more and more cakes, so I just stayed at work, OVERNIGHT and kept baking. The last year that I made the cakes, I had to do a cut off at 115 cakes. People who bought often, would pay double price if they could get two batches of icing on the cake, instead of one…I thought this was wild! If you ever want the receipe, just let me know, and with this receipe, it is not just the ingredients….there are a couple of "must do tips" as well. All the best, Cheryl
Please send you’re recipe to me!!!
I would LOVE to have your recipe please!!!
Please may I have your recipe .. Thanks
Just stumbled upon your blog – love all your recipes!! This carrot cake looks fantastic. Love the use of greek yogurt in the frosting!
Carrot cake is my all time favorite cake ever. I've never found a recipe that I liked as much as some of the ones from bakeries. I must try this one! :D
OH MY!!! This is beautiful!!!! I LOVEEEEEEEEE carrot cake so I just need to de-glutenize it!!! Fabulous job :)
I maybe have had a piece once or twice in my life but can't for the life of me remember what it tastes like. I'm all for hiding veggies if they can't be tasted ;) Bonus if it's in sweets.
I love carrots, I love carrot cake, I love cream cheese frosting, I love whole grains…I'll stop now. This looks and sounds dreamy! Gorgeous, too!