Healthy Carrot Cake

4.79 from 23 votes

A Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe that tastes just like the real thing! This Healthy Carrot Cake is moist, fluffy and so delicious!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time32

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy carrot cake

Servings: slices

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Liz Marino

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 cups grated carrots about 2-3 large carrots (do not pack)
3 large eggs
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup coconut oil melted
½ cup plain Greek yogurt any %
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups oat flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the frosting

8 oz. Neufchatel cheese softened
¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup maple syrup
Pinch sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease the sides and bottom of an 8x8 baking pan with coconut oil or cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper to ensure the cake will be removed cleanly. Set aside.
Grate 2-3 large carrots to get 2 lightly packed cups of carrots. Measure and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add the wet ingredients (eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, greek yogurt and vanilla) to the bowl with the carrots and mix together using a handheld mixer until everything is well incorporated.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt). Stir together until there are no lumps or streaks.
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix together with a handheld mixer. Mix until there are no lumps and the dry ingredients are well incorporated but avoid overmixing.
Pour the cake batter into the greased pan, scraping the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake has properly risen and a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out cleanly.
Remove cake from the oven and allow it to cool, about 30 minutes.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened Neufchatel cheese, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup of maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Store at room temperature until the cake is ready to frost.
Frost the cooled cake with as much of the frosting as you’d like. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

Tips for the best Carrot Cake:

Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to avoid tearing.

If you love nuts, consider folding ½ cup of crushed walnuts or pecans into the cake batter for a crunchy addition!

Raisins are another common addition to carrot cake but can be a polarizing ingredient. If you love the sweetness or raisins, you can mix in ¼ cup to the batter. If you are going to add raisins, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain. This makes the raisins super plump!

After frosting the cake, try sprinkling it with ground cinnamon, shredded coconut, or some crushed nuts (we love walnuts or pecans) for simple and healthy decorating.

Nutrition