Looking for a healthier carrot cake that doesn’t taste “healthy”? This recipe has all the flavor and texture you’d expect: moist, rich, and perfectly spiced. It’s made with better-for-you ingredients like whole grains, lower sugar and oil, and a lightened-up cream cheese frosting.
If I were to list my favorite cakes, carrot cake would easily be in the top three. My first love will always be chocolate cake, but carrot cake holds its own special spot. Not only is the cake itself moist, nutty, dense and delicious, but the requisite topping – cream cheese frosting – takes it way over the top.
Healthy Carrot Cake
Do you love carrot cake but wish it were just a bit healthier? Then read on, because this cake checks all the boxes: whole grain, reduced oil and sugar and still moist, nutty and delicious. Paired with a lower sugar cream cheese frosting, this cake is everything a carrot cake should be – but better for you!
About This Recipe
Is carrot cake healthy? No, not really. Adding carrots to a cake filled with sugar, oil, and all-purpose flour does not cancel out the inherently unhealthy aspects. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for eating carrot cake! It’s definitely one of my favorite treats ever. However, what if it could be… maybe not healthy, but at least healthier?
My goal for this cake was simple: make a delicious classic carrot cake that is lower in fat and sugar, and higher in nutrition. I’ve made many versions of carrot cake over the years. Some started with a box mix and others were completely from scratch. Of course, if I want a healthier cake, I have to start with healthy ingredients, so that means a from scratch recipe.
For this one, I referenced a classic carrot cake recipe: King Arthur’s Carrot Cake Recipe. I mean, you can’t go wrong with King Arthur’s recipes so if you want the original recipe, check it out. For my part, I used this as my inspiration to create a version of carrot cake that fits my own preferences and goals.
For my version, I focused on replacing the flour, reducing the oil and reducing the sugar. Read on for my notes and tips or see the recipe card for details.
Ingredients
Key Ingredients
Flour: One of my favorite ways to make healthier baked goods is to use fresh milled flour and that’s what I used here. Of course, I realize not everyone has a home mill for fresh flour! You can absolutely use store-bought flour. The traditional choice for this cake is all-purpose flour but you could also use white whole wheat flour or a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat.
In my case, I used 100% freshly milled unsifted soft white wheat. This makes a lovely soft flour that is perfect for cakes.
Do you want to learn more about baking with fresh milled flour? Check out my getting started guide for more details.
Oil: I used regular vegetable oil. A healthier option would be avocado oil. Basically, any mild oil that you like will work well. Avoid strongly flavored oils as they would definitely affect the flavor of the finished product.
Unsweetened Applesauce: I wanted to reduce the fat content of this carrot cake so I cut down half the oil and replaced it with unsweetened applesauce. Make sure it’s unsweetened as we want to avoid adding more sugar. The applesauce does add a slight sweetness, but doesn’t otherwise affect the flavor of the cake.
Sweetener: A key factor in a healthier cake is to reduce the sugar content. My choice when reducing sugar is often replacing all or part of the sugar with sugar-free alternative sweeteners. I used one cup allulose and one cup cane sugar. Could you reduce the sugar further? Of course! You can choose to use only sugar-free granulated sweetener if you prefer.
I have found that replacing just half of the sugar tends to result in traditional flavor without compromise so I often start there. You could also cut down on the total sugar from 2 cups to perhaps 1 1/2 cups. Keep in mind that adding less sugar or alternative sweetener means the cake itself will have a bit less volume.
You can use any alternative sweetener that is a one-to-one replacement for granulated sugar. If you’re not used to alternative sweeteners but want to try them, make sure to start slowly since alternative sweeteners can cause digestive difficulties for some people, especially at first. You might replace just a quarter of the sugar instead of half or more.
I would not suggest replacing the sugar with a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup, as this recipe isn’t formulated for them. However, you could use coconut sugar or sucanat for up to half of the sugar if you prefer other natural sweetener options. I haven’t personally tested this but I think either would work well in this cake.
Spices: You can’t have classic carrot cake without the spices: cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. I cut the amount of ground cloves in half because I prefer just a hint of clove flavor in my carrot cake. Feel free to double the amount listed if you like a stronger clove taste.
Carrots: I used about 4 medium carrots grated on the fine side of a handheld grater. You’ll want to use fresh carrots for this; don’t use pre-shredded carrots. They’re usually too large and dry, so they would not work as well.
Nuts: Walnuts or pecans work equally well. My nut of choice is usually walnuts, so that’s what I used here.
Raisins: I used regular raisins. I think golden raisins would also be lovely. You can omit them if you don’t like raisins in your carrot cake.
Instructions
You can use a stand mixer, hand blender or just a whisk to make this easy cake.
Baking the cake
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8″ or 9″ pans or use homemade cake release. You can also make in 9×13 pan if you like. If so, you can just grease it since you’ll be serving from the pan.
Step 2: Beat together the oil, applesauce, sugar, salt, eggs, spices, baking powder, and baking soda until smooth and well combined.
Step 3: Add the flour, stirring until well blended.
Step 4: Add the carrots, nuts and raisins and mix just until combined.
Step 5: Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting the Cake
Frost as desired using my lower sugar cream cheese frosting or other frosting of choice. If you plan to frost the entire cake, including the sides, you will need a double batch of frosting. Otherwise, one batch will be plenty.
Before stacking, make sure to level the top of each layer. Add your first layer to the cake stand or platter, with the top side up and frost. Add the second layer with the top side down. Frost the top (and sides if you decide to). Garnish or decorate as desired.
Refrigerate the cake to set the frosting. Bring to room temperature about an hour before serving.
If you prefer to bake as a sheet cake, you can frost the cake right in the pan.
FAQs
How much frosting do I need?
One batch of cream cheese frosting yields about 3 to 3½ cups. This is enough to fill the layers and frost the top of an 8″ or 9″ cake. If you plan to frost the sides too, you’ll need 5–6 cups, so double the recipe to be safe. For a 9×13 cake, one batch is enough to frost the top.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes, I often make my cake layers ahead of time and freeze, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for a few days. Defrost in the fridge for a few hours. You can also make your frosting ahead of time and assemble at least an hour or two before you plan to serve. Alternatively, you can stack and fill the cake the day before and refrigerate overnight until needed. If doing that, allow the frosting to set for about an hour and then cover loosely with plastic wrap or place in a cake carrier.
Can I make this cake completely sugar-free?
Yes, you can make it with only granulated sugar-free sweetener. Some good options would be allulose or monk fruit sweetener, or a mix of both. Some sweeteners can have a cooling effect or an aftertaste that is more noticeable when used on their own. Alternatively, you could use coconut sugar, which has lower glycemic index, to replace part of the sweetener.
Why does carrot cake need to be refrigerated?
Carrot cake itself doesn’t have to be refrigerated, but once you add cream cheese frosting it should be stored in the fridge. Cream cheese is perishable, and leaving it at room temperature for more than two hours isn’t recommended. The good news is that carrot cake actually tastes even better after a night in the fridge. Just set it out for an hour or so before serving. That said, I can attest that cold carrot cake is pretty darn good!
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:
Recipe inspiration: King Arthur Carrot Cake
Fresh Milled Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) flour, all-purpose, white whole wheat or fresh milled soft white flour
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups granulated sugar or alternative granulated sweetener
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups carrots, finely grated (about 4 medium or 3 large)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ cup raisins
- cream cheese frosting (1-2 batches – see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8” or 9″ round layer pans, or one 9″ x 13″ pan.
- In a large bowl beat together the oil, applesauce, sugar, salt, eggs, spices, baking powder, and baking soda, using stand mixer, hand mixer or whisk.
- Add the flour, stirring just until well blended.
- Add the carrots, nuts and raisins and mix until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan(s).
- If using fresh milled flour, allow the batter to rest about 10-15 minutes before baking. Otherwise, bake immediately.
- Bake the cakes for 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs. Remove layers after 10 minutes and place on a rack to cool. Allow layers to cool completely before frosting.
- If you plan to frost the entire cake, including the sides, you will need a double batch of frosting. If you prefer only the middle and top to be frosted, one batch will be enough.
- Level the tops before frosting and stacking. Add your first layer top side up and frost. Top with the second layer, top side down. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Garnish or decorate as desired.
- Refrigerate the cake to set the frosting. Bring to room temperature about an hour before serving.
Notes
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