Healthy Carrot Cake
This healthy carrot cake recipe is moist, warmly spiced, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup, using whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt for a tender crumb without refined sugar.
Equipment
- Two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans
- Box grater or food processor with a fine grating disc
- Two large mixing bowls
- Balloon whisk
- Electric hand mixer - For the frosting
- Offset spatula - For spreading frosting
- Measuring cups and spoons, or a kitchen scale
Ingredients
For the Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour - 240g, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs - at room temperature
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup - 180 ml
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce - 120 ml
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil - 80 ml, cooled slightly; light olive oil also works
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt - 120 ml
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Add-Ins
- 2 cups finely grated carrots - about 220g, from roughly 4 medium carrots
- ½ cup chopped walnuts - 60g, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
- ½ cup raisins - 75g, optional
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese - 225g, or Neufchâtel, softened
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt - 60 ml
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup - 45 ml
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans with coconut oil or cooking spray, line the bottoms with parchment rounds, and grease the parchment too.
- Peel about 4 medium carrots, then grate them on the medium holes of a box grater until you have 2 cups (220 g). Do not squeeze out the moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt for 20 seconds until evenly distributed.
- In a second large bowl, whisk the eggs until pale and slightly frothy. Add the maple syrup, applesauce, cooled coconut oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir gently with a silicone spatula until just combined, with no dry streaks remaining.
- Add the grated carrots, ½ cup chopped walnuts, and the raisins if using. Fold everything through with a few gentle strokes until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops. Sprinkle the reserved 2 tablespoons of walnuts over one layer if desired. Bake for 30 to 34 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge. Turn them out onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment, and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Using an electric hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Add the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla, and beat just until combined and spreadable.
- Place one cooled layer on a plate and spread a third of the frosting over the top with an offset spatula. Set the second layer on top and cover with the remaining frosting. Chill for 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Grate the carrots fine so they soften and blend into the crumb; coarse shreds stay firm and stringy.
- Spoon and level the flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping, or weigh it, to avoid a dense, dry cake.
- Use room-temperature eggs so the coconut oil doesn't firm up into flecks before baking.
- Do not overmix once the flour is added, as overmixing whole wheat flour develops gluten and toughens the cake.
- Cool the layers completely before frosting, since a warm cake will melt the cream cheese frosting right off.
- Toast the walnuts for about 6 minutes in the oven to deepen their flavor against the sweet batter.
- For cupcakes, divide the batter among 18 lined muffin cups and bake for 20 to 22 minutes.
- For a sheet cake, pour all the batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan and bake for 34 to 38 minutes.
- Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; unfrosted layers keep at room temperature, well wrapped, for up to 2 days.
- Unfrosted layers freeze tightly wrapped for up to 3 months; frosted slices freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 295kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 310mgFiber: 3gSugar: 21g
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