Carrot cake has to be up there on the top tier of cakes, along with chocolate fudge cake and lemon drizzle. But this is Healthy Carrot Cake. It's next level! A light and moist cake, with all the delicious flavour, with a few lighter swaps.
You would presume that as it has carrot in it, it is basically a health food but sadly not! But, with a few swaps, such as using a granulated sweetener and a light frosting in this recipe you can have yourself a healthier and lower calorie carrot cake that doesn't sacrifice on taste.
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Why should you try it?
- Less than 200 calories per portion
- Kids will love this
- Good way to get some vegetables into your diet
- Can be frozen
What you will need
Step by step
One: Preheat the oven to 170°C/350°F. In a bowl, add the flour, pecans, Hermesetas, raisins, orange zest, salt, baking soda and all spice and mix well.
Two: In a separate bowl, add the carrot, coconut oil, eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Three: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well.
Four: Grease a 10 inch spring form tin and pour in the mixture. Put in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Five: Whilst the cake is cooking, make the icing by mixing together the yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla.
Six: Remove the cooked cake from the oven and allow to cool fully.
Seven: When the cake is completely cooled, add the icing and sprinkle on the orange zest and pecans.
How is this healthy?
The thing about healthier versions of our favourite cakes is that they tend to be really dry and disappointing. This cake is neither. It's a really moist and delicious carrot cake that has been lightened up, as it has no butter or cream in it and a few other lighter swaps - such as using sweetener.
Well, you know we are all about mental health here, and a little bit of what you fancy in moderation is good for that. But, as well as this cake having vegetables in it, there is no butter or cream in it either. Not that those ingredients are unhealthy in themselves, but we have made some swaps that have extra benefits or lower in calories. We also skipped the cream cheese frosting for a fat free yogurt frosting.
Carrot cake icing
Let's talk about the icing of this cake for a minute. I could eat the "icing" out of the bowl with a spoon and to be honest, I did. It is that good, but so much healthier than regular butter cream or cream cheese frosting. It's made with yogurt! A little bit of maple syrup for taste and some orange zest and you have yourself and epic frosting/icing.
The cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in the allspice in this cake give it a real Christmas feel to it, so I think this is going to be made a lot more in a few months time. But it's never too early for healthy Christmas baking.
Carrot cake muffins
We have made this in to a full cake, but they work really well as muffins too. Just divide the mixture in to muffin cases and bake for around 20 minutes until the muffins have risen and set.
FAQs
Keep the cake in an airtight container and it will last for 2-3 days.
Carrot cake actually freezes really well, so that means portion control is easy. Just put a slice in a container and pop it in the freezer. Defrost at room temperature for a few hours.
We haven't tried it ourselves, but you could try swapping the eggs for flax eggs and using a dairy free yoghurt and milk too.
No, almond flour would make this really dense. If you are looking to make this gluten free, then there are lots of great gluten free carrot cake recipes out there.
Extra tips
- Turn these in to muffins instead so they are easier for little hands to eat. Just put the mixture in to muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes.
- Add some extra vegetables in swapping half the carrot for courgette (zucchini). You will need to squeeze out the excess liquid first.
- We have added pecans, but you could keep it classic and use walnuts instead.
- Raisins add a nice extra touch of sweetness and texture to the cake, but you could use other dried fruit too. Try dried cherries or cranberries to mix it up a bit.
More cake recipes
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Recipe
Healthy Carrot Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 250 g (2 cups) Plain flour
- 8 Pecans - halved
- 2 tablespoon Orange zest
- 1 Carrot - grated
- 0.5 teaspoon Sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon Mixed spice
- 50 g (0.33 cups) Raisins
- 6 tablespoon Coconut oil
- 10 g (1 tablespoon) Granulated sweetener
- 4 Eggs
- 80 ml (0.33 cups) Skimmed milk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
For the icing:
- 6 tablespoon 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
- 0.5 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- A few pecans and a bit of orange zest for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170°C/150°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 3.
- In a bowl, add 250 g Plain flour, 8 Pecans, 10 g Granulated sweetener, 50 g Raisins, 2 tablespoon Orange zest, 0.5 teaspoon Sea salt, 1 teaspoon Baking soda and 0.5 teaspoon Mixed spice and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, add 1 Carrot, 6 tablespoon Coconut oil, 4 Eggs, 80 ml Skimmed milk and 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well.
- Grease a 10 inch spring form tin and pour in the mixture. Put in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- Whilst the cake is cooking, make the icing by mixing together 6 tablespoon 0% Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon Maple syrup and 0.5 teaspoon Vanilla extract.
- Remove the cooked cake from the oven and allow to cool fully.
- When the cake is completely cooled, add the icing and sprinkle on A few pecans and a bit of orange zest for decorating.
Recipe tips
- Turn these in to muffins instead so they are easier for little hands to eat. Just put the mixture in to muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes.
- Add some extra vegetables in swapping half the carrot for courgette (zucchini). You will need to squeeze out the excess liquid first.
- We have added pecans, but you could keep it classic and use walnuts instead.
- Raisins add a nice extra touch of sweetness and texture to the cake, but you could use other dried fruit too. Try dried cherries or cranberries to mix it up a bit.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
[1] Blaak EE et al. (2012) Obes Rev 13: 923-984.
[2] www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/the-truth-about-artificial-sweeteners.aspx
Alice
This was lovely. Really nice flavours and although the texture wasn’t particularly light, it was still very good.
Tam
I made this today and it’s really good. Not exactly like my favourite carrot cake from a local bakery, but as this is a healthier version I wasn’t expecting that. Really light and the frosting is lovely too.
Hazel
This cake is the MOST revolting cake I’ve ever made! Waaay too much Allspice in the cake (maybe the recipe writer meant mixed spice instead?!), and waaay too much vanilla extract in the icing (maybe the recipe writer meant 1tsp, or even 1/2 tsp, instead of tbsp?!). Also was tough and rubbery but not cooked in the middle. All in all a seriously gross, anaemic disaster that went in the bin. What a disappointment. Back to bbcgoodfood, silly me for deviating!
Dannii
I'm really sorry to hear that you are disappointed in the cake and would love to help figure out what went wrong. Firstly, the icing should be 1 tsp, instead of 1 tbsp, so that is a typo. Apologies and thanks for pointing it out. But the all spice is correct. Carrot cake should have a strong spice flavour, but maybe that comes down to a personal preference?
I am not sure how it can be tough and rubbery, but not cooked though? Cooking times are always a guide, depending on your oven, so should always be checked with a skewer first. As you can see from our photos, our cake is cooked all the way through and it was lovely and moist too.
Again, I am sorry that you were disappointed with it, but it was triple tested before posted.
Becca
I had a similar result. I followed the recipe exactly apart from I put a little less allspice into the cake mix and a little less vanilla essence into the topping. My cake has come out very flat and stodgy. I don't understand as I followed the recipe, there are 4 eggs in it and I have a reliable oven. Any ideas? It tastes ok but the texture put me off giving any away to friends.
Dannii
Sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy it. It is a healthier version of a carrot cake, without butter, so it won't be light and fluffy like a more indulgent one would be. This cake is a little more dense.
Tricia Covic
Was wondering if I can use Spelt & almond flour in this recipe
Dannii
You could, but it would make it a little dry.
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
I wish I had a big slice of this RIGHT NOW!
Annemarie
I have a weakness for carrot cake, and I love all the healthy swaps you made in this recipe. It looks amazing!
Adriana Lopez Martin
Yummy carrot cake this is one of my favorite desserts but sometimes I just skip because of the calorie rich content I am glad you made it better option so that I can enjoy a slice from time to time, yummy!
Rae
Carrot cake is one of my favorite cakes, but I don't make it too often for whatever reason. I'm unfamiliar with that sweetener, I'll be on the lookout for it.
Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman
Carrot cake is a big favorite with my husband and I, but it's sooo heavy, so we don't eat it very often! I''d love to try this one out.
Soniya
Oh my goodness!! Thinlokks so delicious and tempting.. can't wait to try this healthy carrot cake for my kids or for me ;)
Catherine Brown
This looks like it would be great for breakfast too! I love carrot cake.
Traci
I'm always up for a healthy carrot cake… So then I can have two slices, right? :) Thanks for the great recipe!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables
You know I love veggies in my desserts ;) haha this carrot cake sounds delicious!
Mindy Fewless
Everything about this sounds delicious! And I love that it's a healthier version!
Petra / Be Healthy Now
This looks really good and I am really interested in trying this at home one weekend. I love carrot cake but have never attempted to make a healthier version at home so this recipe is perfect for that, thanks!