Healthy Carrot Cake – Naturally sweetened with honey, applesauce, and pineapple, made with 100% whole grains, and topped with honey cream cheese frosting.
It’s the time of year that carrot cake recipes are springing up (pun intended) everywhere. There are so many fabulous versions of carrot cake, and each recipe brings something different to the table.
I have previously shared Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting, Carrot Muffins, and Pumpkin Carrot Cake, and today I’m bringing you a healthy carrot cake recipe. Don’t let the word healthy scare you off – this cake is loaded with flavor and topped with a honey-sweetened cream cheese frosting. For those times when you want cake but don’t want to go up a pants size, this here is the cake for you.
Over the past couple years my view regarding what makes something healthy has changed. I am increasingly embracing the concept of eating “real food.” Less processed and less refined foods and more whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, humanely raised meat, organic eggs and cheese, and natural sweeteners (maple syrup and honey). If you’d like to learn more about a “real food diet,” here are some great resources: Michael Pollan, 100 Days of Real Food, Live Simply.
What makes this carrot cake healthy?
When I set out to make a healthier/”real food” version of carrot cake I started by swapping out the refined sugar for honey. I also include applesauce and crushed pineapple, both of which both add natural sweetness and moisture. I swapped the white flour for white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour is 100% whole grain, yet yields a lighter flavor and texture.
For the cream cheese frosting I skipped the typical powdered sugar (since it’s refined) and sweetened the frosting with honey. The frosting contains a combination of cream cheese and heavy cream which impart an unbelievably creamy and light texture (think whipped cream + cream cheese frosting mixed together).
I was extremely happy with how well this cake came out. It was moist and flavorful. The cake has a slightly dense texture from the wheat flour, and it’s actually quite filling. I am considering making this again without the frosting to enjoy as a breakfast cake.
Lastly, I want to leave you with a few things. This is still a cake. I don’t want the word “healthy” to be misleading. It should be enjoyed in moderation just like any other cake.
Recipe
Healthier Carrot Cake (Naturally Sweetened + Whole Grain)
Ingredients
Carrot cake:
- 1 ⅔ cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (measure when solid)
- ⅔ cup honey
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups finely grated carrots
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
Honey cream cheese frosting:
- scant ½ cup chilled heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (I used organic)
- 3-4 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, for topping (optional)
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 square pan with foil and grease the foil.
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl combine coconut oil, honey, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture is combined, being careful not to over mix. Add carrots, walnuts, and pineapple and stir until combined, again being careful not to over mix (that could lead to the cake being tough).
- Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, until the top springs back when you touch it, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, honey and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Add whipped cream to cream cheese and briefly beat on high until combined and slightly thickened (don't beat it too long or the cream could thicken too much). Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. I cover the cake and refrigerate it to allow the frosting to firm up.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Terrie
What is “white wheat flour”? Is it a mixture of whole wheat and white? I can’t find this at my grocery store.
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Terrie. It is a lighter wheat flour. Closer in texture to white flour but closer nutritionally to whole wheat. Just substitute half whole wheat and half all purpose.
Trish
Hi Allison ! Thank you for this great recipe – very nice to have a healthy option (without the white or brown sugars or huge amount of oil). Followed your instructions and this cake turned out excellent!
Used 1 cup spelt flour and 2/3 cup Italian white flour. Also added about 1/2 cup extra Italian white flour, as we live near the rockies (slightly higher altitude).
You’re truly a gifted cook and thank you for sharing such tasty recipes !
Celebrating Sweets
Thank you for the kind words. I’m so glad that you liked the cake, thanks for sharing your adaptations.
Victoria
Hi, I did this recipe two nights ago and my husband really enjoyed it. I measure 3x of the ingredients because I had to share my carrot cake to my son and his family and they all loved it too! It’s gunna be my favourite carrot in my recipe file from now on!
Apple sauce with pineapple in carrot cake was fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing this yummy Carrot cake recipe!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for stopping by.
Laura Cox
How many did you say x3 served. We’re doing this for a birthday party of about 20. And I don’t know if I should do 2 or 3.
Also, did you do the 3x all in the same bowl at the same time? I’m thinking about doing round cakes.
Shikha
Hi, Can you please suggest me the substitute for Apple Sauce. I am not sure if it is available in India. Thank you.
Celebrating Sweets
You can swap the applesauce for pumpkin puree or mashed banana. Or you can make your own applesauce by simmering 1-2 peeled, chopped apples in little bit of water until tender. Then mash it or puree it.
Angelena Bosco
I made this and loved it. It came out perfect.
I’d like to know how I can adapt it to make a chocolate (cacao powder) or vanilla cake.
Celebrating Sweets
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that. I do not have instructions for adapting this specific cake to chocolate or vanilla. Once you remove the ingredients that make it a carrot cake (carrots, walnuts, pineapple etc) it would have a completely different consistency.
I have linked to chocolate and vanilla cupcake recipes below. Note: They are not considered “healthy”, like the carrot cake is.
https://celebratingsweets.com/small-batch-chocolate-cupcakes/
https://celebratingsweets.com/small-batch-vanilla-cupcakes/
Liselotte
That recipe tastes so good! But I can’t get the cake to have a the correct texture. It stays runny even after 45 minutes of baking, not sure of what I am doing wrong?! Any ideas?
Celebrating Sweets
Did you make sure that your pineapple was drained? Did you use 1 2/3 cup flour? Did you use a different size baking dish? Any or all of those could affect the texture.
Denise Cowger
This cake was amazing!! Have been craving carrot cake for weeks wanted more natural ingredients and this was perfect. The whole family loves it even picky 13 yr old. Thank you so much!!?
Celebrating Sweets
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
Jerri E.
Would this cake freeze well?
Celebrating Sweets
It should freeze ok, just do not add the frosting it until after it has been frozen and thawed.
Lena
I’m making this lovely sounding cake for my sons first birthday. I was hoping to use spelt flour instead of normal flour. Would this work out ok? Or should I make any other adjustments? Alternatively could I use wholemeal flour if spelt isn’t suitable or a mixture? Just trying to reduce the refined carbs and make it s healthy as possible being. Children’s cake.
Celebrating Sweets
Hi! Unfortunately I have never baked with spelt flour, so I can’t say for sure. I found this resource (link below), and it sounds like you could swap the wheat flour for spelt, but you’ll need to increase the flour a touch or reduce the liquids (maybe the pineapple or applesauce)? Best of luck! https://www.wikihow.com/Substitute-Spelt-Flour-for-All%E2%80%90Purpose-Flour
Brenna
Just made this for a family dinner. Swapped out the honey for agave nectar. Made sure to drain that pineapple like crazy, and ended up putting it back in the oven for about 10 minutes. I might just be paranoid or my oven might be on the weak side…
That being said, wow! This came out so moist and flavorful. Lots of interesting textures, not too sweet. Absolutely perfect. Thank you for the detail in your instructions about what temp the ingredients should be at and the note about overmixing. I’ll definitely be baking this again.
Celebrating Sweets
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and share your experience. 🙂