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!
ellen
Just made this as a practice cake for my daughter’s 1st birthday smash cake! So happy to report it’s delicious! I wasn’t very confident this was going to work since i had to make some substitutions…
First, I only had Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour (not white whole wheat). I replaced maple syrup for the honey, since it’s not recommended to give babies before the age of 1 honey. I know she’s turning 1, but barely 😉 I didn’t have walnuts on hand, so I used pecans. And I added 1/4 cup of apple sauce (as you recommended in the comments) to replace the pineapple.
Honestly, i have a fresh pineapple on the counter but im too lazy to cut it up and drain it – i have an almost 1year old to chase around! I divided the batter into 3 round 4″ tins. My toothpick was wet after 20 mins, so baked for 3 more minutes and it was perfect! Super moist! Full of flavor! My daughter immediately wanted a taste, so we cheated and i gave her a little nibble. She loved it!
It’s kind of a lot of maple syrup (2/3 cups) but it’s not refined sugar. Plus, I used eggs with Omega 3 and there’s a lot of carrot in here, so makes me feel better. Thanks so much for the healthy option! I tested 2 other “healthy” smash cake recipes before this and they were both disgusting. I almost lost all hope. Thank you!
Celebrating Sweets
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you liked it. And thanks for sharing your changes. Happy birthday to you daughter!
lise
Looks delicious. i want to make this cake for my daughters 4th birthday next week. she wants a ladybug shapes carrot cake. instead of a 9×9 pan can i use a 2qt oven proof bowl?
Thank you.
Celebrating Sweets
That should work. Just adjust the cook time, probably a bit longer since the center will be thicker. Enjoy!
lise
ok. thank you 🙂
lise
instead of whole wheat flour can i use robin hood cake and pastry flour?
Thank you
Brenda
Can I make cupcakes with this recipe. What adjustments do Ineed to make?
Celebrating Sweets
Yes, that should work, although I have never tried it. The only adjustment would be to decrease the baking time. I would suggest that you start checking them after 15 minutes, then every 1-2 minutes until they are done.
Jody
The best Carrot Cake!! My kids ask for it all the time!
Nik
I made a few changes, came out delicious. Very solid base recipe. I substituted 1/2 of coconut oil for with grapeseed oil (cooks well at a high temperature and does not have a strong flavor.)
Substituted half of the honey with Silan medjool date syrup. It pairs well with carrot cake and vegan option.
Thanks for healthier cake recipe.
Celebrating Sweets
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your changes! 🙂
Liz
Would almond flour work okay? Also can I skip honey if I use sweet apple sauce? I am excited to mak this!
Celebrating Sweets
I don’t think swapping the almond flour will work. If you’re looking to eliminate the wheat you can use a cup-to-cup gluten free flour. I would recommend reducing the honey, rather than skipping it completely. I don’t think it will be sweet enough without at least a little bit.
Karen
I followed this to the letter and even though the tooth pick came out clean after 25 min – it was sadly undercooked in the centre 🙁
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Karen. Sorry to hear that. If the center was undercooked, I would have thought that batter would have come out on the toothpick. Perhaps your crushed pineapple or carrots had more moisture than mine and required a slightly longer bake time. Sorry it didn’t work out.
Lainie
Happy to report I’ve made this two years in a row and this recipe is now my husband’s official birthday cake 🙂 I make him carrot cake every year but recently we cut way back on heavy, overly sweetened desserts. He loves this cake, thanks so much!
Celebrating Sweets
Wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Enjoy!