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Home » Healthier Recipes » Healthier Carrot Cake (Naturally Sweetened + Whole Grain)

Healthier Carrot Cake (Naturally Sweetened + Whole Grain)

Published: Mar 23, 2016 · Modified: Oct 27, 2021 by Allison · 128 Comments

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Healthy Carrot Cake – Naturally sweetened with honey, applesauce, and pineapple, made with 100% whole grains, and topped with honey cream cheese frosting.

Square slice of carrot cake topped with white 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.

Cake batter in a glass bowl with grated carrots, pineapple, and nuts.

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.

Slice of carrot cake on a wooden plate.

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).

Slice of carrot cake on a wooden plate.

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.

Square slice of carrot cake topped with white frosting.

Healthier Carrot Cake (Naturally Sweetened + Whole Grain)

A healthier version of carrot cake - naturally sweetened with honey, applesauce, and pineapple, made with 100% whole grains, and topped with honey cream cheese frosting.
4.66 from 20 votes
Print Pin
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12
Calories: 286kcal
Author: Allison - Celebrating Sweets

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

I like to store this cake in the fridge since the frosting is quite soft. It is best served at room temperature but it can be served chilled as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcal

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!
Square slice of carrot cake.
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Comments

  1. Kiana

    February 24, 2019 at 6:42 am

    5 stars
    I made these as cupcakes for my son’s 1st birthday and they turned out perfectly!! I couldn’t find white whole wheat flour so I used half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour. The baking time fir the cupcakes was about 19 minutes in a 325F convection oven. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe I was able to make without using sugar! I stumbled upon your site through a google search and now I’ll have to check out some of your other recipes!!

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      February 24, 2019 at 11:56 am

      I’m glad it worked out for you. Thanks for taking the time to comment. And happy birthday to your little one!

      Reply
  2. Caszmera Paszkiewicz-Pereira

    March 01, 2019 at 2:05 pm

    Hi! I’m planning to make this for my little one’s 1st bday this Sunday as well. But I’m in Portugal and forgot to bring American measuring cups. Do you think there is a way to convert the measurements to weight or however they do it here? Also, could I double the recipe if I want to make two circle 9″ pans? And can I just use white flour? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      March 01, 2019 at 7:28 pm

      Hi! Yes, you can swap white flour. I think doubling it will make too much batter for 9-inch round pans. This is a fairly thick cake, and round pans tend to hold less volume than the square pan I used. Maybe try one and half of the recipe to split between two round pans? That’s just a guess, I haven’t actually tried it.

      As for conversions, you can try adapting the recipe using this guide: https://www.foodnetwork.ca/kitchen-basics/blog/your-ultimate-guide-to-cooking-and-baking-conversions/

      Best of luck! Happy birthday to your little one! -Allison

      Reply
  3. Neha Garg

    March 09, 2019 at 8:17 am

    1 star
    I dont know, but my cake was a big mess. I kept it in oven for more an hour, but it remained unbaked from inside. this was for the first time ever my cake was so bad and I had to throw it in bin. Very unhappy.

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      March 09, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      Hi, Neha. Did you make any ingredient substitutions? This is a very thick cake – if you baked it anything other than a 9×9 square pan there was likely too much batter for it to cook through in the middle. An 8×8 square, or even a 9-inch round would be too small for this amount batter. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.

      Reply
  4. Kv16

    April 13, 2019 at 6:52 pm

    I’m super excited to try these, but I would like to know if I substituted the honey for coconut sugar, would it be the same amount? How could I make up the moisture from the honey? I would not use pineapple, so I can’t count on moisture from that. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      April 14, 2019 at 8:54 am

      I’m really not sure, I’ve only ever made the recipe as written. Since you’re taking away two wet ingredients (honey and crushed pineapple) you might want to add back a little moisture. Maybe an extra 1/4 cup applesauce? If you’re using coconut sugar, I would recommend about the same amount as honey. It will probably be slightly less sweet than mine, since there is no sweetness from the pineapple. Best of luck!

      Reply
  5. Leeb

    April 20, 2019 at 12:21 pm

    5 stars
    Due to comments– Increased flour to 2 cups, also increased egg whites and baking powder. Since I had a pineapple, substituted 1 cup fresh grated pineapple for the mix of applesauce and pineapple- and got these great muffins for Easter morning! Super recipe

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      April 20, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      Thanks for sharing your changes. Glad it worked out for you. Enjoy! Happy Easter!

      Reply
  6. Kris

    May 08, 2019 at 6:04 pm

    I assume A 9″ springform pan would work. It’s a tall pan. Iv’e been making my cakes that way and it’s so easy to get the cake out. Can I exchange blanched raisins for the nuts? Also, 1/2 honey 1/2 maple syrup work??????
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      May 08, 2019 at 8:45 pm

      I would guess that pan size should work, although I have only ever baked it as written. As for the swaps, those sound like they should be fine. Enjoy!

      Reply
  7. Yazmin

    September 24, 2019 at 9:06 am

    Hi, I’m from the UK and would love to make this but don’t understand the cups measurements…do you have one in ml or grams?

    Kind regards,

    Yazmin

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      September 24, 2019 at 10:38 am

      You can try converting the recipe with this guide. Enjoy!

      http://dish.allrecipes.com/cup-to-gram-conversions/

      Reply
  8. Kevin Jensen

    November 11, 2019 at 3:36 pm

    Great recipe, it worked wonderfully! I don’t have a 9×9 so I made cupcakes instead. I 1.5 x’d the recipe and baked for 22 to 23 minutes. It made 22 cupcakes.

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      November 14, 2019 at 9:40 am

      Thanks for sharing your changes. I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  9. eman

    November 15, 2019 at 6:26 am

    Hi, I don’t have Apple sauce , how can I substitute it?

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      November 18, 2019 at 9:41 am

      You can try increasing the crushed pineapple a bit, or using vanilla yogurt or mashed banana. You want something that will add moisture and sweetness.

      Reply
  10. Gloria G

    January 18, 2020 at 12:49 pm

    I found the recipe as I was trying to google a healthy carrot cake for my healthy conscious friends who are coming for brunch in my house. I followed all the ingredients and temperature cooking but extended it to 35-40 mins , rotating the pan inside the oven towards the last few minutes for even cooking. I have though, to google the 2/3 cup conversion to ounce and ml, to make it sure the measurement is right. I did missed to drain the pineapple crush. I’ve used the 9 inch round loose pan. I was so worried serving my carrot cake for brunch, but wow! it turned so good.It was very moist, tasty and not sweet. I only put in a little drizzle of icing sugar on the top of the cake to give it a color. The cake was a big hit. My friends loves it .From now on this is going to be my favorite carrot cake recipe every time I’ll bake one. Next time I bake I will try to put in the frosting. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.?

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      January 22, 2020 at 12:49 pm

      I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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