Healthy Carrot Cake (With Gluten-Free Option)

Every year, at the first sign of spring, I make this healthy carrot cake recipe. It’s a fuss-free, lower sugar, single-layer, soft, and moist cake. I use applesauce to cut down on added sugar while still getting all the sweet and spiced flavor of a classic carrot cake. According to my boys, however, the best part is the cream cheese frosting on top.

Ingredient Spotlights

This isn’t the full list of ingredients, but just a few of my notes about the main ones: 

• Shredded carrots – I like to shred the carrots myself with a box grater or my food processor. But it’s just fine to use store-bought grated carrots to save time. Then, I use any extra shredded carrots to make this favorite carrot cake baked oatmeal.
• Walnuts – these add a nice crunch to the cake, but I’ve also tested this recipe without walnuts for a nut-free option, and it doesn’t impact the flavor. Sometimes I substitute pecans or pistachios for a slightly different taste
• Unsweetened applesauce – I add unsweetened applesauce to cut down on refined sugar. Can also use ½ cup of mashed banana or mashed sweet potato in place of the applesauce. 

Other optional mix-ins I’ve tried are shredded coconut, crushed pineapple, and a tablespoon of grated fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger). 

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Kitchen Equipment Needed

This basic carrot cake recipe doesn’t require any speciality equipment or tools. Here’s what to gather in order to make it: 

• 8×8 inch square pan – I like an 8-inch pan because it makes the cake squares taller. However, a 9×9 inch cake pan works just fine or use a 9-inch round pan to make a round cake
• Mixing bowl – I takes just one medium bowl to mix the wet ingredients, dry ingredients, and add ins all together 
• Hand mixer – this makes easy work of mixing the frosting in a large bowl 
• Offset spatula or knife – an offset spatula is a handy tool for spreading the frosting

Make It Gluten Free

For a gluten-free carrot cake or gluten-free carrot cupcakes, simply swap the all-purpose flour for an equal amount of a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour substitute, such as Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour. May need to increase the baking time by up to 5 minutes.

Make It Dairy Free

Due to food intolerances, I have to omit dairy from my diet. Luckily, this healthy carrot cake recipe is just as delicious and easy to make dairy-free with these swaps: 

• Use dairy-free milk, such as unsweetened almond milk, in the batter and frosting
• Additionally, use vegan stick butter and vegan cream cheese (such as Tofutti or Treeline dairy-free cream cheese) for the frosting

Vegan Option

For a 100% plant-based carrot cake, use the dairy-free swaps listed above, plus use the following measurements to replace the eggs with flax eggs. 

To make flax eggs, whisk together 2 tablespoons ground flax meal + 4 tablespoons of warm water, let it set for 3-5 minutes to thicken, and add it to the batter. Then, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the batter.

Serve And Enjoy

When I think of carrot cake, I typically associate it with Easter or Mother’s Day and serve it alongside other healthy Easter recipes and Mother’s Day brunch recipes.

But why keep something so delicious for just one season? I’m here to say that this easy carrot cake recipe can (and should) be enjoyed year-round. It’s a great stand-alone treat and, personally, I think it pairs wonderfully with my cinnamon coconut latte for an afternoon pick-me-up.

Storage Options

Store the unfrosted cake in an airtight container (or cover the baking pan with aluminium foil) at room temperature for up to 3 days. Store the frosted cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Or, freeze the cake for up to 3 months. To do so, let the cake cool completely after baking, and leave it unfrosted. Cut it into pieces, and place the squares in a freezer-safe container in the freezer. To serve, thaw the servings in the fridge overnight. It’s good both cold or at room temperature. Whip up a fresh batch of icing to smooth over the top just before serving.

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The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter. 

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