Healthy Carrot Cake
This Healthy Carrot Cake is moist, tall, fluffy and topped with creamy Greek yogurt or cream cheese frosting! Easy to make and perfect for all celebrations!
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 244kcal
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 2% and higher fat
- 1/3 cup any mild oil I used avocado oil
- 2/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 cup any milk I used almond milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 2 cups carrots finely grated
- Cooking spray I use Misto
Greek Yogurt Icing:
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt 2% and higher fat
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Long coconut flakes or chips for garnish (toasted)
Instructions
- Line small colander with a coffee filter or paper towels and place on top of a small bowl. Add Greek yogurt and let it strain in the fridge for a few hours.
- In one large bowl, whisk the eggs for 10 seconds. Add Greek yogurt, oil, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract; whisk well and set aside.
- In another large bowl, add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk well breaking any baking soda or powder lumps. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, spray large 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat large skillet on low heat, add walnuts and toast for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add coconut flakes and toast another minute, stirring frequently. Turn off the heat. Grate carrots.
- Add dry ingredients to the bowl with wet ingredients and stir gently until combined. Do not over mix. Add carrots, walnuts and coconut flakes; stir just enough to combine.
- Pour into previously prepared baking dish and bake for: 9 x 13" dish - 40 minutes, 6" cake pans - 25-30 minutes, 8" cake pans - 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely, for about 4-5 hours.
- When ready to assemble the cake, discard the whey and add strained Greek yogurt into a medium bowl along with icing sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk well, transfer on top of cake, spread with spatula and garnish with toasted coconut flakes. Cut into 16 slices and serve.
Video
Notes
Recipe re-tested in March 2024. Amount of baking powder and baking soda were reduced for better results.
- Store: Store assembled cake covered tightly with a cake lid for up to 4 days. Airtight is important so yogurt doesn't start to dry out.
- Flour: No other flour can be substituted, baking is a science.
- Sweetener: Unfortunately you cannot use any dry sweetener because it will throw off cake batter consistency.
- Greek yogurt: Unfortunately you cannot use regular yogurt because it is more runny. You cannot replace Greek yogurt with applesauce either.
- Frosting: You can also use healthy cream cheese frosting instead of Greek yogurt one.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g