Description
This Healthy Carrot Cake is a moist, flavorful treat made with wholesome ingredients like grated carrots, oat flour, and natural sweeteners. It’s topped with a creamy Neufchatel cheese frosting blended with Greek yogurt and maple syrup, offering a light and delicious twist on a classic dessert. Perfect for those seeking a healthier, lower-fat alternative without sacrificing taste.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 2-3 large carrots, do not pack)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut oil (melted)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (any %)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Frosting
- 8 oz. Neufchatel cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with coconut oil or cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Grate the carrots: Grate 2-3 large carrots until you have 2 cups lightly packed. Place the grated carrots into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add the eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the carrots. Use a handheld mixer to blend everything until well combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and sea salt until evenly mixed and lumps are gone.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet carrot mixture and mix with a handheld mixer until no lumps remain. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cake tender.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, scraping all batter from the bowl with a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cake rises properly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes to set properly and prevent the frosting from melting.
- Prepare the frosting: In a bowl, beat the softened Neufchatel cheese, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt together until smooth and creamy.
- Frost and serve: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Use oat flour that is gluten-free if you need the cake to be gluten free.
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense cake texture.
- Cooling the cake completely before frosting prevents the frosting from melting or sliding off.
- You can substitute Neufchatel cheese with low-fat cream cheese for similar results.
- Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
