Description
A wholesome and delicious Healthy Carrot Cake recipe made with oat flour, natural sweeteners, and a creamy Neufchatel cheese frosting. Perfect for a guilt-free dessert that is moist, flavorful, and packed with warm spices.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 2–3 large carrots, lightly packed)
- 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 Ingredients
- 8 oz Neufchatel cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking pan with coconut oil or cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cake.
- Grate Carrots: Grate 2 to 3 large carrots until you have about 2 cups lightly packed. Place the grated carrots into a large mixing bowl.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract to the carrots. Use a handheld mixer to blend these ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and sea salt until well combined and lump-free.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient bowl, then use the handheld mixer to combine until the batter is smooth but avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Bake the Cake: Transfer the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake has risen 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.
- Prepare the Frosting: While the cake cools, beat together the softened Neufchatel cheese, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and a pinch of sea salt in a mixing bowl until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.
- Frost and Serve: Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use parchment paper to easily remove the cake from the pan without breaking.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep the cake soft and moist.
- Neufchatel cheese in the frosting provides a lower-fat alternative to cream cheese.
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- This cake can be made gluten-free as oatmeal and oat flour are naturally gluten-free but ensure oats are certified gluten-free if needed.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: healthy carrot cake, low fat carrot cake, oat flour carrot cake, natural sweetener dessert, gluten-free carrot cake, homemade carrot cake with frosting
