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Healthy Carrot Cake

frosted healthy carrot cake topped with pecans on square white serving tray
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★★★★★

4.8 from 16 reviews

This yummy Carrot Cake is Gluten-Free, Vegan, and made with only 11 healthy ingredients! Top it with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting for a decadent dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Carrot Cake:

  • 1 cup Non-Dairy Milk
  • ½ cup Unsweetened Applesauce
  • ¾ cup Coconut Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 2 cups Quick-Cooking or Rolled Oats, blended into a fine flour
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp Ginger
  • ¼ tsp Nutmeg
  • ½ tsp Pink Salt
  • 2 cups Shredded Carrot
  • ¾ cup Pecans, chopped (plus more for topping)

For the Creamy Cashew Frosting: (Optional, but recommended)

  • 1 cup Raw Cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours
  • 1 ½ tbsp Maple Syrup
  • ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract (Optional)
  • Pinch of Salt
  • ¼ tsp Nutritional Yeast (Optional)
  • Juice of ½ Small Lemon
  • 3 tbsp Water

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line or grease a 9×9” baking tin. Add the Non-Dairy Milk, Applesauce, Coconut Sugar, and Vanilla to a small bowl and whisk well.
  2. Combine the Oat Flour, Baking Powder, Spices, and Salt into a separate large bowl and whisk. Form a well in the center of the bowl, pour the wet ingredients in, and use a spatula to mix until no clumps remain. Fold in the Carrots and chopped Pecans, then spread the batter evenly into the baking tin.
  3. Bake for 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick cleanly comes out of the center of the cake. Immediately remove the cake from the baking tin and let cool completely on a cooling rack before decorating or slicing.
  4. Prepare the Cashew Frosting by adding all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender and processing until smooth. I recommend adding the Water in in 1 tbsp increments; you may need to use more depending on your blender, but try to use the least amount possible.
  5. Frost the Cake, top with additional Pecans if desired, and cut into 9 pieces and serve. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days (the Cake will last at room temperature for up to 5 days if unfrosted).

Notes

  • I have not tested this recipe with any flour other than Oat Flour, and cannot recommend substitutions
  • Coconut Sugar may be substituted with Brown Sugar
  • The Cashew Frosting has an off-white color due to the Maple Syrup and Vanilla. If you’d like it to be whiter, replace the Maple Syrup with 3 tbsp of Powdered Sugar!

Keywords: Gluten Free Carrot Cake, Carrot Desserts, Healthy Carrot Cake, Oil Free Carrot Cake

Find it online: https://frommybowl.com/healthy-carrot-cake/