Words like moist, spongy, fluffy, airy all describe this cake perfectly. I use apple cider vinegar in my carrot cake batter to activate the baking soda. Together they make the cake airy and light without the use of eggs, cream or butter. Lots of carrots and nuts provide nutrients and texture to this super easy and healthy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.
Not just for Easter, I make it on other occasions as well (or for no particular reason at all!). With the (vegan) cream cheese frosting it becomes a very festive cake. So great for birthday cakes as well. SWOON!
How I make this super easy and healthy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
In a large bowl I add flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. I stir to combine it all with a large wooden spoon.
I live in a hot climate so my coconut oil is always in a liquid state. If yours is solid, gently melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan at low heat.
How I chop walnuts? I just use a knife, but you can also pulse them in a food processor. Just make sure that you don’t overdo it; you don’t want walnut meal!
I add the liquid coconut oil to the flour mixture along with apple cider vinegar, the grated carrot, orange zest and chopped walnuts. The batter will still look a bit too dry. I let it rest so the carrots can release some of their water. After 5-10 minutes I shortly move it around with a wooden spoon to mix it again. Now it should be moister.
Once the batter is ready, I pour it into the greased cake pan and bake it for about 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. I usually check after 30 minutes to ensure I am not over baking my cake. If still too wet, I give it another 5 minutes and check again.
I take the carrot cake out of the oven and let cool off. The first 10 minutes in the cake pan, after that I take it out and transfer it to a cooling rack. The cake needs to cool off completely before I can put the frosting on (otherwise the frosting will melt).
While the carrot cake is cooling off, I make the cream cheese frosting. In a large mixing bowl I add all the frosting ingredients – cream cheese, powdered sugar/xylitol and orange juice – and beat it all together with a whisk (or you can use a food processor for this as well) until thoroughly combined.
When the frosting is ready and the cake has cooled off, I take a large knife and cut the cake in half horizontally. I spread a layer of frosting on the bottom half of the cake and place the other half on top of it. I finish it off with another layer of frosting on top of the cake. No need to spread it out smoothly and completely even. I think the rustic look suits this cake with perfectly!
The cake is ready, but (optionally) I like to garnish it with some (caramelized) chopped walnuts or, when it is Easter, with mini Easter eggs!
A great healthy cake for Easter and so many other occasions! Easter bunny stay away from the carrots, we are making carrot cake!
How to turn this carrot cake into a fall pumpkin carrot cake?
With just a few adjustments this carrot cake turns into a fall or Thanksgiving showstopper.
- Just swap the cinnamon (in both the cake and the frosting) for pumpkin spice;
- Add 2 heaping table spoons of pumpkin puree to the batter. To even it out you can leave out 2 tbsp of the grated carrots.
And that’s it! The cake will become a bit more dense, but it gains in fall flavor.
We enjoy this cake so much year around (and love to share it with others). We hope you do too. It is
made with wholesome and nutritious ingredients – easy to make – great to share with others on a festive occasion – & oh so delicious
This makes a great birthday cake as well, just like this chocolate brownie pie, these creamy passionfruit lime bars or this actual funfetti birthday cake!
Super easy and healthy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Equipment
- 8 inch/ 20cm Ø cake pan
Ingredients
Carrot cake ingredients
- 225 gr white whole wheat flour (or sub spelt flour or regular all purpose flour)
- 180 gr coconut sugar (or sub (organic) light brown sugar)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 100 gr coconut oil
- 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 300 gr carrot (grated)
- 80 gr walnuts (chopped)
- 1-1½ tsp orange zest (to taste)(use the juice for the frosting)
Cream cheese frosting
- 450 gr (vegan) cream cheese (for thinner layers use only 300 gr)
- 150 gr powdered sugar or xylitol (for thinner layers use only 100gr)
- 1½ tbsp orange juice (for thinner layers use only 1 tbsp)
Garnishing (optional)
- a handful (caramelized) walnuts (or)
- a handful mini Easter eggs (or)
- a handful toasted shredded coconut (or)
Instructions
Bake the carrot cake
- Preheat the oven to 180C/360F and lightly grease a 8 inch/20cm Ø cake pan with (coconut) cooking spray or oil.
- In a large bowl I add flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. I stir to combine it all with a large wooden spoon.
- If your coconut oil is solid, gently melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan at low heat.
- Add the liquid coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, the grated carrot, orange zest and chopped walnuts to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. The batter will still look a bit too dry so let it rest so the carrots can release some of their water. After 5-10 minutes mix it again shortly. It should have the right consistency now.
- Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake it for about 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. I usually check after 30 minutes to ensure I am not over baking my cake. If still too wet, I give it another 5 minutes and check again.
- Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool off. The first 10 minutes in the cake pan, after that, take it out of the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting
- While the carrot cake is cooling off, make the cream cheese frosting. In a large mixing bowl add all the frosting ingredients and beat it all together with a whisk (or you can use a food processor for this as well) until thoroughly combined.
- When the frosting is ready and the cake has cooled off completely, take a large knife and cut the cake in half horizontally. Spread a layer of frosting on the bottom half of the cake and place the other half on top of it. Finish it off with another layer of frosting on top of the cake.
- Optionally garnish the carrot cake with some (caramelized) chopped walnuts or, mini Easter eggs or even toasted shredded coconut.
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
Notes
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