Shop
My
Custom
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
GET IT NOWMy Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe Is Sweet, Moist, And High Protein
I kind of drove myself crazy developing this healthy carrot cake. I’ve been testing it for 4 months! I had this idea last year to sweeten it only with honey and pineapple, plus add Greek yogurt for protein and extra moisture, and I’ll admit all those wet ingredients kept making the texture too wet. I’m happy to say, it was so worth it to finally figure out the ratios. Here’s the result:
- Ultra moist & flavorful – This high protein carrot cake is soft and fluffy, and one of the moistest cakes I’ve ever made. It’s studded with plenty of carrots, raisins, and walnuts, just the right amount of natural sweetness, and a hint of warm spices.
- Feel good dessert – Most so-called healthy carrot cake recipes are still loaded with sugar and use wheat flour. Mine is gluten-free, with no refined sugar. I sweeten it naturally with honey (although my preference is my natural sugar-free honey) and pineapple. Let’s be clear, it’s not low in calories, but it uses whole food ingredients — and each slice has has 12 grams of protein + 10 grams of fiber!
- Great for any special occasion – Or in my case, the occasion of lots of friends and family visiting to eat a big cake. 😉 But seriously, this one is perfect for your Easter, Mother’s Day, or birthday celebration — even people who “don’t eat healthy desserts” love it.
My final healthy carrot cake recipe turned out extremely moist (but don’t worry, not wet. If you love that, make this one with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my protein carrot cake, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Flours – I used both almond flour and tapioca flour to get the best texture. Almond flour keeps the cake moist and rich, while tapioca flour adds a bit of lightness and structure. The almond flour brand you use matters here because many are too coarse — I recommend and created Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour for exactly that reason, to get that fine crumb in my baking.
- Carrots – Grate your carrots fresh and loosely pack them to measure. Avoid those pre-shredded bags — they are both too coarse and too dry.
- Canned Pineapple Chunks – I get ones without added sugar like this. At first I made this healthy carrot cake using crushed pineapple, which also works pretty well (use 2/3 cup instead), but leaves little chunks in the cake, so now I prefer to blend it for a smooth texture. (P.S. If you’ve got extra pineapple, use it to make my pineapple chicken for your next weeknight dinner!)
- Honey – I use my Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey for natural, sugar-free sweetness, but regular honey works fine. I also tested with sugar-free maple syrup, but the taste didn’t work as well here, so recommend honey. Don’t use granulated sweeteners, as they’ll be too dry for this recipe.
- Eggs – Flax eggs will work if you need an egg substitute, but the cake will be more fragile.
- Unsalted Butter – I also tested this healthy carrot cake recipe with butter flavored coconut oil and it worked pretty well.
- Greek Yogurt – For extra moisture and a boost of protein! Thick coconut cream with a splash of lemon juice works for a dairy-free substitute (check my swaps for the other dairy ingredients).
- Add-Ins – I think a good carrot cake needs walnuts and raisins, but it’s up to you.
- Baking Powder – I like this non-GMO brand. Make sure it’s fresh, because almond flour recipes like this don’t rise as much or as easily as white flour.
- For Flavor – Vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg (optional), and sea salt.
- Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting – I double the recipe to have enough for a whole cake. I make it with powdered Besti to ensure a smooth texture. You can make coconut-cream-based frosting for a dairy-free option, but I don’t have a specific recipe.
How To Make A Healthy Carrot Cake
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a big bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg (if you’re using it), and sea salt.
- Cream the butter. In another bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer at medium-high speed, until light and fluffy.
- Puree the pineapple. Toss the pineapple chunks (no liquid!) into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the puree into the bowl with the butter and beat in.
- Beat in the honey, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla. The honey goes first, then the eggs, and finally Greek yogurt and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients, until the batter is smooth.
- Fold in the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Save more walnuts for topping later!
- Bake until golden. Divide the batter between two cake pans lined with parchment paper. (I like to use springform pans for easy release.) Bake the healthy carrot cake layers until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool in the pans.
- Make the frosting. Whip up my sugar-free cream cheese frosting here. Just set the servings to 12 to double the batch!
- Assemble the cake. Once the cake cools, frost the bottom layer, add the top and sides, and frost again. I sprinkle the top with walnuts as I’m not much of a decorator, but feel free to get creative if you’re good at it.
You can serve right away, but I think the texture gets even better if you refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing. Definitely not required — I’ve enjoyed it both ways!
My Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. You’ll need the butter softened to cream properly, and the eggs, yogurt, and pineapple don’t blend in as smoothly if they are cold.
- Make sure to drain the pineapple very well, or the cake will be too wet. You can even pat dry with paper towels before blending.
- If you have a small blender, that’s ideal for the pineapple. A very large one might leave the pineapple sitting at the bottom under the blade. I have this blender and use the twister jar for this part. If yours doesn’t have this feature, you may need to scrape down the sides.
- Finely grated carrots will get you a better texture. Coarsely grated ones will make your cake more prone to falling apart, and the texture isn’t as nice. Whatever you do, avoid grated carrots in a bag, as these are too stiff and dry! I usually use this box grater and use the medium-sized holes.
- Scrape the bowl between additions. This is important to ensure everything mixes evenly.
- The butter and pineapple may look separated after adding the honey, which is fine. Just beat again right before adding the eggs, and right before adding the dry ingredients.
- Be careful not to overmix. With the exception of the butter, keep the hand mixer speed around medium-low. Mixing too much can make your cake tough or dense.
- This cake is not extremely tall, about 2.5 inches. If you want a taller cake, use 3 smaller 7-inch pans, or multiply the recipe by 1.5X and make a 3rd layer in another 9-inch pan.
- If the cakes are stuck, run a knife along the edges. Then, gently release them from the pans.
- Triple the frosting recipe if you like a lot. I doubled my sugar-free cream cheese frosting and it was just barely enough, but you’ll definitely want extra if you like a thicker layer or want to decorate the top.
- Want to turn this into healthy carrot cake cupcakes? You totally can! Just bake in a lined muffin tin (I recommend parchment paper liners) instead of cake pans, and use the same frosting. The time should be about the same, but I would check on them 5 minutes sooner, just in case.
- Want extra protein? This protein carrot cake already has 12 grams of protein per slice, but you can replace 1/2 cup of the almond flour with protein powder to add even more.
Healthy Carrot Cake (High Protein!)
This healthy carrot cake recipe is super moist, naturally sweetened, and gluten-free, with 12 grams of protein per slice! You'll love it.
Remove Ads
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line two 9 in (23 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. Use springform pans if you have them, but regular ones are fine. Grease the bottom and sides. (I use avocado oil spray, but butter works, too.)
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), and sea salt. Set aside.
-
In a second large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the butter at medium-high speed, until fluffy.
-
Place the pineapple chunks in a blender (without the liquid) and blend until smooth. Pour the puree into the bowl with the butter and beat until smooth.
-
Beat in the honey.
-
Beat in the eggs at medium-low speed, then the Greek yogurt and vanilla.
-
Beat the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, again at medium-low speed.
-
Fold in the grated carrots, raisins, and 1 cup of the chopped walnuts. (Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts for later.)
-
Transfer the batter evenly among the two prepared baking pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the top is lightly golden. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans.
-
Meanwhile, make the sugar-free cream cheese frosting here. (Double the recipe by entering "12" into the box for # of servings on that page.)
-
When the cake has cooled to room temperature, place the bottom layer on a plate or cake stand. Frost, then add the top layer and frost again. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/12 of the cake
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect moist texture (not too wet or dense), how to get a taller cake if you prefer, and even turn this cake into cupcakes!
- Store or meal prep: This healthy carrot cake stores beautifully if you make it in advance, which I’ve done several times. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also prepare the frosting ahead, and I often measure out ingredients in advance.
- Freeze: Wrap individual slices or the whole cake in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
- Note on nutrition info: I used Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey for the calculations, but regular works too—just know the nutrition will change. Optional ingredients aren’t included in the numbers.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Healthy Carrot Cake (High Protein)
More High Protein Dessert Recipes
I’ve been on a kick to add more protein to desserts, so I have many others that sneak it in. Try these next:
21 Comments
Annie D
0I really really wanted this to turn out because it is so healthy! I turned this into muffins instead of a cake, but made no other modifications. I sprayed the pan down. The muffins were not thoroughly cooked until more than an hour in the 350 oven. I had one that I was using for testing and it was wet batter inside until 1 hour in. So they were really dark when I took them out even though I put foil over them for the last 20 mins. They also stuck to the pan big time. The taste was great! I’m not giving up on this recipe, so will put them in paper muffin cups next time, and maybe lower the heat? Not sure about that one! Any thoughts would be welcome!! Thanks for this great site!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Annie, That’s so strange, I’ve never had this recipe take so long, even with the cake version. Were they very large muffins? Have you tested if your oven runs hot or cold? Were your carrots super “wet”? Did your batter look like my pictures or different in some way? Any differences in ingredient brands? (I linked the ones I used on the recipe card above.) I do recommend using muffin liners to address the sticking, but am not sure why they would take so long to bake.
Donna
0This cake was 5 stars all the way around. The addition of the pineapple gave it an extra punch of natural sweetness and flavor that put it over the top. Thanks for the recipe!!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you loved it, Donna! The pineapple really does make it extra special.
David
0Since I live alone I made just one layer and didn’t double the frosting. Other than making just one layer I followed the recipe as written. This cake is delicious, and so is the frosting! I ate the entire cake in a 24 hour period. Yummy!
Wholesome Yum D
0I love that, David! Sounds like it was definitely a hit and so glad you enjoyed every bite!
Karen Hayes
0Hi there! I’m anxious to make this cake. Can I use one 9″ springform pan, and if so, what would be the bake time and oven temperature. Thanks so much! My husband is just finishing up the last of the almond cake (your recipe), which was fabulous!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, I suppose you could make the entire cake in one pan, but you would miss out on the frosting layers. It’s not really sturdy enough to slice horizontally after baking, so would not recommend going about it that way. If you want to bake all the batter in one pan, I would lower the oven temperature by at least 25 degrees and you’ll need to bake for longer. You might still need to tent the top with foil toward the end to prevent burning and ensure it bakes through inside. Alternatively, you can use the same pan to bake both layers one at a time, but you’d have to cut the batter amounts in half and mix separately, so that the batter for the second cake doesn’t sit too long before baking. Sorry to say neither of these sounds the most ideal, but it’s doable. Please let me know which you go with and how it turns out. I’m so glad you and your husband liked the almond cake!
Lois Robinson
0I made this cake and oh my word it is rich and flavorful and really great. It was easy to make and I enjoyed it without the frosting as it was rich and flavorful without it in my opinon but if someone wants to use the frosting guess they can. I like carrot cake but sometimes they are way too sweet and this recipe was just right.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you liked this cake, Lois! Thank you.
Louise
0I have looked at quite a few of your recipes, I am in the UK, so have converted most to metric!
However, I have just looked a the healthy carrot cake….and don’t understand the quantities…..eg:
1/16 g Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour
If it is 1/16g – that is a miniscule amount, have I got it wrong please? Or is is 16g?
Can you help please?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Louise, So sorry about that, looks like the system had an issue. I just fixed it and you should now see correct metric amounts if you flip the switch to metric. Please let me know how it turns out!
Mary Holly
0Hi Maya, my husband’s favorite cake is your previous carrot cake recipe. I tried your new healthy carrot cake recipe and he loves the addition of the raisins and pineapple puree. I thought it might be too sweet but it wasn’t. Now, this recipe is his favorite carrot cake.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Awww, I’m so glad this is the new favorite, Mary! Thank you.
Siziwe Gloria Susan Mchunu
0It has high protein and carrots, clear yes
Jill Franklin
0Can you use coconut flour in place of tapioca flour? I don’t have tapioca flour.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jill, Sorry, no, they are unfortunately not interchangeable. Coconut flour is a lot more drying. Arrowroot powder would work as a substitute.
Lee Davidson
0Can this recipe be made without the tapioca flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lee, Sorry, no, you wouldn’t be able to just leave it out, as it’s there for both texture and moisture balance. Arrowroot powder should make a decent substitute, though.
Claudio
0Hi Maya,
How much arrowroot powder should I use as the substitution? Is it 1/2 cup?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Claudio, Yes, the same amount.