This low-calorie Carrot Cake is so moist and tender. Your guests will never know it’s low-carb and free of refined sugars, gluten, oil and butter!
Carrot cakes are not just for Easter!
And when it’s gluten-free, refined-sugar-free, low-carb, and free of any oils or butters, you KNOW this is going to be on my repeat list all year long!
Did you know that carrot cake came about during the Medieval times when sugar was scarce and expensive? The cake is believed to have evolved from carrot puddings, which were popular during that time because cooks could turn to carrots to add sweetness to their desserts instead of using sugar.
With an origin story like that, there’s no WAY you can convince me to save this dessert for once a year!
Is Gluten-Free Sugar-Free Carrot Cake Healthy?
This dreamy carrot cake has that moist, carroty, and nutty flavor we all love but with a ton of healthy ingredients packed in! There is no refined sugar used in this low-carb carrot cake, but instead, the sugar-free sweetener erythritol is used to bring that same sweetness you need in a dessert. This recipe also doesn’t use any butter, but instead relies on Greek yogurt to bring in the fat as well as some protein!
Carrot Cake Recipe Variations
Here are a few ways to switch things up with this carrot cake to suit your needs and preferences:
To make the cake dairy-free, consider using dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free Greek yogurt. Coconut yogurt is a great alternative that will also add some extra sweetness to the recipe.
To make this cake paleo, consider using a plant-based yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. Also, you may be able to use coconut sugar instead of erythritol, but I have not personally tried this.
How to make ahead and store
You can absolutely make this carrot cake ahead of time. If you want to wait to frost it, you can wrap the cooled cake layers tightly in plastic wrap. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months if you’re making it further ahead.
Once assembled, to store leftovers, place the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 5 to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze the entire frosted cake (or individual portions) uncovered until the frosting hardens (about 1 to 2 hours), then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or place in a freezer-safe container. When ready to eat, thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight.
Serving Suggestions
When I want to mix up my carrot cake recipe, the first thing I always do is swap the frosting for my favorite Keto Chocolate Frosting! It’s a little unconventional, but I promise the flavors work so well with the carrot and pecans. You can also swap the frosting in this recipe for this Greek Yogurt Frosting, which isn’t sugar-free, but it doesn’t always need to be!
Finally, when it’s the midst of the festive season and I really crave a simple carrot cake, I like to decorate it with Vegan Peppermint Bark. While I certainly don’t need convincing, it’s great for convincing my friends and family of my year-long obsession with this cake!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (136g) coconut flour sifted
- 4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 9 large eggs
- 18 tablespoons erythritol sweetener (I used Swerve)
- 10 tablespoons plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups (392g) carrots about 7 large carrots, grated and lightly packed
- 3/4 cup (85g) pecans diced, plus additional for garnish
- 1/2 cup (27g) unsweetened coconut flakes
For the frosting:
- 12 oz (1.5 bricks) light cream cheese at room temperature
- 3/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered erythritol sweetener (I used Swerve)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, spraying the exposed sides with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a separate large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the eggs, sweetener, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the coconut flour mixture and stir until combined.
- Gently fold in the carrots, pecans, and coconut flakes until well combined. Let the batter stand for 10 minutes so the coconut flour can begin to absorb the moisture. Your batter will be thick, this is normal.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans, spreading out smoothly. Bake until the sides are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool COMPLETELY in the pan before removing from the pan and frosting.
To make the frosting:
- In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese and yogurt on high speed until fluffy. Add in the vanilla and beat until combined.
- Set the mixer on low speed and gradually add in the powdered sweetener, until you've added all of it and it's well combined. Return to high speed and beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the frosting is fluffy.
To frost:
- Place one layer bottom-side up on a cake stand. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting all over it evenly. Then, place the other cake bottom-side up gently on top.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake to make the crumb coat. It doesn’t have to be pretty, it’s just to seal in the crumbs. Chill for at least an hour, up to overnight. Put the remaining frosting in the fridge too, so it starts to firm up.
- Once chilled, frost the entire cake. I find an offset spatula really helps! Garnish with extra pecans, if desired.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
I made this cake for the second time… Why? Because it’s amazing!! It’s so dense, moist and delicious. I didn’t substitute a thing!
Yaaayy!! So gald to hear you love it! Thanks, Kerri!
I am so disappointed with this recipe and what a waste of expensive ingredients! Its texture was more like an omelet than any cake. Never again!
I’m sorry to hear this Pat!
I am wondering what you might omit if you add a cup of crushed pineapple to the recipe? Thank you.
You probably want to reduce the quantity of grated carrots but I haven’t tried. Let me know how it goes!
I made this cake as a dessert for the Easter dinner. We were all fairly disappointed. Though everyone was kind enough to “taste” the cake, the remainder of the cake ended up in the garbage disposal. I found the cake to be much, much, MUCH too sweet tasting. I followed the directions to a “T”. My husband said it reminded him of the fruit cakes from years ago that would remain in the refrigerator well beyond Christmas. I would not recommend this recipe.
Hi Jana, I am so sorry to read this. As you can see several people have tried the recipe and it worked well for them. I am not sure what went wrong for you but I can imagine how frustrating it can be not to have a good cake at an important family dinner. Thank for sharing your experience though and hope to read you again soon!
I made this and followed directions to the tee! It came out perfect! It almost had a pumpkin pie element to it.
This is SO nice to read, I am glad you liked it!
Hello! This Friday going to be dinner this is the carrot cake that I am going to be making, question could I Macy’s in a cupcake pan? And what would differ between the cupcake versus the pans? I appreciate your attention to this and I look forward to making it tasting it and posting Neighbor the picture 😉
Hi Christine, I actually have a carrot cake cupcake recipe if you would like to try it: https://www.foodfaithfitness.com/gluten-free-carrot-cake-cupcakes/
If you want to stick to the original recipe, I think the main difference is the cooking time. Other than that you should be fine!
Enjoy your dinner and let me know how it goes!
This was my first try making a sugar free, gluten free anything! Made it for Sunday School, we have a few diabetics. This was a great success! Some took a piece home for later. I will say the toothpick test was a little scary. My tooth pick was clean, but my cake felt almost like pumpkin pie consistency. Would recommend it, also note the recipe States to let the batter sit so the coconut flour can absorb the moisture.
What can you use instead of coconut or Almond flour, but keep it as healthful as possible? Some allergies to consider.
Hi Laura! If you’re looking for an alternative to coconut and almond flour, you can try using oat flour or tigernut flour as a healthier option while considering allergy needs. Both flours still maintain nutritional benefits without relying on nuts or coconut.
For this specific recipe, replacing coconut flour might require some adjustments. Keep in mind that coconut flour is highly absorbent, so you might need to use a different ratio when substituting with oat flour or tigernut flour. A good starting point is to use around 2-3 times the amount of the alternative flour (oat or tigernut) than mentioned for coconut flour.
Here’s the modified ingredients list for the cake, replacing coconut flour with oat or tigernut flour:
– 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 Cups Oat flour or Tigernut flour (272g – 408g) adjust as needed
– 4 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
– 1 tsp Baking soda
– 1 tsp Baking powder
– 1 tsp Salt
– 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
– 9 Large eggs
– 1 Cup + 2 Tbsp Erythritol Sweetener (I used swerve) **
– 1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp Plain non fat Greek yogurt
– 2 tsp Vanilla extract
– 4 Cups Carrot, grated and lightly packed (392g or about 7 large carrots)
– 3/4 Cup Pecans, diced (85g) *** + additional for garnish (optional)
– 1/2 Cup Unsweetened coconut flakes (27g)
Feel free to experiment and adjust the measurements to achieve the desired consistency and texture. Enjoy your allergen-friendly carrot cake!
Hi I made this and the cake itself is lovely but I cannot get the frosting to be firm, i made it twice and still not right. Can I freeze it to set it?
I’m glad to hear that the cake itself turned out lovely, but I’m sorry to hear that the frosting isn’t firm enough. Let’s try to troubleshoot the issue and find a solution for you!
First, make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing with the Greek yogurt. This ensures that the ingredients blend smoothly and achieve the right consistency. Beating the cream cheese and yogurt on high speed is important to incorporate air and create a fluffy texture.
Also, while adding the powdered erythritol sweetener, do it gradually and ensure that it’s well combined. Then, return to high speed and continue beating for 2-3 minutes to further incorporate air and fluffiness into the frosting.
As for freezing the frosting, it’s generally not recommended because the texture might change, and become less smooth and creamy. However, you can try to chill the frosting in the refrigerator for an hour and see if that works for you. Good luck!
Hi, I want to try this recipe but only have a 9” cake pan (Bundt) and 2 8” tart pans. Do you think this will work in 9” pan?
A 9” Bundt pan should work, but the baking time may vary slightly so keep an eye on it and test for doneness with a toothpick.
i use aguva instead of swerve how much should I use
Hi Mary, to you mean guava?
She meant agave sweetener. It’s similar to honey and used in mixed drinks. Can you use honey.