No Sugar, No Flour Carrot Cake
A naturally sweet, moist, and wholesome carrot cake made without refined sugar or flour.
⏱ Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40–45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Servings: 10 slices
- Difficulty: Easy
🥕 Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3–4 medium carrots)
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup rolled oats, blended into oat flour (use certified gluten-free if needed)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- ¼ cup raisins (optional, for natural sweetness)
Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2–3 tablespoons powdered erythritol or monk fruit sweetener (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Garnish
- Chopped walnuts
- Chopped pecans
- Shredded carrots
- Cinnamon sprinkle
👩🍳 Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a large bowl combine:
- Almond flour
- Oat flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Salt
Mix well.
Step 3
In another bowl whisk together:
- Eggs
- Applesauce
- Greek yogurt
- Coconut oil
- Vanilla
Mix until smooth.
Step 4
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Fold gently.
Add:
- Grated carrots
- Walnuts (optional)
- Raisins (optional)
Do not overmix.
Step 5
Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake 40–45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 6
Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Step 7
Beat frosting ingredients until smooth.
Spread over cooled cake.
Decorate with chopped nuts and shredded carrots.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- With coffee
- With hot tea
- Breakfast treat
- Healthy dessert
- Brunch centerpiece
💡 Tips
- Finely grate the carrots for a moist texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- Refrigerate leftovers for the best texture.
- Toast the nuts for extra flavor.
🔄 Variations
- Add shredded coconut.
- Mix in chopped dates instead of raisins.
- Add orange zest for freshness.
- Use pecans instead of walnuts.
- Make cupcakes by baking for 20–25 minutes.
🥜 Nut Information
Contains:
- Almonds (almond flour)
- Walnuts or pecans (if used)
- Eggs
- Dairy (Greek yogurt and cream cheese)
Nut-Free Option:
- Replace almond flour with sunflower seed flour (note: it may turn slightly green after baking due to a natural reaction with baking soda).
- Omit walnuts and pecans.
🥗 Nutrition (Approx. Per Slice, without frosting)
- Calories: 245
- Protein: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Natural Sugars: 5 g
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 58 mg
- Sodium: 170 mg
Nutrition values are estimates and vary based on ingredients used.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this cake really sugar-free?
A: Yes. It contains no refined sugar. Sweetness comes naturally from carrots, applesauce, and optional raisins. If you add erythritol or monk fruit to the frosting, it remains free of added sugar.
Q: Is it gluten-free?
A: It can be if you use certified gluten-free oats.
Q: Can I freeze it?
A: Yes. Wrap individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Q: Can I make muffins?
A: Yes. Bake in a muffin tin at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes.
Q: How should I store it?
A: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Q: Can I make it dairy-free?
A: Yes. Replace the Greek yogurt and cream cheese with dairy-free alternatives or use unsweetened coconut yogurt.
Q: Can I omit the nuts?
A: Absolutely. Leave out the walnuts or pecans, and use a nut-free flour substitute if needed.
Q: Why is my cake dense?
A: Overmixing the batter or packing the almond flour too tightly can make the cake denser. Mix just until combined and measure ingredients accurately.
