A moist, naturally sweet carrot cake made without refined sugar or traditional flour. It’s packed with carrots, warm cinnamon, and wholesome ingredients, then finished with a creamy yogurt topping. Perfect when you want a lighter dessert without sacrificing that classic carrot-cake flavor.
Recipe Details
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
Total Time: About 50 minutes
Servings: 9
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake
2 cups finely grated carrots
2 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup mashed ripe banana
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups finely ground rolled oats (oat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, optional
¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
For Extra Sweetness, Optional
2–3 tablespoons monk-fruit or erythritol-based sweetener
Important: The recipe contains naturally occurring sugars from carrots, banana, and applesauce. “No sugar” here means no added/refined sugar, unless you use a sweetener containing sugar.
Creamy Topping
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
4 oz (115 g) softened cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1–2 tablespoons powdered monk-fruit sweetener, optional
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Optional Garnishes
A light sprinkle of cinnamon
Finely grated carrot
Chopped pecans or walnuts
Unsweetened coconut
Instructions
1. Prepare the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
2. Prepare the carrots
Peel and finely grate the carrots.
If the carrots are extremely wet, gently squeeze out some excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
Don’t completely dry them—the moisture helps keep the cake soft.
3. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together:
Eggs
Applesauce
Mashed banana
Greek yogurt
Vanilla extract
Whisk until smooth.
4. Combine the dry ingredients
In another bowl, mix:
Ground oats
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger
Salt
Stir until evenly combined.
5. Make the batter
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Stir gently until just combined.
Fold in:
Grated carrots
Unsweetened coconut, if using
Chopped nuts, if using
Don’t overmix the batter.
6. Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Spread evenly.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
The cake should feel set in the center.
7. Cool completely
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before adding the topping.
This is important because the yogurt frosting can melt if spread onto a warm cake.
8. Make the topping
Beat together:
Greek yogurt
Softened cream cheese
Vanilla
Optional powdered sweetener
Cinnamon
Mix until smooth and creamy.
Spread over the completely cooled carrot cake.
9. Decorate
Finish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.
For extra texture, add a small amount of chopped pecans or walnuts.
Slice into 9 squares and serve.
Serving Ideas
Enjoy with:
Coffee
Tea
Greek yogurt
Fresh berries
A little extra cinnamon
Sugar-free caramel drizzle
Easy Variations
Apple Carrot Cake
Replace half of the banana with additional unsweetened applesauce.
Orange Carrot Cake
Add 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice.
Coconut Carrot Cake
Add ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut.
Carrot Cake Muffins
Divide the batter among 10–12 lined muffin cups.
Bake for approximately 18–22 minutes.
Nutty Carrot Cake
Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
COMPLETE NUT INFORMATION
Does the basic recipe contain nuts?
No. The base cake can be made completely free of peanuts and tree nuts.
However, the optional walnuts and pecans are tree nuts.
Tree nuts in this recipe
If you add them:
Walnuts = tree nut
Pecans = tree nut
Nut-free version
Simply leave out the walnuts and pecans.
For crunch, you can use:
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
provided they are appropriate for the individual’s allergy needs.
Coconut information
Coconut is botanically different from tree nuts, but some people with food allergies may still need to avoid it based on their individual medical guidance. If preparing this for someone with a serious allergy, use ingredients appropriate for their specific allergy plan.
Check packaged ingredients
For a strict nut-free preparation, check:
Oats/oat flour
Greek yogurt
Cream cheese
Baking powder
Baking soda
Coconut
Sweetener
Vanilla extract
Look for applicable allergen or cross-contact statements.
Gluten Information
The recipe uses oats rather than wheat flour.
For a gluten-free cake, use certified gluten-free oats/oat flour, since ordinary oats can be subject to cross-contact with wheat and other gluten-containing grains.
Sugar Information
This recipe contains no added refined sugar when prepared with unsweetened applesauce, unsweetened yogurt, and no sweetened toppings.
However, it is not sugar-free in the nutritional sense because carrots, banana, and applesauce naturally contain sugars.
For a lower-sugar version:
Reduce the banana.
Use unsweetened applesauce.
Use plain unsweetened Greek yogurt.
Use a non-sugar sweetener if desired.
Storage
Refrigerator
Because of the cream cheese and yogurt topping, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer
For best results, freeze the unfrosted cake.
Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator and add the topping after thawing.
Q&A
Q: Is this carrot cake really sugar-free?
It contains no added/refined sugar, but it does contain naturally occurring sugars from banana, carrots, and applesauce.
Q: Can I make it without banana?
Yes. Replace the banana with about ½ cup unsweetened applesauce. The cake will be slightly less sweet.
Q: Can I use dates instead?
Yes, but dates contain natural sugar, so the cake would no longer be as low in sugar. They also add moisture and sweetness.
Q: Can I use almond flour?
Yes, but almond flour contains tree nuts, so it is not suitable for a nut-free version. It will also change the texture and proportions, so it shouldn’t simply be substituted cup-for-cup without adjusting the recipe.
Q: Can I use coconut flour?
Coconut flour absorbs much more liquid than oat flour, so it cannot be substituted 1:1.
Q: Can I use regular flour?
Yes, but then it would no longer be a no-flour recipe.
Q: Why is my carrot cake soggy?
The carrots may contain too much moisture, or the cake may be underbaked. If your carrots are very wet, gently squeeze out some moisture before adding them.
Q: Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes. Use a dairy-free yogurt and dairy-free cream cheese alternative.
Q: Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes. Use certified gluten-free oats or oat flour and check all packaged ingredients.
Q: Can I make muffins instead?
Absolutely. Divide the batter into muffin cups and bake for approximately 18–22 minutes.
Q: Can I skip the frosting?
Yes! The cake is delicious on its own, especially when served slightly warm.
Q: Can I add raisins?
Yes, but raisins contain natural sugar and will make the cake sweeter.
Q: How do I make it more like traditional carrot cake?
Add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, chopped walnuts or pecans, shredded coconut, and a creamy cream-cheese-style topping. Approximate Nutrition
Per serving, based on 9 servings and without optional nuts:
Calories: ~170–210
Protein: ~7–9g
Carbohydrates: ~25–30g
Fat: ~5–7g
Fiber: ~3–4g
Nutrition is approximate and varies depending on the exact ingredients, sweetener, and frosting used.
Tips for the Best No-Sugar Carrot Cake
Use finely grated carrots for a tender texture.
Very ripe bananas provide more natural sweetness.
Don’t overmix after adding the oat flour.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Use unsweetened applesauce and yogurt.
For a truly no-added-sugar version, avoid sweetened coconut, raisins, sweetened cream cheese, and regular powdered sugar.
For a nut-free cake, omit walnuts and pecans and check packaged ingredients carefully.
With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
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