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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Best Ever Carrot Cake Recipe (With Less Sugar)

    Published: Mar 27, 2023, Last Modified: Mar 27, 2023 by Janessa.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    With a tender crumb and superb spice flavor, taste testers could not tell that this healthy carrot cake recipe is made with 50 percent less sugar than traditional carrot cake recipes. Perfect for special occasions, a birthday cake or just because.

    Jump to:
    • The Ingredients
    • The Method
    • Leftovers and Storage
    • Make it Your Own
    • Alternate Baking Pans
    • Cupcakes:
    • Serving Ideas
    • Dietary Notes
    • And if you liked this recipe...
    • Carrot Cake with Less Sugar
    • Comments
    Piece of carrot cake on a lifter.

    It never ceases to amaze me how simple ingredients can be combined to taste so incredible.

    And classic carrot cake is a perfect example of that. Regular whole wheat flour, eggs, carrot and spices blended together in the right way somehow become this crowd pleasing dessert.

    It's like magic.

    And the best part with this particular recipe is you don't even need a separate bowl for wet and dry ingredients- the whole batter is made in one bowl. Extra magic.

    Top it off with some tangy cream cheese frosting for the perfect complement to the sweet taste of the cake.

    The Ingredients

    Ingredients for carrot cake with less sugar.
    • Whole Wheat Flour- I like to use whole wheat to add some whole grains but all purpose flour can be used instead.
    • Brown Sugar- You can use coconut sugar for a more natural sweetener.
    • Pumpkin- Ensure you use canned (or homemade) pure pumpkin- not pumpkin pie filling. Unsweetened apple sauce, drained crushed pineapple or Greek yogurt will also work.
    • Avocado Oil- Melted coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil can be used.
    • Grated Carrots- For best results, be sure to use fresh carrots and shred them yourself. It is not necessary to peel before grating but you can if you prefer.
    • Large Eggs
    • Cinnamon
    • Ginger- This can be omitted if needed, but I highly recommend using it!
    • Allspice- This can also be omitted if needed, but I recommend using it if you have it on hand.
    • Nutmeg- This too can be omitted if needed, but I highly recommend using it as well.
    • Baking Soda
    • Baking Powder
    • Salt
    • Vanilla Extract
    • Cream Cheese Frosting

    The Method

    1. Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and brown sugar until combined.

    Wet ingredients whisked together in a glass bowl.

    2. Add dry ingredients. Whisk in the spices, salt, baking soda and powder until mixed. Stir in the flour until just mixed (don't overmix!).

    3. Fold in carrots. Use a rubber spatula to mix in the shredded carrots.

    Dry ingredients and carrots added to glass bowl with wet ingredients.

    4. Bake. Line a 9x9 inch square baking pan with with parchment paper or silicone liner (see below for alternate cake pans) and pour the cake batter into it. Bake in a 350 F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the center of the cake lightly springs back to the touch and a toothpick poked in the center contains just a few moist crumbs.

    Baked carrot cake in a 9 inch cake pan.

    5. Cool. Allow the cake to cool for at least two hours by setting the baking pan on a wire rack at room temperature. Remove from pan if preferred and serve, store or decorate.

    6. Frost. Luscious cream cheese frosting and spiced carrot cake are a match made in heaven so I highly recommend spreading a batch of this 3 ingredient cream cheese icing on top!

    Carrot cake being frosted.

    7. Serve.

    Leftovers and Storage

    Make Ahead: This cake tastes better the next day! You can make the cake and the frosting portions up to 2 days ahead. Store the frosting in the refrigerator and the cake in an airtight container at room temperature. Or decorate the cake with frosting and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days ahead of serving.

    To Store: Unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Frosted cake should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    To Freeze: Frosted or unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Frosted low sugar carrot cake on a wooden cutting board and sprinkled with cake crumbs.

    Make it Your Own

    Incorporate Add Ins- Are you an everything but the kitchen sink kind of carrot cake lover? If so, you can add up to ⅓ cup each (or up to 1 cup total):

    • Shredded Coconut Flakes
    • Chopped Nuts (toasted pecans are a great idea!)
    • Raisins

    Use a Different Frosting- While I'm partial to cream cheese frosting with carrot cake, you could choose to leave it unfrosted or use one of the following instead:

    • Whipped Cream
    • White Chocolate Frosting
    • Coconut Cream Frosting (dairy free option)
    • Buttercream

    Use Pineapple- If you're a fan of pineapple carrot cake, you can substitute partly drained, crushed pineapple for the pumpkin.

    Triple layer 6 inch carrot cake with a slice cut out.

    Alternate Baking Pans

    You can definitely adapt this recipe to make all sorts of shapes and sizes! However, you may need to double the recipe in some cases, which is easy to do. Simply click the (2x) icon on the recipe card and it will do the math for you.

    See below for notes, bake times and whether or not you need to double the recipe for a variety of cake pan sizes and shapes.

    *Also, please not that your cake pans for layer and sheet cakes need to be at least 2 inches deep.

    Layer Cakes:

    TIP: Cut parchment to size to fit in the bottom of your cake pan. That will make the removal of the cooled cake so much easier (and prettier!).

    • 6 Inch
      • 2 Layers
        • Divide the batter between 2 cake pans and bake for 24-28 minutes.
      • 3 Layers
        • Divide the batter between 3 cake pans and bake for 18-23 minutes.
    • 8 Inch
      • 2 Layers
        • Divide the batter between 2 cake pans and bake for 18-23 minutes.
      • 3 Layers
        • Double the recipe (2x on the recipe card) and divide the batter between 3 cake pans. Bake for 24-28 minutes.
    • 9 Inch- You will need to double the recipe (2x on the recipe card)
      • 2 Layers
        • Divide the batter between 2 cake pans and bake for 27-32 minutes.
      • 3 Layers
        • Divide the batter between 3 cake pans and bake for 18-23 minutes.

    Sheet Cakes:

    • 8x8 Inch Square
      • The cake will be slightly thicker so increase the bake time to 30-35 minutes.
    • 9x13 Inch Rectangle
      • Double the recipe (2x on the recipe card) and bake for 40-45 minutes.

    Bundt Cake:

    • Double the recipe (2x on the recipe card) and grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes.

    Cupcakes:

    • Line a muffin tin with 12-14 liners. Fill each ½-2/3 full and bake for 18-22 minutes.

    Want to make Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins instead? Use carrots in place of the zucchini in these Honey Spice Zucchini Muffins.

    They are naturally refined sugar free. If you have it on hand, try using pure maple syrup in place of the honey (it pairs wonderfully with the flavor!)

    Bite of carrot cake on a spoon.

    Serving Ideas

    Carrot cake is a classic spring time dessert and is perfect for an Easter brunch (maybe with some Honey Lemonade and fresh fruit).

    It also makes a great birthday cake, snack cake or any time treat.

    Does cake with cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?

    Yes, because the frosting contains cream cheese, it should be stored in the refrigerator.

    Dietary Notes

    LET ME PLAN YOUR DINNERS! Get My FREE Meal Plan (Including Grocery List!)>>>

    If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:

    • Dairy Free
    • Nut Free
    • Vegetarian

    And if you liked this recipe...

    ...you might also like:

    • Chocolate Zucchini Bread
    • Honey Blueberry Oat Muffins
    • Spice Zucchini Muffins

    Carrot Cake with Less Sugar

    With a tender crumb and superb spice flavor, this healthy carrot cake recipe is made with 50 percent less sugar than traditional recipes but taste testers couldn't tell!
    5 from 41 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cooling Time: 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 177kcal

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ½ cup avocado oil
    • 6 tablespoon pumpkin puree
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon cloves
    • 1 and ¼ cup whole wheat flour
    • 1 cup shredded carrots about 1 large
    • 2 cups Cream Cheese Frosting optional
    US Customary - Metric
    (Prevent your screen from going dark)

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a 9x9 inch square (or round) baking pan with parchment or a silicone line.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla until combined.
    • Whisk in the baking powder, soda, salt and spices until mixed.
    • Mix in the flour until just incorporated. Fold in the carrots. Pour batter into prepared pan.
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes until the centre lightly bounces back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centre contains just a few crumbs.
    • Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for at least two hours.
    • Frost with cream cheese icing if desired and serve.

    Notes

    Leftovers
    Store leftover unfrosted cake at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 
    Frosted cake should be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2990IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you thought in the comments below!
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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Kathleen

      March 27, 2023 at 9:28 am

      5 stars
      Oh my, this carrot cake sounds fabulous! I love all the spices and ingredients you use, and I can't wait to make it.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        March 27, 2023 at 9:43 am

        Thank you for your kind comment, Kathleen!

        Reply
    2. Dannii

      March 27, 2023 at 9:34 am

      5 stars
      This really was the best carrot cake. so light and fluffy.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        March 27, 2023 at 9:43 am

        I'm glad you liked this recipe, Danii!

        Reply
    3. Katherine

      March 27, 2023 at 9:35 am

      5 stars
      Such a perfect carrot cake, you wouldn't know it was less sugar!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        March 27, 2023 at 9:44 am

        Thank you for your kind review, Katherine!

        Reply
    4. Hayley Dhanecha

      March 27, 2023 at 9:40 am

      5 stars
      Such a delicious and moist carrotcake, so happy to found a recipe that is made with less sugar.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        March 27, 2023 at 9:44 am

        I'm glad you liked this recipe, Hayley!

        Reply
    5. Beth

      March 27, 2023 at 10:23 am

      5 stars
      I love this recipe so much! I'm a huge fan of carrot cake, and I love the way you were able to keep that classic flavor and still dial back the sugar a bit.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        March 27, 2023 at 10:27 am

        I'm glad you liked this recipe, Beth! Thank you for your kind review.

        Reply

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    Janessa

    Hi, I'm Janessa and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that are made with wholesome ingredients, are quick and easy and most importantly, delicious!

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