Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe You'll Actually Love

Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe

This healthy carrot cake brings together moist almond-flour layers, warm cinnamon, and a tangy cream-cheese frosting—all while packing in 12 grams of protein per slice. You won’t believe it’s gluten-free, grain-free, and naturally sweetened with honey and pineapple purée.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s naturally gluten-free and grain-free, yet tender and fluffy
Packs 12 g of protein per slice thanks to Greek yogurt and eggs
Uses honey and pineapple purée instead of refined sugar for a gentle sweetness

After testing dozens of variations, I found this version strikes the perfect balance between health and indulgence. My family asked for seconds at our last brunch, and even my sister—who usually skips dessert—went back for another slice.

Ingredients & Selection Tips

Almond flour – finely ground, blanched almond flour gives a soft crumb; avoid almond meal or the texture will be gritty
Tapioca flour – adds lightness and structure; don’t swap with cornstarch or the cake may turn gummy
Greek yogurt – full-fat or 2% lends moisture and protein; coconut yogurt works for dairy-free
Honey or monk fruit syrup – honey adds floral notes, monk fruit keeps it zero-glycemic
Pineapple purée – canned, blended until smooth; its acidity tenderizes the crumb and adds natural sweetness
Eggs – room temperature for best emulsification and rise
Carrots – grate fresh by hand or in a processor; pre-shredded carrots are too dry
Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) – cinnamon is essential for warmth; nutmeg is optional but adds depth
Mix-ins (raisins, walnuts) – raisins give bursts of sweetness; walnuts provide crunch and healthy fats

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Preheat & prep pans
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 9" round cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. This helps the layers release cleanly and keeps the edges neat.

Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.

Cream butter, pineapple & honey
In a separate bowl, beat softened butter until fluffy. Add the pineapple purée and honey, mixing until smooth. The pineapple brings moisture without added sugar.

Incorporate eggs & yogurt
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract. This emulsion traps air and gives the cake a tender crumb.

Fold in dry mix & add-ins
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until no flour streaks remain. Then fold in the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Be careful not to overmix—this helps keep the texture light and airy.

Bake layers
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden.

Cool & frost
Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack. Once fully cooled, stack and frost with sugar-free cream cheese frosting. Chill the cake for 30 minutes before slicing for the neatest results.

Easy Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe

You Must Know: Facts & Benefits

Carrots deliver beta-carotene for eye health and antioxidants
Almond flour adds vitamin E and healthy monounsaturated fats
Greek yogurt boosts protein and creates a moist crumb

My favorite is the beta-carotene boost—my children gobble this cake knowing it’s loaded with real vegetables. Last week, my mother praised how “cake” can actually nourish.

Beyond the basics, this batter transforms easily: bake as muffins in 20 minutes or pour into a loaf pan for a hearty breakfast cake. You can fold in shredded coconut or swap walnuts for pecans. For a dairy-free twist, use coconut oil instead of butter and coconut yogurt in place of Greek yogurt.

Leftovers keep up to 5 days in the fridge. Freeze unfrosted layers for 2 months—thaw overnight and then frost. Muffins stay fresh 3 days refrigerated or 2 months frozen.

At first, I overmixed and got a dense loaf. Now I treat the batter gently—light folds preserve the airy crumb.

Chef’s Helpful Tips & Secrets

Let eggs and butter come fully to room temperature—this helps them blend smoothly and trap air for lift.
Toast walnuts lightly in a dry skillet before folding in to deepen their flavor.
Cool the cake completely before frosting—warm cake will cause the frosting to slide.

These small touches turned my trial-and-error batches into a cake worthy of company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this carrot cake dairy-free?
Yes! Simply swap the Greek yogurt with a dairy-free alternative like coconut yogurt, and use plant-based butter or coconut oil. Be sure your cream cheese frosting is also dairy-free—there are great vegan cream cheese options available.

Can I substitute almond flour with all-purpose flour?
Almond flour is key to the moist, tender texture and protein boost in this recipe. Substituting it with all-purpose flour won't yield the same results and will likely make the cake dry or dense. Stick with almond flour for best results.

Is this carrot cake keto-friendly?
While it's lower in carbs than traditional cakes and uses natural sweeteners, it’s not strictly keto due to the pineapple purée and honey. To make it keto-friendly, replace pineapple with unsweetened applesauce and use monk fruit syrup as the sweetener.

How should I store the cake?
Store the fully frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you’d like to freeze it, wrap the unfrosted cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting.

Can I make this recipe into cupcakes or a loaf?
Absolutely! Divide the batter into a muffin tin for cupcakes and bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes. For a loaf, use a greased 9×5" pan and bake for 45–55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Why did my cake turn out dense?
Overmixing the batter can deflate the air bubbles and make the cake heavy. For the best crumb, gently fold the ingredients just until combined. Also ensure your eggs and yogurt are at room temperature for proper emulsification.

Can I add coconut or pineapple chunks to the batter?
Yes, but in moderation. Shredded coconut adds chewiness, while small pineapple chunks bring juicy bursts of flavor. Just don’t overload the batter—stick to about ½ cup total add-ins to maintain structure.

↓ Jump to Recipe

Healthy Carrot Cake (High Protein!)

This healthy carrot cake is super moist, naturally sweetened, and gluten-free, with 12 grams of protein per slice! You'll love it.

Prep: 15 min | Cook: 25 min | Total: 40 min • Servings: 12 • Calories: 522 kcal

Ingredients

▢3 cups Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour
▢1/2 cup Tapioca flour
▢1 tbsp Baking powder
▢2 tsp Cinnamon
▢1/4 tsp Nutmeg (optional)
▢1/2 tsp Sea salt
▢1/2 cup Unsalted butter (softened)
▢1 cup Canned pineapple chunks (drained well)
▢3/4 cup Honey (or Zero Sugar Honey)
▢4 large Eggs (at room temperature)
▢1/2 cup Greek yogurt (at room temperature)
▢1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract
▢3 cups Carrots (grated, measured loosely packed after grating)
▢1/2 cup Raisins (optional)
▢1 1/2 cups Walnuts (chopped finely; divided into 1 cup and 1/2 cup)
▢2 recipes Sugar-free cream cheese frosting (double the frosting recipe to make 1 1/2 cups total)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the bottom and sides.
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 and blend until smooth. Add the pineapple puree to the butter and beat until smooth.
Beat in the honey, then the eggs, one at a time, followed by the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until combined.
Fold in the grated carrots, raisins (if using), and 1 cup of the chopped walnuts. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts.
Transfer the batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool completely in the pans before removing. Frost with sugar-free cream cheese frosting and top with the remaining walnuts.