Low Sugar Carrot Cake

This delicious low sugar carrot cake is simple to make and contains approx. 40% less sugar than most carrot cake recipes.  It comes with a light and fluffy frosting that’s made using a combination of cream cheese, ricotta and a hint of orange. 

Is carrot cake healthy

The short answer is – usually, no.  Despite containing a vegetable carrot cake recipes are usually not very healthy as they tend to be laden with sugar, both the cake itself as well as the frosting.

This carrot cake recipe isn’t! It contains as much as 40% less sugar as well as less oil than most carrot cake recipes. Because it is not overly sweet you can really appreciate all the flavours that make this cake so delicious.  The caramel flavour of the brown sugar and the sweet spices go extremely well with carrot as well as orange and the pecans add a lovely nutty crunch to this cake.

Low sugar carrot cake ingredients

This healthier carrot cake is super moist thanks to a generous amount of freshly grated carrot it contains as well as (a moderate amount of) light brown sugar. I used chopped pecans for more texture, a selection of spices (including cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg) and vanilla extract for added flavour.

The frosting is made using cream cheese as well as (naturally low in fat) ricotta cheese which tones down the sourness of the cream cheese also making the mixture fluffier.  The frosting contains a fraction of the sugar most carrot cake recipes call for and comes with a hint of orange.

How to prepare the carrots

Peel and finely grate the carrots when you are ready to make the recipe.  I do not recommend doing this step in advance as the carrots will start releasing moisture after a while.  I also do not recommend buying ready grated carrots for this recipe. 

Top tip

Weigh the carrots after you’ve peeled them.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 23 cm (9.5 inch) pan and line with parchment paper (so it sticks out at opposite sides).  Dust the 2 sides without the paper with flour. Set aside.

In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt and stir thoroughly using a whisk.

2. In another bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.

3. Stir in the grated carrot and pecans.

4. Pour in the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. The mixture will be lumpy.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the top a and bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes (it is ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean).

6. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

7. To make the frosting beat all the ingredients until fluffy (1-2 minutes). 

8. Spread over the cake, scatter a tablespoon of finely chopped pecans and serve.

Substitutions

• Flour: I used all-purpose flour but you can use a combination of plain and wholewheat flour for an even healthier carrot cake.
• Pecans: Use walnuts, macadamia nuts or brasil nuts instead.
• Oil: I used vegetable oil but sunflower oil would work too.
• Spices: You can omit the spices and just use pumpkin spice.

Top tips and FAQs

• Use freshly grated carrot, not ready grated store-bought.
• Do not overstir the batter. Stir just to combine.
• Make ahead: You can make the frosting a day in advance and refrigerate it, covered, until you are ready to decorate the cake.
• If the cream cheese and ricotta contain a little moisture remove it before making the frosting.
• Cool the cake completely before decorating it. Lift out of the pan along with the paper then peel it off.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the cake (it will cut better).
• Leftover carrot cake can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

You might also like

• Healthy Pumpkin Cake with Dark Chocolate Drizzle
• Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe with Pecans
• Truly Healthy Carrot Muffins

Check out also this collection of 27 everyday healthy cacao recipes.

Keep in touch!

If you make this low sugar carrot cake I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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Low Sugar Carrot Cake

This low sugar carrot cake is simple to make and contains approx. 40% less sugar than most carrot cake recipes.  It comes with a light and fluffy frosting that’s made using a combination of cream cheese, ricotta and a hint of orange.

4.75 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: vegetarian

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 52 minutes

Servings: 12 portions

Calories: 346kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

• ▢
  23 cm (9 inch) pan
• ▢
  Electric mixer

Ingredients

• ▢ 280 g carrot peeled, finely grated
• ▢ 240 g flour
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder and bicarbonate of soda each
• ▢ 1¼ tsp cinnamon and ginger each
• ▢ ½ tsp nutmeg
• ▢ ⅕ tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 140 ml vegetable oil
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 160 g light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 100 g pecans roughly chopped, plus 1 tbsp finely chopped

For the frosting

• ▢ 200 g cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ 150 g ricotta cheese room temperature
• ▢ 6 tbsp powdered/icing sugar
• ▢ Zest of 1 medium orange

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 23 cm (9.5 inch) pan and line with parchment paper (so it sticks out at opposite sides).  Dust the 2 sides without the paper with flour. Set aside.
• In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt and stir thoroughly using a whisk.
• In another bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
• Stir in the grated carrot and pecans.
• Pour in the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. The mixture will be lumpy.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the top a and bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes (it is ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean).

  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
• To make the frosting beat all the ingredients until fluffy (1-2 minutes).  Spread over the cake, scatter a tablespoon of finely chopped pecans and serve.

Notes

• Use freshly grated carrot, not ready grated store-bought.
• Do not overstir the batter. Stir just to combine.
• Make ahead: You can make the frosting a day in advance and refrigerate it, covered, until you are ready to decorate the cake.
• If the cream cheese and ricotta contain a little moisture remove it before making the frosting.
• Cool the cake completely before decorating it. Lift out of the pan along with the paper then peel it off.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the cake (it will cut better).
• Leftover carrot cake can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• Preparation time does not include the time needed to cool the cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 4102IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg

*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

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