Carrots are one of our favorite vegetables and I often make recipes like carrot coulis, carrot salad, or roasted carrots. This homemade carrot cake is another way to enjoy all that carrots have to offer. It’s easy to make, moist, and full of delicious flavor.
Years ago I came up with a gluten free carrot cake with pineapple. That recipe uses coconut flour and lots of eggs for protein. Although I still love that recipe and make it occasionally, I wanted to have another carrot cake recipe on hand that was more traditional.
Carrot Cake Ingredients
Now that our family mixes organic flour from time to time, I’ve been making a lot of baked goods with it. It’s an easy way to make a healthy dessert that has the same taste and texture as traditional desserts. That doesn’t mean it’s full of sugar, vegetable oil, or other ingredients I choose to avoid!
Carrot cake ingredients usually include flour, sugar, carrots, spices, oil, and eggs. Then there are topping options like dried rice, pineapple, and shredded coconut. This recipe is very similar, but I chose raw honey instead of sugar. And it uses butter instead of vegetable oil. Applesauce adds extra moisture and natural sweetness.
Need a gluten-free carrot cake? Simply substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour.
How to Make Carrot Cake
The long list of ingredients can be intimidating at first, but this is a really easy recipe. Basically you mix all the wet ingredients, then mix all the dry ingredients, and mix them together. Finally, you’ll add mix-ins like carrots, raisins, and coconut.
There is an extra step of spreading the butter first, which adds an extra layer of flavor to the cake. Brown butter tastes a lot like caramel, but without the added sugar.
Tip: When browning the butter, be sure to keep an eye on it. It needs to be removed from the stove after it browns, but before it gets really dark brown (aka burnt). Because it is burnt butter carrot cake is not sweet.
Cream Cheese Frosting for Carrot Cake (Without Refined Sugar)
Carrot cake wouldn’t be what it is without the iconic cream cheese frosting. It adds a sweet tang to the sweetness, so that the dessert is not too sweet. Most recipes for cream cheese frosting call for powdered sugar to help thicken and make it spreadable. My version uses raw honey to sweeten and butter to get the consistency of buttercream frosting. I prefer honey in this recipe, but maple syrup will taste good too.
Instead of powdered sugar for thickening, I used arrowroot starch (also known as arrowroot flour). It helps thicken without making the frosting too sweet. Start with 2 tablespoons of arrowroot and add more as needed to get the right consistency. You want it to be thick enough that it won’t fall to the bottom of the cake, but not so thick that it’s difficult to spread.
Different Pan options
This cake is 4 layers high because I like the look of the extra layers. If you don’t have 6-inch cake pans, then two 9-inch cake pans will work. Just change the baking time to 30-35 minutes if using 9-inch pans. If you want to make cakes, then bake for 18-22 minutes.
You can also make a sheet carrot cake, but I’ve never tried it. Let me know if you do! If you’re craving carrot cake or need a delicious (but easy!) springtime dessert, try this carrot cake.
Brown Butter Carrot Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
This delicious carrot cake is moist and naturally sweetened with sugar and honey
Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
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Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until foamy and golden with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl, let cool for about 5 minutes.
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Grate the carrots using the holes in the grater box.
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Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and line 6-inch cake pans (or see notes for other pan options).
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In the cooled brown butter, whisk the honey or maple syrup, apple, eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
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In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined, being careful not to over mix. Fold in grated carrots, chopped nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut if using.
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Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 24-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add honey, vanilla, salt, and arrowroot starch, and continue to beat until light, fluffy, and spreadable. Start with 2 tablespoons of arrowroot and add as needed to thicken the frosting to your desired consistency.
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Place one layer of cake on a serving plate and spread a layer of frosting on top. Repeat with remaining layers. Apply a light crumb coat over the entire cake. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to set before finishing with the remaining frosting.
Nutrition Facts
Brown Butter Carrot Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
Price per serving (1 serving)
Calories 399
Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Oil 26g40%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Trans fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated fat 3g
Monounsaturated fat 6g
Cholesterol 86 mg29%
Sodium 306 mg13%
Potassium 254mg7%
Carbohydrates it’s 39g13%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 20g22%
Proteins 6g12%
Vitamin A 3410 IU68%
Vitamin C 2 mg2%
Calcium 70 mg7%
An instrument 2 mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
- Top with toasted nuts, sprinkle with cinnamon, or a drizzle of honey if you like.
- Serve at room temperature for best flavor and texture.
- You can also do this with 9-inch round cake pans.
Does Carrot Cake Need Baking?
Since this recipe uses cream cheese, any leftovers should be refrigerated. I have also found that cakes/muffins made with applesauce or other fruit as a sweet treat go bad quickly at room temperature. How long does it last in the fridge? However, as long as your family doesn’t eat it right away, it will last for about a week!
It tastes best at room temperature, so I like to take it out and let the slice warm up before eating.
Can You Freeze Carrot Cake?
Yes, and no. Some recommend freezing the cake layers uncovered and chilled or individual slices. They will last about 2-3 months in the fridge this way. It is not recommended to freeze a whole, frosted carrot cake. The frosting can crack and may not look as good, but it will still be delicious. Just be sure to use an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.
What are some of your favorite carrot recipes? Leave a comment and let us know!
