Healthy Carrot Cake from Scratch

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Everybody knows that Carrot Cake contains healthy ingredients, like eggs, carrots and nuts, but it is also known for loads of fat. Try this low calorie, no cream and butter version to enjoy a piece of cake without any guilt.

Why is this carrot cake healthy?

Well because it has no butter and cream in it. Just replace butter with vegetable oil, replace cream with milk and plain yogurt, and reduce calorie intake. The cake still comes out moist and delicious. The proof is it finishes in a day as everybody was coming back for another piece.

Tips about baking delicious and puffy cakes

• If you are a new bee in baking choose recipes with a few ingredients like a vanilla cake or a cacao cake. Don’t try something elaborate and gain confidence.
• Take out all the ingredients to your worktop before starting.
• Make sure the butter-if using and the eggs are at room temperature.
• Pre-heat the oven.
• Read the recipe thoroughly.
• Make sure you mix the eggs and the sugar thoroughly for at least 3 minutes. See that all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has reached a consistency.
• Always sieve the flour, even if not stated in the recipe. This helps the flour aerate and makes your cake puffy.
• Whisk the liquid ingredients, but once you add the dry ingredients just mix from the bottom to the top just enough to blend. This will help your cake remain moist.
• If using a flat bottom baking tray/dish use baking parchment paper. If not grease all around and sprinkle with flour. Turn upside down to get rid of excess flour. Only then pour in the cake batter.
• Do not open the oven halfway through the baking time.
• Once the time is up, check by poking a toothpick or a thin knife into the cake if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
• Let rest for 5 minutes before removing from the baking pan/dish. Rest for another 5-10 before serving.

Prep for making this cake

1. Take out the butter and the eggs from the fridge for at least 15 minutes before starting to make the cake.
2. Grate the carrot with the coarse side of the grater.
3. Coarsely chop the walnuts and roast in a skillet without adding any oil. When the walnuts become fragrant remove from heat and set aside.
4. Sieve the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder and baking soda into another bowl or onto parchment paper and set aside.
5. Start the oven to heat to 175 Celsius (350 F)

Making the batter

• Break the eggs and add the sugar. Mix with a whisk or electric mixer for about 3 minutes until the sugar is well dissolved and the eggs are blended and the mixture has some consistency.
• Add the oil, milk, yogurt and whisk again.
• Add the sieved dry ingredients and mix from the bottom to the top until there are no flour balls left and everything is well combined.
• As soon as the batter is ready pour it into the greased baking pan or a baking pan with parchment paper.

Baking the cake

Bake the cake as described in the hints above. Do not open the oven door before the time is at least half way. Poke a toothpick or a thin knife into the cake, if it comes out clean it shows that it is time to take the cake out of the oven.

If you have liked this cake, you might want to check my other cake recipes too.

Print Pin

Carrot Cake with Walnuts

Homemade carrot cake beats all others. No butter, no cream!

Course breakfast, tea time, Treats

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 229kcal

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ¼ cup light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ⅓ cup milk
• ⅓ cup plain yogurt
• 1 carrot about ¾ cup when grated
• ½ cup walnuts coarsely chopped

Dry ingredients

• 1½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 175° Celsius (350° F).
• Peel and grate the carrot using the coarser side of the grater. Set aside.
• Coarsely chop the walnuts and roast in a pan without oil until fragrant and set aside.
• Sieve the dry ingredients and set aside.
• Break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and whisk with mixer on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture gets some texture.
• Add the oil and vanilla and beat again.
• Then add the yogurt and milk and whisk again.
• Drop in the grated carrots and mix.
• Finally pour in the dry ingredients and the roasted walnuts.
• Mix slowly either with a spatula or with the mixer at low speed to combine.
• Use a 20 centimetre (8 inch) baking pan or similar. Place parchment paper on the bottom or first grease all sides, then sprinkle with flour and hold it upside down to get rid of the excess flour.
• As soon as everything is well blended pour the batter into the baking pan.
• Cook for about 35-40 minutes. Check with poking a toothpick into the cake. If it comes out clean, take out the cake from the oven.
• Let cool for about 10-15 minutes and enjoy.

Notes

You can replace 1½ cups of all purpose flour with ¾ cup all purpose and ¾ whole wheat pastry flour. 

Reduce sugar to ½ if you want to use drained and chopped pineapple chunks.

You can replace light olive oil with sunflower oil or similar vegetable oil.

You can replace walnuts or combine them with pecans, nuts or almonds.

You can sprinkle with caster sugar or make an easy frosting on top or just serve it as is. 

 

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