Healthy Sugar-Free Carrot Cake with Creamy Greek Yogurt Frosting

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 200g (2 cups) finely grated carrots
• 180g (1½ cups) whole wheat flour
• 120ml (½ cup) unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 65g (⅓ cup) sugar-free sweetener (erythritol or monk fruit)
• 80ml (⅓ cup) coconut oil, melted
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
• 5g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
• 5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
• 2.5g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
• 1.25g (¼ teaspoon) ground nutmeg
• Optional: 30g (¼ cup) chopped walnuts or unsweetened raisins

For the Greek Yogurt Frosting:

• 240g (1 cup) plain Greek yogurt (full-fat)
• 15ml (1 tablespoon) honey or sugar-free syrup
• 2.5ml (½ teaspoon) pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prepare Your Equipment

• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F)
• Grease an 8-inch round cake pan
• Line bottom with parchment paper
• Dust sides with flour

1. Prepare the Carrots

• Wash and peel carrots
• Grate finely using small holes
• Pat dry with paper towels if very moist

1. Mix Wet Ingredients

• In a large bowl, whisk eggs until light
• Add applesauce, melted coconut oil
• Mix in sweetener and vanilla
• Whisk until thoroughly combined

1. Combine Dry Ingredients

• In separate bowl, whisk flour, spices
• Add baking powder and baking soda
• Mix thoroughly to distribute leaveners

1. Create the Batter

• Gradually fold dry into wet ingredients
• Mix until just combined
• Fold in grated carrots gently
• Add optional nuts or raisins

1. Bake the Cake

• Pour batter into prepared pan
• Smooth top with spatula
• Bake 30-35 minutes
• Test with toothpick for doneness

1. Prepare Frosting

• Strain yogurt through cheesecloth (2 hours)
• Mix with honey and vanilla
• Chill until ready to use

1. Assemble

• Cool cake completely
• Spread frosting evenly
• Garnish with nuts if desired

Nutritional Information

Per slice (1/8 of cake with frosting):

• Calories: 220
• Protein: 7g
• Total Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 3g
• Net Carbs: 21g

Timing:

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Cooling Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 2 hours

Pro Tips and Tricks

1. Carrot Preparation

• Use fresh, crisp carrots
• Grate by hand for best texture
• Avoid pre-shredded carrots

1. Moisture Control

• Squeeze excess moisture from carrots
• Don’t overmix the batter
• Check cake 5 minutes before time

1. Frosting Success

• Strain yogurt for thicker frosting
• Keep cake refrigerated after frosting
• Apply frosting when completely cool

Variations and Substitutions

1. Flour Options:

• Almond flour (use 2¼ cups)
• Oat flour (use 1¾ cups)
• Gluten-free blend (1:1 ratio)

1. Oil Alternatives:

• Butter (same amount)
• More applesauce (reduce liquid)
• Greek yogurt (⅓ cup)

1. Spice Variations:

• Add ginger (½ teaspoon)
• Include cardamom (¼ teaspoon)
• Add orange zest (1 tablespoon)