Carrot Cake Recipe

Carrot cake recipe is healthy and nutritious and I often bake it for tea parties and office gatherings. However if, like me, you also feel that cutting up the cake and serving it in plates is a somewhat difficult job then baking muffins is a simple solution. Next time try out this healthy carrot cake recipe in muffin molds.

Ingredients:

- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon all spice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 cup grated fresh carrots
- 1 cup peeled and grated apple
- 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy and light in color and the sugar dissolves.
- Add the oil and beat well to get a smooth emulsion.
- In a dry bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, all spice and ground flour.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend well.
- Stir in the grated carrots and apple.
- Add in the walnuts.
- This recipe will make 24 standard size muffins.
- Grease the muffin molds.
- Pour the batter in the muffin molds. Fill only 3/4 way up to leave some space for the muffins to rise.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until firm on top.
- Remove and cool before frosting or serving.
- You can serve these muffins with butter, jam or peanut butter.

Tips:
- You can replace the flour with a mix of whole wheat flour, oat flour and barn.
- You can also add some oats to the mix or sprinkle some oats on the top.

Icing for the carrot cake

Lemon Icing

Ingredients:

- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 lemons

Instructions:

- Grate the lemons to get a tablespoon of lemon peel.
- Juice the two lemons.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon peel and the juice of two lemons with the powdered sugar.
- Drizzle the icing over the muffins and let it set for some time before serving.

Syrup glaze for the muffins

Ingredients:

- Juice of 1 small orange
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Instructions:

- Whisk the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar until light and fluffy.
- When the muffins come out of the oven, stab them with a skewer all over.
- Pour the sugar glaze all over the muffins quickly.
- Let the muffins cool before serving to allow the cake to absorb the glaze.

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Sometimes you have to be very careful when baking cakes or preparing anything for children because they are very prone to allergies. Also, you need to take care that whatever recipe you choose is healthy and well-loved. That’s why carrot cake recipe is always a best choice. Here is one of my favorite healthy carrot cake recipe that uses fresh carrots and is as healthy as it can get.

Ingredients:

- 3 to 4 large carrots
- 2 1/2 cups apple juice concentrate
- 1 1/2 cups raisins
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 4 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 2 tablespoons baking powder (choose one with low sodium content)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

To make the carrot puree:
- Thinly slice the carrots and take about 2 1/2 cups of carrots with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of apple juice.
- Bring the mix to a boil, cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Put the mix in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Set aside to cool completely before using.

- Beat the egg whites into soft peaks.
- In a bowl, take the eggs and the rest of the apple juice concentrate and whisk them using an electric blender.
- Add the vegetable oil, vanilla essence and raisins and blend well.
- In a dry bowl, mix the whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, wheat germ and baking powder. Mix well.
- Add the dry flour mixture to the wet mix and blend well.
- Slowly add the cooled carrot puree and mix well to get a smooth batter.
- Add the applesauce.
- Add the egg whites to the mix and fold gently.
- Spray a 9-inch cake pan with a little vegetable shortening so that the cake does not stick to the bottom.
- Pour the batter in the cake pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes on 350F.
- Check by inserting a knife in the center; if it comes out clean the cake is done.
- Cool briefly in the pan before removing from the pan and cooling on a wire rack.

Instead of the traditional cream cheese frosting, use this cashew nut frosting on the top.

Ingredients:

- 150 grams unsalted cashew nuts
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Instructions:

- Soak the cashew nuts in water for a few hours.
- Drain the water and add the orange juice to the cashew nuts.
- Grind them in a food processor to get a smooth paste.
- Add the icing sugar and vanilla and blend for 1 more minute.
- Spread on the cooled cake and enjoy!

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In the last few years, carrot cakes have become a rage among cake lovers all over the world. My favorite healthy carrot cake recipe is one that contains lots of fruits. Carrots themselves are very rich in vitamin A and the fruits add a lot of flavor to them. Do try out the following carrot cake recipe at home.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups flour
- 1 medium-sized orange
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup low fat mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups fresh grated carrots
- 1 can crushed pineapple with juice (if you are using fresh pineapples then take about 30 grams)
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 100 grams dried raisins

Instructions:

- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Use a fine grater to grate the orange zest and take about 3 tablespoons of juice.
- Soak the raisins and half of the zest in the orange juice.
- Separate the egg white of one egg and add a pinch of baking powder to it.
- Beat well until you get soft peaks. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, take the egg yolk and break in the other two eggs.
- Add the sugar and beat well to get a fluffy mix.
- Add the mayonnaise and vanilla.
- Use an electric blender at high speed to mix all the ingredients.
- In a dry bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, roasted pecans and dried cranberries.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg-mayonnaise mix to get a stiff mixture.
- Now add the grated carrots and crushed pineapples along with the juice.
- Add the ginger.
- Fold in the orange soaked raisins.
- Add the egg white mix in last and gently fold it in.
- Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, or you can use one 20-inch big cake pan.
- Pour the batter in the greased cake pans.
- Bake at 350F for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a wooden stick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Take the cake out of the oven and gently remove from the pan.
- Let it cool on a wire rack before serving.

To serve the cake

Frosting ingredients:

- 250 grams soft cheese
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- The rest of the orange zest from the cake recipe

Instructions:

- Blend the cheese and butter together until well blended.
- Slowly add the icing sugar and blend well after each addition.
- Stir in the lemon juice and orange zest.
- Spread the frosting on the top of the cake (if you have one large cake); or you can stack the smaller cakes on top of each other with a layer of frosting in between.
- Cut up in little squares to serve.

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Sugar free cakes are good for you, especially if you are a diabetic or have been detected with high blood sugar. In fact, sugar free carrot cake recipe are more nutritious because you add other ingredients such as coconut, orange juice, apple sauce etc. to compensate for the sweetness, which adds to the nutritious value of the cake. These cakes are also easy to make and don’t take much time. Here is a simple sugar free carrot cake recipe.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon all spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- 4 egg whites
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar substitute
- 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup frozen orange juice (thawed)
- 5 chopped dried figs
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 cups fresh grated carrots
- 1/4 cup raisins and walnuts, chopped finely

Instructions:

- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Spray a 13×9 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a clean and dry bowl, beat the egg whites to form soft peaks.
- Add the apple sauce and buttermilk to the mix.
- Whisk some more to get a frothy mix.
- In a clean bowl, take the flours, nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder, all spice powder, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk to mix.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg–buttermilk mix, taking 1/4 cup of mix each time and mixing well after each addition to get a smooth batter.
- Now gently stir the orange juice in the mix.
- Add the chopped figs, poppy seeds, walnuts and raisins to the batter and blend some more.
- Spoon the batter in the prepared cake pan. You can use a square, round or rectangular cake pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Substitutions and variations:

- You can use 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder instead of all-purpose flour for a chocolaty flavor in the cake.
- You can also add freshly grated lemon juice and orange zest to the cake for a more tangy taste.
- Use as many fresh ingredients as possible.
- Add some grated dried ginger for enhanced flavor.
- If you want, you can substitute all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.

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A carrot cake recipe is a great source of fiber, vitamins, nuts and other nutrients and also delicious at the same time. If your kids are giving your trouble when it comes to eating their veggies you must try this simple homemade carrot cake recipe that uses coconut, pineapple, fresh carrots and nuts to provide a whole lot of nutrients.

Ingredients:

- Oil and flour to grease the cake pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (you can use a mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour milk
- 2 cups fresh grated carrots
- 1 1/2 cups of crushed pineapple
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 1 cup crushed nuts

Instructions:

- Grease and flour a 10-inch cake pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In the meantime, take the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil in a bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Add the sour milk and crushed pineapple to the mix and combine all the ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, take the flour, nuts, grated coconut, baking powder, ground cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and sift all the ingredients well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine well. Make sure there are no lumps in the mix.
- Add the grated carrots and crushed nuts in last and gently fold the mix and your batter is ready to be baked.
- Pour the batter in the prepared cake pan and smooth the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Once the cake is done a toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Slide a knife along the sides of the cake to separate the cake from the pan and cool on a wire rack before applying icing.

Serving suggestions:

- You can serve the carrot cake as it is or apply a thick layer of icing before serving. Cream cheese icing is most popular with carrot cake, but a simple sugar glaze or a maple sugar icing also gives it a great taste.
- Decorate the top of the cake with sliced walnuts and shredded dates and chill for a little white before serving.
- Some roasted coconut on top of the cream cheese or butter cream frosting will double the taste of the yummy carrot cake.

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Many people find it hard to believe that you can make delicious cakes without eggs. In fact, vegan recipes are quite easy to follow and the carrot cake recipe turn out to be as delicious and moist as any other cake. Here is a simple vegan carrot cake recipe that you can try out at home.

Ingredients:

- Refined flour – 2 1/2 cups
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda – 2 teaspoons
- Baking powder – 4 teaspoons
- Ground cinnamon – 1 tablespoon
- Ground nutmeg – 1 teaspoon
- Ground ginger – 1 teaspoon
- Egg replacer – 3 tablespoons
- Light brown sugar – 2 cups
- Safflower oil – 1 cup
- Almond milk – 1 cup
- Unsweetened applesauce – 1 cup
- Grated red carrots – 3 cups
- Chopped walnuts – 1 cup
- Raisins – 1 cup

Vegan cream cheese frosting ingredients:

- Chilled margarine – 12 tablespoons
- Soy cream cheese – 500 grams
- Powdered sugar – 1 1/2 cups
- Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon

Instructions:

- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Grease and flour three 9 inch cake pans.
- In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger and egg replacer.
- In a separate bowl, add the sugar, safflower oil and almond milk and whisk well until combined.
- Add the applesauce and whisk some more to combine all the liquids.
- Add the almond milk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk well to form a smooth batter.
- Gently stir in the grated carrots, raisins and walnuts. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are combined well.
- Pour the batter in the three pans equally.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. The center of the cake should spring back when pressed.
- Remove the pans from the oven and invert on wire racks to cool completely.
- While the cakes cool, beat the margarine in a separate bowl till light and fluffy.
- Cut the cream cheese in pieces and add to the margarine and beat well to combine fully.
- Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla and blend well.

Once the cakes are at room temperature it is time to start assembling them:

- Place one cake on a serving stand.
- Spoon some of the frosting on top of the cake and spread evenly.
- Place another cake on top of the first cake and press lightly.
- Spread another layer of frosting on the top.
- Place the third cake on top of the stack and cover with frosting from all sides.
- Set aside for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut in slices to serve.

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Over 285 million people are diabetic. Diabetes is a disease where the body does not produce enough insulin thereby increasing blood sugar. This is a chronic disease and can be fatal if not treated or detected early as it inhibits the clotting of wounds, increases blood pressure and makes the patient prone to dizziness and nausea and other complications. The good news is diabetes can be treated with proper maintenance of low or no sugar diets thereby avoiding fatalities. Carrot cake recipe can have some twist and make a healthy dessert.  This sugar free carrot cake recipe is intended for such a situation.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

- Sift together all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, then set aside.

Carrot Mixture:

- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup crushed nuts
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup coconut milk

Directions:

- Combine all the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl and mix thoroughly until well incorporated, then set aside.

Egg Mixture:

- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
- 1/2 cup cold water

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a spring form baking pan with non-stick oil.
- In a large ceramic mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until frothy.
- Add the oil, orange juice and water.
- Switch to a hand mixer and beat on low speed.
- Add the carrot mixture next while still beating at low speed.
- Next, add the sifted dry ingredients, one tablespoon at a time; switch the mixer to medium speed.
- With the aid of a rubber spatula, transfer the batter to the prepared spring form pan.
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Sugar Ladle Sauce:

- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup Nutrasweet or any artificial sweetener
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. maple syrup
- 1/2 stick of butter

Directions:

- Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan.
- Over low heat, cook to almost boiling for 5 minutes while constantly stirring. This does not need to be thickened to a syrupy state.
- Punch holes on top of the cake and pour the sauce mixture over the cake.
- Serve with coffee, tea or milk.

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Cakes are one of the easiest desserts to make. You can eat them as they are or turn them into beautiful desserts. However, cakes do not always have to be too sweet or too fattening for your health. You can use other ingredients, such as carrots, to make the carrot cake recipe and enjoy the same taste with enriched goodness. Here is a healthy carrot cake recipe for you to try out the next time you feel a craving for cakes.

Ingredients:

- 3 eggs
- 175 grams unrefined sugar
- 175 grams olive oil (this makes the cake dairy free, but if you want you can use butter)
- 100 grams chopped dried figs
- Zest of one orange (grated)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 175 grams wholemeal flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 big carrots grated

Instructions:

- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- In a deep bowl, break in the eggs and add the sugar and olive oil to it.
- Beat well until all the sugar is dissolved.
- In a separate bowl, sift the baking powder, baking soda, flour, cinnamon and orange zest.
- Add the flour mix to the egg mix and whisk well.
- Add the dried figs and mix well.
- Add the grated carrots to the prepared mix and fold lightly.
- Grease and flour a standard 9-inch cake pan.
- Pour the batter in the pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. The cake should be firm on the top and springy. You can check the cake by inserting a toothpick in the center; if it comes out clean the cake is done.
- Cool and cut in slices to serve.

While you can eat the carrot cake fresh out of the oven, you can also jazz it up a little using the following frosting options.

Traditional Cream Cheese Frosting with Nuts

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup chopped walnuts and pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

- Beat the cream cheese and butter together till fluffy.
- Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix well.
- Stir in the vanilla and chopped nuts.
- Spread the frosting on the cake and let it sit for some time before cutting in slices and serving.

Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

- The ingredients and method are the same, but replace the chopped walnuts with 2/3 cup of toasted coconut shavings.
- Spread on the cake in a thick layer and chill before serving.
- You can also add toasted macadamia nuts and some crystalized ginger on the top of the frosting before serving.

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Carrots are by far the most versatile vegetable among the edible root crops. Although the most common is the orange variety, it does come in other colors such as purple, red, white and yellow. This vegetable is the basis of a lot of cake recipes because it is easy to cook, bake and digest. Not only that, the nutritional value of carrots is very high. What is even more amazing is, unlike other vegetables where they are more nutritious when eaten raw or half-cooked, the beta carotene in carrot is less when digested raw but enhanced when cooked or baked! Carrots can be used in cakes, puddings, jams, juices, soups, stir fried viands, stews and a whole lot more, including the following healthy carrot cake recipe. The distinguishing element in this carrot cake recipe is the zests of both orange and lemon. Very few vegetables, or any other food for that matter, agree with citrus mix factors, much less the lemon. Although we will only use the rind of the lemon, we will incorporate both the rind and the juice of the orange in this mixture. That plus the crunchy nutty ingredients will surely tickle your palate.

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon carob powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 orange, juiced and zested to about a tablespoon’s worth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 5 dried figs, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped cashew nuts

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Grease a 9-inch Bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, cake flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, carob, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Make a well in the center and pour in the molasses, oil, eggs and orange juice.
- Mix until the dry ingredients are moistened, then stir in the orange zest, lemon zest, raisins, figs, poppy seeds, carrots and pecans until evenly distributed.
- Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pan.

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This vegan carrot cake recipe is simply bursting with healthy beta–carotene yummy goodness! It has the basic ingredients of a carrot cake recipe with several twists and turns filled with high-fiber nutrients and wild splashes of color. The taste is sweet and mouth-watering. Children of all ages will surely enjoy this – especially if it is served with their favorite juice. Adults who are not vegetarians will also love this; and aging people will value this luscious treat not only for its healthy facet and wonderful mix of flavors, but also because it will allow them to be ‘in’ with the vegan trend. Enjoy this with a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee in front of a warm fire on a swirling winter night. This also goes well with a cold glass of milk just before bedtime for growing children. It’s the best of both worlds!

Ingredients:

- 1/4 cup of applesauce
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1/2 cup of softened vegan margarine
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 1/4 cups of cake flour
- 1/4 cup of soy milk
- 1 cup of grated carrots
- 1 cup of finely chopped cashew nuts

Method:

- Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.
- Grease a 9-inch square baking pan by spraying with non-stick oil.
- Combine the applesauce, vanilla, vegan margarine, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, flour and soy milk until thoroughly blended.
- Add the carrots and the cashew nuts.
- Pour the batter evenly in the baking pan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the cake springs back once it is lightly touched.
- Allow to cool.
- Spread with Vegan Frosting.

Vegan Frosting

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of vegan margarine at room temperature
- 2 cups of vegan powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 pinches of salt
- 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons of liquid non-dairy milk
- 1/2 cup of cocoa powder

Directions:

- Cream the margarine.
- Add the vegan powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, milk and cocoa.
- Beat at medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Spread evenly with a spatula over the Vegan Carrot Cake.

For even more energizing good health, serve this with a tall glass of strained pure carrot juice with a stick of celery as garnish. Bon appetit!

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