Description
Homemade carrot cake is our family’s favorite and this recipe is so simple to make in just one bowl with healthy ingredients, making it easily naturally sweetened, dairy-free, and/or gluten-free!
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 3/4 cup honey
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
Icing
- 16oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (add to taste)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir until well-incorporated, then add the grated carrots and stir again. Mix together the applesauce, honey, eggs, and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently incorporate until no streaks of flour remain.
- Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Add a parchment circle to the bottom of the pan for easier cake removal. Divide the cake batter between the two cake pans.
- Place the cake pans in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, until the center of the cakes are cooked through.
- Cool the cakes in the pan for 5-10 minutes, before removing from the pans and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- (Optional) Use a large bread knife to cut the cakes in half to make 4 layers– carefully slice around the cake gradually going all the way through to the center.
- Prepare the icing: combine the sugar and cream cheese in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment and mix together on medium speed until blended and light. Add the chopped pecans and mix on low until the nuts are evenly incorporated.
- Spread the icing on the cake layers, leaving the sides unfrosted. Top with additional finely chopped pecans if desired.
- Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator to chill before enjoying.
Notes
You can make your own powdered sugar by blending granulated sugar in a blender on high until white and powdered.
To make the cake gluten-free, sub a 1:1 gluten-free flour (I like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill GF all-purpose flour).
To make the cake dairy-free, sub a dairy-free icing or cream cheese.