This Keto Carrot Cake is one of my favorite low carb desserts.
It's been updated a couple of times and now I think it might be the very best version ever of this fantastic low carb carrot cake. Cheers!
🥘Ingredients:
Cake:
- 5 Eggs Room Temperature
It's easier to bake with eggs that have been brought to room temp. Place them in a bowl of warm water to speed up this process.
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk - or heavy cream
- ¾ cup Olive Oil
The original recipe for this Keto Carrot Cake contained butter. And, I love it that way.
But, I was getting comments about the cake being dry. This is because butter hardens in the fridge.
Since that is where you need to store cake with cream cheese frosting, the butter wasn't "available" in the crumb unless you first let it sit on the counter and come closer to room temp.
So, to avoid any dryness the recipe was reworked with olive oil...which will not harden if the cake is served cold. Keep this in mind if you decide to use butter...and increase the amount to 1 cup.
- ½ cup Allulose * granulated & to taste.
We are not fans of overly sweet cake but you can test the batter. Allulose or Erythritol will not add any carbs or calories.
Lately we have been loving the taste of allulose because there is no weird after taste.
- ¼ cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut * or chopped walnuts if preferred
I like both versions of this cake and use whatever I feel like at the time. No other adjustments are necessary when exchanging these two ingredients.
- One teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup Coconut Flour
- 1 ¾ cup Almond Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- One cup Shredded Carrots
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- ½ cup Butter Softened
- ¼ cup Powdered Allulose or Erythritol
* We used ¼ cup as we do not like overly sweet frosting. But you can use as much as you like.
4 tablespoon Heavy Cream *add one tablespoon at a time until it's a creamy, fluffy frosting.
Don't over beat or it will flatten and deflate.
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
👩🏾🍳How to Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, beat the wet ingredients together until uniform.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients slowly into the wet mixture.
- Stir the carrots into the batter until combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cake cool inside pan for 15 - 30 minutes and then invert onto cooling racks. While cake is cooling prepare the frosting.
Frosting Instructions:
- Cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
Add the sweetener and mix in until smooth. Then pour in the vanilla continuing to mix. Add in the heavy cream a little at a time until frosting is nice and fluffy.
- Let cake cool completely.
- Spread the frosting on the top of the bottom layer if making layers. Place the top layer on top of it. Spread the rest of the frosting on the sides. Sprinkle with coconut or nuts if desired.
- Refrigerate finished cake before serving for at least 1 hour and store leftovers in the fridge.
📋Tips & FAQ's:
Can this cake be frozen for later?
Yes, you can freeze the whole cake or just individual slices on a flat surface and then wrap in plastic film to protect from freezer burn for later.
Thom likes to do this with individual slices so that the portions are just the right size for a treat.
Can I substitute coconut flour for the almond flour or vice versa?
You can but I am not sure how it will turn out.
If you decide to give it a go keep this in mind...the ratio is different for the two flours and is about 4:1 almond flour to coconut flour.
In other words ¼ cup of coconut flour = 1 cup of almond flour in it's ability to absorb moisture.
How do I store the cake?
Keep it covered in the fridge for 4-5 days.
What should I serve with the Keto Carrot Cake?
Carrot cake is super versatile and makes an amazing dessert choice for just about any meal you can think of. These are some of our favorites...
- Lamb Chops with an Easy Wine Reduction Sauce
- Cinnamon Pork Chops
- Crock pot Philly cheese steak
- Eggplant Lasagna
- Coconut Shrimp
- Tandoori Chicken
And...if you like the Keto Carrot Cake, you should check out the Death By Chocolate Cake Recipe...OMG.
That's all for the Keto Carrot Cake!
I hope you join hundreds of thousands of other low carb lovers and make this cake soon...it's delish!
As always, if you have any questions, comments or want to tell others how your cake came out, please leave them in the comments below.
Toodaloo friends!
Brenna
📖 Recipe
Keto Carrot Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 5 Eggs Room Temperature
- ¼ cup Unsweetened almond milk
- ¾ cup Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Allulose *to taste. We are not fans of overly sweet cake but you can test the batter. Erythritol will not add any carbs or calories. GRANULATED
- ¼ cup Coconut Flour
- 1 ¾ cup Almond Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 cup Shredded Carrots
Frosting
- 8 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- ½ cup Butter Softened
- ¼ cup Powdered Allulose * We used ¼ cup as we do not like overly sweet frosting. But you can use as much as you like. POWDERED
- 4 tablespoon Heavy Cream *add one tablespoon at a time until fluffy. See post.
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, beat the wet ingredients together until uniform.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients slowly into the wet mixture and mix until combined. Don't over mix or your cake will be dense.
- Fold the carrots into the batter until just combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cake cool inside pan for 15 - 30 minutes and then invert onto cooling racks. While cake is cooling prepare the frosting.
Frosting
- Cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the sweetener and mix in until smooth. Add in the vanilla continuing to mix. Add in the heavy cream a little at a time until frosting is nice and fluffy.
- Let cake cool completely.
- Spread the frosting on the top of the bottom layer. Place top layer on top of it. Spread the rest of the frosting on the sides. Sprinkle with coconut if desired.
- Refrigerate finished cake for at least 1 hour and store leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information for the Keto Carrot Cake is provided as a courtesy.
We are pretty careful about our figures but if you ever feel like anything is off please feel free to do your own calculations.
Brenna
Hi Ashlee! Thanks for pointing out the different uses for the sweeteners. I appreciate that. I really hope you enjoy your carrot cake. Cheers!
Ashlee
Haven't made this...yet. But it does seem promising as written and a base for a test batch of frosting I'm working on. Also, it's worth noting that allulose keeps things soft (like cookies, cakes, and muffins) while erythitol crisps (like pralines and candies). Just thought your readers could use that little tidbit while deciding what sweeteners to use. I do agree that allulose tastes the best
Brenna
Hey Scott! I am not sure where those numbers are coming from but I used two 8 inch (round) pans to make a double layer cake. Two nine inch pans will work as well but the instructions are not for a square pan but rather two round pans and its 418kcals and 5 net carbs per slice. I hope this helps. Cheers!
Scott
I have not made this carrot cake yet, but I love keto and love carrot cake.
Directions call for an 8x8 and cut into 12 slices...that's some tiny pieces of cake. So a normal slice of a 2x2 inch cake is going to run me 1,200 calories? ouch!
Kell McKenzie
Delicious! Made it as a slice and hubby ate two slices. He's not normally a keto dessert fan at all.
De R
As result to the recipe measures and timing came out moist, bite firm, and delicious!
Thank you for sharing your recipe and spunk!
Brenna
Good Morning Lorrie! I think it could work but you would need to decrease the liquid or increase the flours or it will be too wet. I wonder if pineapple extract would give you the same flavor without adding all of the carbs? Try decreasing the carrots and adding the pineapple. I wish I could be of more help. Cheers!
Lorrie
Hi. This sounds delicious! I have never made a carrot cake without canned crushed pineapple. Do you think you could add that to this Keto cake? I know it would up the carbs, but what do you think it might do to the texture?
Brenna
Hi Laura, you can use either unsweetened almond milk or heavy cream. The almond milk contains more water and may result in less rise. But it probably wont be too noticeable as low carb cakes don't rise much anyway. Cheers!
Laura
I was going through all the comments to see if anyone had already asked but did not see it. What is the difference in the cake if you use unsweetened almond milk or heavy cream? Just curious which route I wanted to take if there was one.
Thank you
Laura
Brenna
Hi Rachelle! Of Course. Use any oil you like, but it may impart some of it's flavor. Cheers and happy baking!
Rachelle
Can you use a different oil besides butter or olive oil? Like, avocado oil, perhaps?
Gillian
Wow! This is the best keto cake I have ever had! The frosting is BOMB! I made it for Thanksgiving dessert and now my Mom is asking for it for Christmas too. Together we have lost over 100 pounds on keto. Thank you guys for all of your amazing recipes.
Brenna
Hi Priscilla! Yes, you can make this recipe into cupcakes. If you need the baking times check out the Carrot Cupcakes post. Cheers and happy baking!
Priscilla
Would I need to change anything other than the bake time if I wanted to make cupcakes from this recipe?
Brenna
Hi Jaime, Since the cake will be roughly the same thickness in the bigger pan, I think you can keep the cooking time the same. Just do the toothpick test to make sure it's cooked in the center. Happy Baking!
Brenna
Hi Louisa, You can store the cake and eat it the next day. But, I would suggest frosting it first and then storing it in the fridge for the next day. Cheers!
Louisa
Hi there! can i store the cake unfrosted in the fridge a day before frosting and eating?
Thanks, Louisa
Jamie
Want to bake this in a 9x13 baking pan how long should I bake it and do I need to change anything?
Brenna
Hi Marisa! I would say 35-40 minutes and then do the toothpick test. Slice it thin to make sure you are getting a good frosting to cake ratio...mmm.
Marisa
Hello! I plan on making this for a Halloween dessert but I’d love to make it in a bunt cake to make it look like a pumpkin! How do you recommend I change the baking time for this?
Brenna
Hi Sheree! I am not sure about rolling it. I think it would crack but I have never made one of those roll cakes. I'll certainly check it out the next time I am in the kitchen creating with cake though.I bet it would taste amazing with the icing all intertwined in a roll. If you try it with this recipe please let me know what happens. Cheers!
Sheree
Could I use this to make a carrot roll (like a pumpkin roll) instead of a 2 layer cake?
Brenna
Hi Gerrie! Thanks for the question. Yes, you can use 9 inch pans. Bake @ 350F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. I hope you enjoy your cake!
Gerrie Martin
Can I use 9 in pans? And how long do I bake them?
The recipe looks awesome.
Brenna
Hi Sarah... the egg mixture won't get fluffy but the frosting will get fluffier when you beat it. If you mix it too long the frosting will flatten back out.I have gone through the post to make sure it's clear and I hope your cake comes out great.
Sarah May
What exactly do you mean by fluffy for egg mixture? I've been mixing with hand mixer for like 15 minutes and it's not fluffy like meringue or anything. Help please!!
Brenna
Hi Beth! I am so glad that you like the cake and I am even happier that your husband got to have his favorite cake for his birthday. I really appreciate you leaving this comment...it means a lot to us that we can help people enjoy this way of eating. It's readers like you that continue to make this venture fun. Cheers to you and Happy Birthday to your hubby!
Beth
This is by far the very best keto cake of ANY kind!!! My hubby's favorite cake is Carrot cake and have made it for his birthday nearly every year ... was wondering how I could make it keto this year and VOILA!!!! Thanks so much!
Brenna
Hi Annie! Sorry about the confusion. I changed the recipe and apparently that part didn't get changed along with the rest. It's 1/4 cup of coconut flour. Thanks for the catch!
Annie
Hi! In the recipe it says 1/4 cup of coconut flour but in the description it says 1/2 cup coconut flour... which is the right measurement? Thanks in Advance!
Brenna
Hi Christy! If you use butter, use the same amount (1 cup). In fact, the original recipe was made with butter but I kept getting complaints that the cake was dry. This is because you have to store the cake in the fridge and when butter is cold, it hardens. If you use butter (which is FANTASTIC), make sure that you allow your slice to come to room temp on the counter before eating it or you will think it's dry as well. I hope this helps! Cheers! Brenna
Christy
If I substitue butter for the olive oil in the cake receipe do I need to double up on the butter or is it still 1 cup?
Joanne
It turned out great! I didn’t make any changes to the recipe.
Brenna
Hi Angel! I think that you could sub in coconut flour for the almond flour but you would only need about 1/4 of the coconut flour and maybe another egg or to get the consistency right. The batter should be thick but coconut flour really sucks up the moisture. I am sure you are well versed in working with it,, but if it seems to thick, add a little bit of coconut milk or water to thin it out a little...just a tablespoon or so at a time so that it doesn't get runny. I hope this works for you and that you'll let me know how it comes out. Cheers!
Angel
Can I substitute all the flour for coconut flour? I have tree but allergies and I cannot have almonds.
Brenna
Hi Peg!
I am so glad you liked it! I agree about the walnuts, I love those too! I go back and forth with the coconut lol. Congrats on the weight loss! I'm honored that you made this recipe for your Keto Day! Keep going! Cheers to you! Brenna
Peg
Thanks for the recipe! It came out very well for me. I used the 1 cup of olive oil and no butter in the cake. Also the monkfruit sweetened erythritol. Both the regular and powdered. And I substituted finely chopped walnuts (my favorite numb in baking) for the coconut (not particularly a fave). I'll make this again and would serve to folks not eating keto/low carb. It was my treat to me to celebrate losing 34 lbs in my first year of eating this way. I'm anxious to try a few of your other recipes!
Brenna
Hi Jennifer! Yes, the coconut needs to be unsweetened. Thanks for commenting and I hope your cake turns out GREAT!
Jennifer
Do you use unsweetened coconut in your recipe?
Mary
I loved this carrot cake, I wouldn’t change anything about it. Well I did only half of the butter instead of the whole cup. My family was in love with it and me too! I’m an diabetic and I can eat it without regrets. thank you so much!
Brenna
Hi Kerri! I am so glad you enjoyed it! Cheers!
Kerri
Yum! This is a keeper for me but w a few adjustments... I added ginger and nutmeg, and also a little more sweetener to the cake.
Brenna
Hi Patricia! I wish that were the calorie count for the whole cake lol. The nutrition is based on cutting 12 slices of cake and each piece is 440. Any recipe you find will have the nutrition info per serving. I hope this helps. Cheers!
Patricia
Hey there! I’m a little confused with the nutrition facts. Is it 440 calories for the whole cake or a slice?
Brenna
Hi Sarah!
I am not sure what could have gone wrong. I have seen a lot of comments about this cake and while most people think it's great, some think it's dry. I doubt the carrot issue is the problem but my calculator says 128 grams is a cup of shredded carrots. Since we are using almond flour maybe it's getting over baked? Everyone's oven is different so that could be the issue. You could also use olive oil instead of butter. I hope this helps! Cheers, Brenna
Sarah
Hi,
I made this cake yesterday and while the frosting was amazing, the cake was rather dry. I refrigerated it overnight and left it out the fridge, covered all day until this evening. I used a cup of grated carrots instead of shredded however. Could this be the problem? Could you tell me roughly what a cup of shredded carrots is in either grams or carrots? I think this is where it's gone wrong with my conversion. I grated and packed carrot into a measuring cup but I didn't really taste it and I think the lack of water from the carrot has dried it out.
Brenna
Hi Anne Marie!
Thanks so much for the comment. Keto cake will not rise very much because of the nature of "low carb" flours that don't contain any gluten. As for being dry...since you keep this cake in the fridge, the butter will be cold. If you set it out and let it come closer to room temperature before eating it the butter in the cake itself will be softer and more "available" in the crumb. I hope that helps. Cheers!
Ann Marie Gasbarre
This turned out good. The cake did not rise very much causing it to be a little dry. I didn't use the parchment paper. I used some coconut oil on the pans instead. Any suggestions as I would like to make it again.
Claire
This turned out fantastic. I don’t love coconut flour and after a little research settled on keeping everything the same except for upping the almond flour to 2.5 cups. I ended up with a beautiful, super moist carrot cake.
Thanks!
Brenna
Hi Michelle!
I think that would work. Are you covering it in the fridge once it has been cut? If not it will dry out in a hurry. Make sure to let it warm up to room temp (or closer to it) to avoid the dryness. The butter in the cake will harden in the fridge.
Michelle
My batter was way too thick and the cake was a little dry. Do you think I could leave out the coconut flour and do more almond flour? Or maybe add something else to make it more moist?
Brenna
Hey Sandra!
I understand completely!You can freeze it. Here are some instructions that I found to keep the flavor fresh.Cheers!
Sandra
Hi Brenna,
This looks delicious and I love carrot cake, but I'm wondering if you know how well it would freeze though? I live on my own and if I don't keep something like this in the freezer I'll be at it all day. I'd like to be able to defrost individual portions that would be ready to eat. Would this work do you think?