Keto Carrot Cake – Low Carb Africa
Indulge in the sweetness of classic carrot cake without compromising your keto lifestyle. This keto carrot cake is a testament to the fact that you can enjoy this iconic dessert’s rich flavors and moist texture while staying true to your low-carb goals.
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Say hello to a guilt-free slice of happiness that’s perfect for any occasion – it’s one of my favorite keto cake recipes!
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❤️ Why you’ll love it
This easy keto carrot cake recipe has everything you want in an indulgent dessert – fluffy cake, crunchy nuts, and creamy frosting. The combination of almond flour and coconut flour creates a moist and tender texture, while the sweetness from a trio of keto-friendly sweeteners mirrors the traditional taste of carrot cake.
With every bite, you’ll savor the warmth of cinnamon, the crunch of pecans, and the creamy perfection of the luscious cream cheese frosting. These simple ingredients create a keto dessert dream come true – and it’s better than regular carrot cake!
🧾 Ingredients Used
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- Flours: There’s no need for wheat flour in this recipe. Instead, you’ll use coconut flour and almond flour to form the foundation of this keto-friendly cake, providing the ideal texture and flavor.
- Sweeteners: The perfect trio of sugar substitutes, including granulated sweetener, brown sugar replacement, and powdered swerve, ensures the cake is sweetened to perfection without the excess carbs.
- Spices: Cinnamon adds a warm and comforting touch, while a pinch of salt balances the sweetness of this low-carb carrot cake.
- Baking Powder: The essential leavening agent that contributes to the cake’s light and fluffy texture.
- Butter: Melted butter infuses richness and flavor into the batter, creating a decadent keto treat. Feel free to use coconut oil as a substitute if you don’t have any butter on hand.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla enhances the overall aroma and taste of the cake.
- Eggs: Providing structure and moisture, eggs play a vital role in creating the perfect keto carrot cake.
- Shredded Carrots: The star of the show, shredded carrots add sweetness and moisture to the cake while keeping it low in carbs.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans contribute a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to the cake, elevating its texture.
- Cream Cheese: The creamy base for the decadent keto cream cheese frosting that crowns our keto carrot cake masterpiece.
🔪 How To Make This Recipe
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, then grease and line two 9” baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients – almond flour, granulated sweetener, brown sugar replacement, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients, including the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla, and stir until combined.
- Fold the shredded carrots and the chopped pecans into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and putting it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sweetener, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Spread ⅓ of the sugar-free cream cheese frosting between the two cake layers, then spread the remaining on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the second layer with additional chopped pecans if desired.
- For best results, allow the cake to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
🥫 Storing and Reheating
Store any leftovers of this almond flour carrot cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container, or cover it in plastic wrap. To reheat, bring the cake to room temperature or warm in the microwave for a few seconds if desired. I like this keto recipe best when it is served warm!
You can store any remaining frosting in the fridge for up to a week. Feel free to use it on a different dessert, like cookies or cupcakes.
💭 Tips and Variations
- Carrot Size Matters: The size of grated carrots can impact the moisture of the cake. For a more tender result, finely shred the carrots. Feel free to grate or shred the carrots in a food processor for easy results.
- Toasted Coconut Topping: Add a layer of toasted coconut on top of the frosting for a tropical twist and extra crunch.
- Dairy-Free Option: For a dairy-free version, use a dairy-free cream cheese alternative in the frosting.
- Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting: Elevate the frosting by adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for a spiced cream cheese delight.
- Individual Cupcakes: Turn this cake into keto carrot cupcakes for a convenient and portion-controlled dessert.
- Orange Zest: Enhance the citrus notes by adding a teaspoon of orange zest to the batter or frosting.
- Sheet Pan Cake: Instead of making a layer cake, bake this recipe in a standard 13×9 pan.
- Omit the Nuts: If you have a nut allergy, feel free to leave out the pecans. Or, you could use different nuts instead, like walnuts or chopped almonds.
🍽️ What can I eat this recipe with?
Pair a slice of this sugar-free cake with a cup of freshly brewed keto-friendly coffee or tea. Milk also tastes great with this cake – you can drink almond, coconut, or dairy milk.
Enjoy the cake on its own, or get creative with sugar-free whipped cream or a drizzle of keto caramel sauce for an extra touch of decadence.
👩🍳 Frequently asked questions
Carrots have a moderate amount of carbs, so if you are on a keto diet, you’ll need to practice moderation with this vegetable. However, this recipe is low carb compared to a traditional carrot cake recipe.
Usually, the answer to this question is yes – however, this keto carrot cake is much lower in net carbs than standard carrot cake. As a result, you won’t get as much of a blood sugar spike.
Keto cake is typically made from low-carb flour and sugar-free sweetener, so the carb count is much lower than traditional cake.
📖 Recipe
Keto Carrot Cake
Moist, warmly spiced almond flour carrot cake with a creamy sweet cream cheese frosting.
Servings: 8
Calories: 503kcal
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Instructions
Cake:
-
Preheat the oven to 350 F, grease and line two 9” baking pans with parchment paper
-
In a large bowl,stir together the almond flour, granulated sweetener, brown sugar replacement, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
-
Add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla and stir until combined.
-
Fold in the shredded carrots and the chopped pecans. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
-
Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
-
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sweetener and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
-
Spread ⅓ of the frosting between the two layers of cake, then spread the remaining on the top and sides of the cake.
-
Decorate with additional chopped pecans if desired.
-
Allow to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving
Notes
- Carrot Size Matters: The size of grated carrots can impact the moisture of the cake. For a more tender result, finely shred the carrots. Feel free to grate or shred the carrots in a food processor for easy results.
- Toasted Coconut Topping: Add a layer of toasted coconut on top of the frosting for a tropical twist and extra crunch.
- Dairy-Free Option: For a dairy-free version, use a dairy-free cream cheese alternative in the frosting.
- Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting: Elevate the frosting by adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for a spiced cream cheese delight.
- Individual Cupcakes: Turn this cake into keto carrot cupcakes for a convenient and portion-controlled dessert.
- Orange Zest: Enhance the citrus notes by adding a teaspoon of orange zest to the batter or frosting.
- Sheet Pan Cake: Instead of making a layer cake, bake this recipe in a standard 13×9 pan.
Nutrition
Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 409mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1092IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 2mg
