4 Keto Carrot Cake Recipes with 2 Bonus Low-Carb Treats

Keto carrot cake is an indulgence you’re allowed occasionally. However, you might be worried about slowing down your weight loss goals. Can you eat cake? What makes carrot cake special on the keto diet? Will you still lose weight if you eat cake?

The best keto carrot cake recipes consider your carb-fat-protein ratios and carrot nutrition. Let’s show you the cakes that top our list before we share information about eating carrots on the keto diet. Then you can find the most tempting carrot cake recipes to enjoy in moderation.  

Can You Eat Carrot Cake on Keto?

Keto carrot cake is a pleasure you can indulge in with these recipes: 

• Easy Keto Carrot Cake (12)
• Keto Carrot Cake With Almond Flour (16)
• Keto Carrot Cake With Coconut Flour (8)
• Keto Carrot Cake With Pineapple (17)
• Keto Carrot Cake Muffins (11)
• Keto Carrot Cake Cookies (13)

But first, let’s understand why you can eat carrot cake on the keto diet. 

What Is the Point of Carrot Cake on Keto?

Keto carrot cakes allow you to enjoy carrots in smaller, hardly noticeable portions. Let’s see why you should enjoy carrots this way and show you why keto carrot cake is an indulgence that is allowed in moderation as you probably love carrots and have a sweet tooth. 

Are Carrots Allowed on the Keto Diet?

Medicine Net says carrots are welcome in moderation on the keto diet (3). Carrots have 6 grams of carbs per half-cup serving, 2 of which are fiber. A keto diet typically allows up to 50 grams of carbs each day (10). Carrots can fit into your daily carb allowance, particularly if you stick to no more than a half-cup serving.

Is Carrot Cake High-Carb?

Typical carrot cake includes flour and sugar, which add additional carbs. Carrot cake, like any cake, is a high-carb, high-sugar treat. However, there are keto carrot cake recipes that enable you to make a version of this cake that is low-carb and appropriate on the keto diet. For example, the easy keto carrot cake only contains three grams of net carbs per serving (12). 

Regular carrot cake is high-carb, but keto carrot cake is a low-carb, high-fat treat you can safely enjoy on the keto diet. However, you must stick to sensible portion sizes to ensure you eat the right amount of carbs.

Why Is There No Butter in Carrot Cake?

Southern Living explains why carrot cake doesn’t always use butter (6). Carrot cake uses oil to make it ultra-moist and extend its shelf life. Butter doesn’t create the desired moistness and as you can see on the best substitutes ingredients list, you can use various oils. 

Keto-Friendly Substitutes for Carrot Cake

The following keto carrot cake recipes include ingredients that are safe for a keto diet. However, here are some tips for substituting ingredients in other recipes when you bake a tasty carrot cake:

• Fats: coconut oil, MCT oil, olive oil, and unsalted butter (19)
• Flours: almond, chia, coconut, flaxseed meal, lupin, oat fiber, pork rind dust, and psyllium husk powder (1)
• Sweeteners: allulose, chicory root, erythritol, monk fruit, stevia, and xylitol (18)

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Best Keto Carrot Cake Recipes

The best keto carrot cake recipes include low-carb options you can enjoy without feeling any guilt. You must count your carbs and calories, but you can indulge in these four cakes in moderation. We’re also including muffins and cookies as bonus recipes. 

Easy Keto Carrot Cake

The easy keto carrot cake is a delicious treat from The Big Man’s World that only has three grams of net carbs per serving (12)! It’s a tasty low-carb carrot cake with ultra-moist layers and high-fat cream cheese frosting. 

• Serves: 12
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Bake: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups almond flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 5 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups monk fruit sweetener, or another of your choice (18)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 2 cups of shredded carrots
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ½ cup shredded apple
• ½ cup walnuts
• 1-2 cups cream cheese frosting

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180 C.
2. Grease and dust two 8-inch baking pans.
3. Mix the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Use a stick blender to mix the eggs and sweetener in a separate bowl until smooth.
5. Add the vanilla extract to the second bowl.
6. Whisk the remaining ingredients together in a third bowl.
7. Fold the ingredients from the first bowl into the egg mixture in the second bowl until they are combined.
8. Add the contents of the third bowl and mix well.
9. Divide the batter into the two cake pans.
10. Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
11. Allow your cakes to cool for 10 minutes before handling them.
12. Turn them onto a cooling rack.
13. Layer and frost your cakes once they have completely cooled.
14. Let them rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Per Slice: 195 calories, 6 g carbs, 15 g fat, 5 g protein, and 3 g fiber (12)

Keto Carrot Cake – Almond Flour

The keto-focus keto carrot cake with almond flour differs slightly (16). This sugar-free, gluten-free, low-carb carrot cake has all the bells and whistles, but it does also contain brown sugar. Using moderate brown sugar or brown sugar substitutes will caramelize the flavors more. 

• Serves: 8
• Prep: 25 minutes
• Bake: 25 minutes

Cake Ingredients: 

• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• ½ cup granulated keto sweetener (18)
• ¼ cup brown sugar substitute
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp. cloves
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup of grated carrots
• 4 large eggs
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter 
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Cake Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.
2. Grease and line two 6-inch pans with parchment paper.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients and spices together until well combined.
4. Add the eggs, butter, vanilla extract, and carrots to the dry mix.
5. Use a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients.
6. Stir your pecan nuts into the batter.
7. Divide the batter between the baking pans.
8. Bake the cakes for 22-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
9. Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack before frosting them.

Frosting Ingredients: 

• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
• 5 tbsp. unsalted butter (19)
• 1 tbsp. sour cream
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup sugar-free confectioner’s sweetener

Frosting Directions: 

1. Whip together the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla.
2. Slowly add the powdered sweetener while whipping the ingredients.
3. Whip for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Nutrition per slice: 429 calories, 8.7 g carbs, 40.2 g fat, 10.5 g protein, and 3.1 g fiber (16)

Read more: The Ultimate Keto Tortilla Recipes to Eat Low-Carb Mexican Favorites

Keto Carrot Cake – Coconut Flour

All Day I Dream About Food has a delicious carrot cake recipe with coconut and pecan flour (8). The cake is denser than other carrot cakes, but the flavors are equally intense. It also has a moist texture and uses minimal carrots to ensure you don’t overdo it with carbohydrates. 

• Serves: 16
• Prep: 50 minutes
• Bake: 25 minutes

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 cups pecan flour
• ⅓ cup coconut flour
• ⅓ cup whey protein powder
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup avocado oil
• ½ cup granulated sweetener (18)
• ½ cup brown sugar substitute
• 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup chopped pecans

Cake Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 180C/350F while greasing three 8-inch pans.
2. Put parchment paper in each pan and grease them again.
3. Beat the eggs, oil, and cake sweeteners in a large bowl until combined.
4. Add the vanilla extract and carrots before blending well.
5. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients, beating at a low speed until well combined.
6. Stir the chopped pecans into the batter.
7. Divide the batter between the three pans and bake for 22-25 minutes.
8. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
• ½ cup unsalted butter (19)
• ⅓ powdered sugar substitute
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Frosting Directions: 

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add the sweetener and vanilla extract.
3. Beat the whipping cream in slowly until fluffy and spreadable.

Nutrition per slice: 320 calories, 6.3 g carbs, 32.7 g fat, 6.2 g protein, and 3 g fiber (8)

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Keto Carrot Cake With Pineapple

Adding pineapple can make your carrot cake even more exciting and tasty. Wholesome Yum’s carrot cake uses almond flour to keep the sponge moist while the pineapple adds a zesty touch (17). The flavor is unusual but compelling. Use any of the frostings from the above recipes to finish it off nicely. 

• Serves: 16
• Prep: 25 minutes
• Bake: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup monk fruit and allulose blend (18)
• 1 tbsp. molasses
• ½ tsp. pineapple extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 ½ cups almond flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 2 ½ cups shredded carrots
• 1 ½ cups pecans

Directions: 

1. Heat the oven to 350F/180C while lining and greasing two 9-inch pans with parchment paper.
2. Cream together the butter and monk fruit with a hand blender until fluffy.
3. Beat the molasses, vanilla extract, and pineapple extract into the mix.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating them until well combined.
5. Mix the almond flour, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
6. Mix the ingredients from the two bowls until well combined.
7. Stir your carrots in before folding your pecans into the batter, keeping ½ cup of pecans for garnish.
8. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.
9. Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Nutrition per slice: 350 calories, 8.5 g carbs, 34 g fat, 7.5 g protein, and 3 g fiber (17)

Keto Carrot Cake Muffins

Chocolate Covered Katie’s carrot cake muffins will please your sweet tooth without frosting if you aren’t keen on cream cheese frosting (11). However, if you want a higher fat content, you can frost the muffins and make them into cupcakes instead. Use any of the above frosting recipes to make cupcakes.

• Serves: 24 muffins
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Bake: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups almond flour
• ½ cup granulated monk fruit
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F while greasing and lining two cupcake sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients together before adding one egg at a time.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until well combined.
4. Spread the batter between the 24 cupcake holders, filling each one to two-thirds.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Allow them to cool completely before frosting or serving.

Nutrition per slice: 313 calories, 9.7 g carbs, 28.8 g fat, 8.1 g protein, and 5.7 g fiber (11)

Read more: How to Make the Perfect Keto Taco With Multiple Stuffings, Shells, and Meats Variations

Keto Carrot Cake Cookies

The Fit to Serve Group offers a keto carrot cake cookie recipe you simply must try if you enjoy sweetness while eating a low-carb diet (13). In addition, the frosting is drizzled over them, which allows you to sweeten your cookies slightly. For low-carb treats, they taste phenomenal. 

• Serves: 24
• Prep: 40 minutes
• Bake: 15 minutes

Cookies Ingredients: 

• ¾ cup coconut flour
• ¾ cup shredded carrots
• 14 cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ tsp. salt 
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ cup softened butter
• 4 oz. full-fat cream cheese
• ¾ cup granulated monk fruit (18)
• 4 large eggs
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Cookies Directions:

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger together.
2. Beat the butter, cream cheese, monk fruit, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well combined.
4. Stir the carrots into the wet ingredients bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredients and blend until well combined.
6. Fold the walnuts into the batter.
7. Chill the cookie dough for 1-1 ½ hours.
8. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
9. Use a tablespoon measurement to make dough balls.
10. Flatten each ball onto a greased cookie sheet.
11. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.
12. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before drizzling the cookie frosting over them.

Cookies Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered allulose
• ¼ cup softened unsalted butter (19)
• 2 oz. full-fat cream cheese
• 4 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon

Cookies Frosting Directions:

1. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and allulose until smooth and velvety.
2. Add the vanilla extract and cinnamon while beating at a low speed.
3. Add the whipping cream while beating at a low speed.

Nutrition per cookie: 110 calories, 1.5 g carbs, 10.7 g fat, 2 g protein, and 0.3 g fiber (13)

For more cake goodness:

• Carrot Cake Oatmeal
• Dairy-Free Carrot Cake
• Keto Cheesecake Recipe

FAQs

• What is the unhealthiest cake?

Carrot cake without keto-friendly ingredients and portions may be the highest-carb cake, but this doesn’t necessarily make it unhealthy, but it isn’t keto-friendly either. However, the keto carrot cake with pineapple recipe only has 359 calories and 8.5 grams of carbs per 1/16 serving (17). Use regular ingredients to bake the same cake and double the carrots, and you get 457 calories and 66 grams of carbs per 1/16 serving (5). You’ll notice a significant carb jump with any recipe that uses regular sugar, more carrots, and normal flour.

• What is the healthiest cake?

Cake isn’t a healthy food and it isn’t meant to be. It is high in calories, sugar, and fat, but it can still be a part of an overall healthy diet. In some cases, the most appropriate cake for you may be dependent on your diet. Keto followers need low carbs, while heart patients may need limited saturated fat. The British Heart Foundation suggests that carrot, sultana, and orange cake is a good choice as it limits saturated fats (2). The recipe uses rapeseed oil, wholemeal flour, and carrots (7). Substitute ingredients are the key to the most keto-friendly cake recipes for keto individuals. 

A sugarless carrot cake with almond flour, sugar-free sweeteners, and minimal carrots only contains 8.7 grams of carbs, although it is high in both calories and fat (16). Therefore, the British Heart Foundation’s top pick may be the best choice for people with heart disease as it limits saturated fat. However, you should eat the sugarless carrot cake if you’re on the keto diet as you need higher-fat, very low-carb foods.

• Which cake is healthy to eat?

The most appropriate cake for you is entirely dependent on your dietary needs. Keto individuals will find low-carb cakes healthy, whereas those with heart problems will find low-fat cakes to be healthier. The British Heart Foundation recommends a heart-healthy strawberry and chocolate beetroot cake (2). 

This recipe only has 10 grams of fat and 1.2 grams of saturated fat per serving (14). However, it has a whopping 27.3 grams of carbs and is entirely unsuitable for the keto diet. The easy keto carrot cake only contains three grams of carbs and is far more suitable for low-carb individuals (12).

• Are black carrots better than red carrots?

All carrots are healthy foods. Black or purple carrots have more of certain nutrients than orange carrots but less of others. Healthline suggests that black carrots contain more anthocyanin, a polyphenol antioxidant that may reduce inflammation (4). In addition, Harvard scientists found that anthocyanin-rich foods may help manage adult weight better (9).

• Is homemade cake healthier?

The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future says that people who make any meal at home tend to eat healthier and consume fewer calories (15). Therefore, baking a cake at home has the same benefits as you can control the amount of calories, carbs, and more by using replacement ingredients.

The Bottom Line

The best keto carrot cake has low carbs and a higher fat and protein content. However, eating carrots in moderation is essential on the keto diet. Follow the rules to ensure you cut those carbs while you enjoy a sweet treat and pick a recipe to taste the burst of flavors.