No-Sugar, No-Flour Carrot Cake
A naturally sweet, moist carrot cake made without added sugar or wheat flour. Dates, carrots, and applesauce provide sweetness and moisture, while almond flour gives it a tender cake-like texture.Servings: 8–10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 35–45 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour
Ingredients
Carrot cake
- 2 cups (200 g) finely grated carrots
- 1½ cups (150 g) almond flour
- ½ cup (50 g) oat flour
- ½ cup (120 g) unsweetened applesauce
- 3 large eggs
- 8 soft Medjool dates, pitted
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, optional
- ¼ cup raisins, optional
Cream cheese topping
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup thick Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1–2 soft Medjool dates, blended into a paste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1. Prepare the dates
Place the pitted dates in a small bowl.
If they’re firm or dry, cover them with hot water and let them sit for 10 minutes.
Drain thoroughly.
Add the dates and milk to a blender or food processor.
Blend until you have a thick, smooth paste.
This is what gives the cake its natural sweetness without adding granulated sugar.
2. Prepare the carrots
Finely grate the carrots.
If they are extremely wet, gently squeeze out a little excess moisture, but don’t dry them completely.
The natural moisture from the carrots is important for keeping the cake soft.
3. Prepare the pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan or an 8-inch square pan.
Line the bottom with parchment paper.
4. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together:
- Eggs
- Applesauce
- Date paste
- Melted coconut oil
- Vanilla
Whisk until smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients
In another bowl, combine:
- Almond flour
- Oat flour
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients.
Stir gently until just combined.
6. Add the carrots and extras
Fold in the grated carrots.
Add the walnuts or pecans.
If using coconut or raisins, fold them in now.
Don’t overmix the batter.
It should be thick and moist.
7. Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Smooth the top.
Bake for 35–45 minutes.
The cake is ready when the center feels set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Don’t wait for the toothpick to come out completely dry—the cake can become dry if overbaked.
8. Cool completely
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
Remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack.
Allow it to cool completely before adding the topping.
This is especially important because the cream cheese topping can melt if spread onto a warm cake.
9. Make the topping
Add the softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon juice, and date paste to a bowl.
Beat until smooth and creamy.
Taste and adjust the cinnamon or lemon if desired.
Spread over the completely cooled cake.
10. Decorate
Finish with:
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- A little shredded coconut
- A sprinkle of cinnamon
- Thin carrot ribbons, optional
For a pretty finish, arrange a few pecans in the center.
Naturally Sweeter Carrot Cake
If you prefer a sweeter cake while still avoiding added sugar, increase the dates to 10–12 Medjool dates.
You can also use very sweet carrots and unsweetened applesauce.
The sweetness will depend heavily on the dates, so taste the blended date mixture before adding it to the batter.
Flour-Free Version
If by “no flour” you mean no grain flour at all, replace the ½ cup oat flour with another ½ cup almond flour.
You’ll then use:
- 2 cups almond flour
- No oat flour
The resulting cake will be slightly denser and more moist.
Nut-Free Version
Replace the almond flour with a suitable seed-based baking flour and omit the nuts.
You can add:
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Unsweetened coconut
for texture.
Carrot Cake Muffins
Divide the batter between 12 greased or lined muffin cups.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 20–25 minutes.
Cool completely and top with a small spoonful of the cream cheese mixture.
They’re excellent for breakfast or portion-controlled snacks.
Make It More Like Traditional Carrot Cake
Add:
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon extra cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup toasted pecans
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut
The orange zest is particularly good with the carrots and dates.
Storage
Keep the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Because it contains cream cheese and yogurt, don’t leave it sitting at room temperature for extended periods.
For the best flavor, let a slice sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before eating.
Important Note
“No sugar” here means no added sugar. The cake still contains naturally occurring sugars from the dates, carrots, and applesauce, so it isn’t sugar-free in the nutritional sense.
The finished cake is moist, warmly spiced, naturally sweet, and tender, with a creamy tangy topping that makes it taste surprisingly close to classic carrot cake.
