Carrot Cake with Coconut Flour
This moist carrot cake made with coconut flour is a clever lower-carb take on the classic. Walnuts and a warming blend of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg bring real depth, while the creamy cream cheese frosting rounds it off beautifully. It's lovely as an Easter dessert or simply as a sweet little treat. Thanks to coconut flour and sweetener, it skips both wheat flour and table sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil, for greasing the springform tin
- 250 g coconut flour
- sweetener, to replace 200 g sugar, e.g. stevia or another granulated sweetener
- 2 tbsp orange zest, grated
- 1 tbsp flaxseed, ground
- 2 tsp cinnamon, ground
- 1 tsp allspice, ground
- 1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 4 eggs, large
- 125 ml butter or coconut oil, melted
- 225 g sour cream
- 125 ml coconut milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 250 g carrots, finely grated
- 250 g walnuts or pecans, chopped
- 225 g cream cheese, low-fat, mild, at room temperature
- 1 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 pinch sweetener, e.g. stevia, for the frosting
The ingredient amounts above scale with your choice. The value per serving stays the same, while the total in the pot grows with the number of servings.
All nutrition values side by side
| Nutrient | per serving (estimate) | Total for 9 Servings |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 430 kcal | 3,870 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 14 g | 126 g |
| Protein | 11 g | 99 g |
| Fat | 35 g | 315 g |
| Fibre | 7 g | 63 g |
| of which sugar | 4 g | 36 g |
How this is calculated
Target amount = ingredient amount × target servings ÷ base servings. The result is then rounded for kitchen use: from 100 g or ml to the nearest 5, between 1 and 99 to the nearest 1, pieces and spoons to half units, amounts below one unit to quarters, thirds or halves. Teaspoons and tablespoons also go down to an eighth, kilograms and litres stay finer.
Total = value per serving × target servings. The value per serving is unchanged, because ingredient amount and serving count change by the same factor.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (FIC), Art. 32 and 33: nutrition values per 100 g or 100 ml, additionally allowed per portion.
- European Commission, Guidance document for competent authorities for the control of compliance with EU food law, setting of tolerances for nutrient values declared on a label, December 2012.
Nutrition values are estimates from the recipe record, not laboratory results. Even for checked labels the EU sets tolerances: for fat, protein and carbohydrates 20 percent in the range of 10 to 40 g per 100 g, and 2 g per 100 g below that. Home cooking varies more, because variety, size and cooking loss of the ingredients differ. Kitchen rounding also shifts the total slightly against the plain rule of three. Anyone who has to keep amounts exact for medical reasons, for example during a nutrition therapy prescribed by a doctor, should discuss them with a doctor or a registered dietitian. Your serving count is calculated in your browser only, it is neither stored nor transmitted.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C (fan 140C) and grease a large springform tin with 1 tbsp oil.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the coconut flour, sweetener, grated orange zest, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder and sea salt.
- In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter or coconut oil, sour cream, coconut milk and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the egg mixture to the coconut flour mixture and work everything together thoroughly until you have a smooth, even batter.
- Gently fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes. Test with a toothpick: if it comes out clean, the cake is done. Then leave to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the lemon juice and a pinch of sweetener until smooth, then spread evenly over the cooled cake.
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Nutrition facts per serving (estimate)
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 14 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Fat | 35 g |
| Fibre | 7 g |
| of which sugar | 4 g |
Frequently asked questions
Can I use regular sugar instead of sweetener?
The original recipe uses sweetener in place of sugar. If you don't need a lower-carb cake, you can use 200 g sugar instead.
Is this carrot cake really gluten-free?
Yes. Since it uses only coconut flour, the cake is naturally gluten-free. Just make sure all your ingredients are certified gluten-free.
How long does the carrot cake keep?
Covered in the fridge, the cake with its cream cheese frosting keeps for about 3 to 4 days.
Can I swap the coconut oil for butter?
Yes, both work equally well. Butter gives a more classic flavour, while coconut oil keeps it dairy-free and adds a subtle coconut note.
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