Today we’re going to make a keto-friendly carrot cake. This recipe is perfect for anyone following a low carb diet who still wants to enjoy a delicious dessert.
Carrot cake is a classic favorite, and this version doesn’t disappoint. Many people think that following a keto diet means giving up all sweets and treats. But that’s not true. With a few smart substitutions, you can still enjoy your favorite desserts without breaking your diet.
You’ll need some special keto-friendly sweeteners, but everything else should be familiar. The cake is made with almond and coconut flour instead of regular wheat flour, which helps keep the carb count low.
The end result is a moist, flavorful cake that tastes just as good as the traditional version. The cream cheese frosting adds a rich, tangy sweetness that perfectly complements the spiced cake.
👍 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Protein Boost: This recipe includes whey protein powder. It’s not just for shakes! Adding protein to your cake helps balance out the macros and keeps you feeling full longer. Plus, it helps give the cake a nice structure.
Classic Carrot Cake Flavor: Just because it’s keto doesn’t mean it skimps on flavor. This cake has all the spices you love in a traditional carrot cake – cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla. You’ll get that warm, comforting taste you crave.
Cream Cheese Frosting: The frosting is made with real cream cheese, butter, and heavy cream. It’s rich, tangy, and perfectly complements the cake. Best of all, it’s naturally low in carbs, so you can enjoy it guilt-free.
Satisfying Texture: The combination of almond flour, coconut flour, and grated carrots gives this cake a moist, tender texture. It’s not dry or crumbly like some keto baked cakes can be. You’ll forget you’re eating a low-carb cake!
✨ Recipe Ingredients
For The Cake
- 1/3 cup Coconut Flour
- 4 Eggs (large)
- 2 cups Almond Flour (I recommend this one – amazon link)
- 1/3 cup Unflavoured Whey Protein Powder
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon (ground)
- 1/4 teaspoon Cloves (ground)
- 1/3 cup Pecans (chopped)
- 1/2 cup Avocado Oil
- 1/2 cup Swerve Granular Sweetener (Amazon link)
- 1/2 cup Swerve Brown
- 1 1/2 cups Carrot (finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
For the Frosting
- 1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 3/4 cup Swerve Sweetener (powdered)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
👨🍳 How To Make
Follow this easy recipe:
Step 1
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and greasing three 8-inch or 7-inch round cake pans. Line their bottoms with parchment paper and grease with oil or melted butter.
Step 2
In a medium-large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, almond flour, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and cloves. Make sure they are well combined.
Step 3
In another large bowl, beat the eggs, oil, and sweeteners until well combined. Then, mix in the vanilla extract and the grated carrots.
Step 4
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Beat on low speed until well combined. Then, fold in the chopped pecans and continue mixing for a few seconds.
Step 5
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking pans and spread it out.
Step 6
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are firm. Then, remove from the oven and let them cool for 20 minutes in the pans. To remove the cakes, run a knife around the inside of each pan and flip them out onto a wire rack.
Step 7
Now let’s make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until the mixture is smooth. Then, mix in the sweetener and vanilla, and continue mixing until very well combined. Finally, beat in the heavy whipping cream and mix well.
Step 8
Now for the fun part! Place one layer of the cake on a plate. Spread the top with 1/4 of the frosting and repeat with the remaining layers. Sprinkle chopped nuts and shredded carrots on top and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Then, cut and serve. Enjoy!
💡Tips
1. Grate The Carrots Right
When grating your carrots, use the fine side of your grater. You want the carrot pieces to be small enough to blend into the batter, but not so fine that they turn to mush. Avoid using pre-shredded carrots from the store – they’re often too thick and dry.
Fresh carrots will give you the best flavor and texture. After grating, give the carrots a gentle squeeze to remove any excess moisture. This helps prevent your cake from becoming too wet.
2. Don’t Skip The Protein Powder
The unflavored whey protein powder in this recipe isn’t just for added protein – it plays an important role in the cake’s texture. Keto baking often results in denser cakes, but the protein powder helps create a lighter, fluffier texture more like traditional cake.
If you don’t have whey protein powder, you can substitute with egg white protein powder. Just make sure whatever you use is unflavored and unsweetened.
3. Cool Completely Before Frosting
Let the layers cool in their pans for about 20 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you try to frost a warm cake, the frosting will melt and slide right off. For best results, you can even wrap the cooled layers in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for an hour or overnight before frosting.
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FAQ
1. Why does the recipe use both granular and brown Swerve?
The recipe uses both types of Swerve to mimic the flavor of a traditional carrot cake. Granular Swerve provides general sweetness, while brown Swerve adds a hint of molasses-like flavor that you’d typically get from brown sugar.
2. Why does my cake seem dry?
You might have overbaked it, so watch it closely in the oven. Another reason could be measuring the flours incorrectly – almond and coconut flour need to be measured carefully. Make sure you’re not packing the flour when you measure.
Keto Carrot Cake
Print RecipeIngredients
For The Cake
- 1/3 cup Coconut Flour
- 4 Eggs large
- 2 cups Almond Flour (I recommend this one – amazon link)
- 1/3 cup Unflavoured Whey Protein Powder
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon ground
- 1/4 teaspoon Cloves ground
- 1/3 cup Pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup Avocado Oil
- 1/2 cup Swerve Granular Sweetener Amazon link
- 1/2 cup Swerve Brown
- 1 1/2 cups Carrot finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
For the Frosting
- 1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 3/4 cup Swerve Sweetener powdered
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and greasing three 8-inch or 7-inch round cake pans. Line their bottoms with parchment paper and grease with oil or melted butter.
- In a medium-large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, almond flour, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and cloves. Make sure they are well combined.
- In another large bowl, beat the eggs, oil, and sweeteners until well combined. Then, mix in the vanilla extract and the grated carrots.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Beat on low speed until well combined. Then, fold in the chopped pecans and continue mixing for a few seconds.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking pans and spread it out.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are firm. Then, remove from the oven and let them cool for 20 minutes in the pans. To remove the cakes, run a knife around the inside of each pan and flip them out onto a wire rack.
- Now let’s make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until the mixture is smooth. Then, mix in the sweetener and vanilla, and continue mixing until very well combined. Finally, beat in the heavy whipping cream and mix well.
- Now for the fun part! Place one layer of the cake on a plate. Spread the top with 1/4 of the frosting and repeat with the remaining layers. Sprinkle chopped nuts and shredded carrots on top and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Then, cut and serve. Enjoy!