A few “secret” ingredients make this delicious and healthy carrot cake recipe. I love to freeze it for a ready breakfast or snack!

Amidst my holiday baking–enter BEST ever Baklava Rolls and my aunt Maha’s Egyptian Basbousa Cake–I do try to bake a few healthier items to balance things out.

This Italian Apple Olive Cake is one tasty attempt; perfect for those who like their dessert less sweet.

And because carrot cake happens to be my husband’s absolute favorite, I decided to try my hand at a healthy carrot cake recipe.

Carrot cake, healthyfied, Mediterranean-style!

This is not the layered sweet carrot cake, covered with cream cheese frosting. Think a lighter, lower-calorie carrot cake. An olive oil cake with whole wheat flour. And in place of sugar, we use natural sweeteners like quality dark honey and chopped Medjool dates.

Ground cinnamon takes a prominent spot as the main flavor maker in this healthy carrot cake recipe, supported by a little cardamom and ginger. That’s why this cake looks dark.

Make ahead tip for this healthy carrot cake recipe

I’ve been using squares of this healthy carrot cake as breakfast or snack with coffee. It’s great for that purpose because you can make it ahead, cut it up and freeze it in the form of individually wrapped squares. Simply thaw as many pieces as you need overnight in the fridge.

See full freezing instructions in the notes below the recipe.

★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

Author: The Mediterranean Dish

Print Recipe

Description

A healthy carrot cake recipe that feeds a crowd! Or, freeze it for a ready breakfast or snack. A few secret ingredients keep it light and low-calorie. And what an easy cake to make?!

Ingredients

1/2 cup Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (reduced fat)
1/3 cup milk (2% reduced fat milk)
1/2 cup quality dark honey
3 eggs at room temperature
2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 cups finely grated carrots (you can use food processor to very finely chop instead)
6 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped (you can use food processor)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
powdered sugar for light dusting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, geek yogurt, and milk. Add eggs one-by-one and whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and spices
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon.
Fold in the carrots. Mix to combine, then add the dates and walnuts. Again, mix with your wooden spoon until well combined.
Line a 9-inch square baking pan like this one with parchment paper (or coat well with olive oil). Pour the carrot cake batter into the pan.
Bake in 350 degrees F heated-oven for 1 hour (until a tooth pick inserted in middle of the cake comes out clean). Let cool completely. Sprinkle powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into 9 or 12 square pieces. Enjoy!

Notes

Freezing instructions If you want to make this for a smaller crowd or as breakfast for yourself, you can easily freeze this cake. Once cooled completely, slice the cake into the number of pieces you need; cover and freeze in its baking tray (if it’s freezer save) or transfer to a freezer safe tray. Let it freeze until solid (about 4 hours). Then remove, take out the pieces and wrap individually securely in plastic wrap and a final layer of aluminum foil. Thaw the pieces you need in the fridge overnight.
Featured in this recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed koroneiki olives). SAVE! Try our Greek olive oil bundle.
And From Our All-Natural Spice Collection: Ground Green Cardamom. SAVE! Try our Ultimate Mediterranean Spice Bundle or our Mediterranean Essentials Bundle! Create your own 6-pack from our all-natural or organic spice collections.
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