This Oatmeal Carrot Cake is going to amaze you! Incredible flavor, super simple to make and naturally sweetened! Leave it plain for a simple breakfast or snack or top it with homemade whipped cream for a healthier dessert!
Oatmeal Carrot Cake
Veggie-loaded cake recipes have been a long time coming here on TNN. People have asked for them for years to help make their kiddo’s birthday delicious, fun and a bit healthier than the sugar-heavy cakes you traditionally serve up at birthday parties.
And while I certainly think there is nothing wrong with enjoying that traditional cake (especially if it is something the birthday boy or girl really wants!), I also get the desire to keep the sugar in little one’s lives mellow. And if you can get veggies and fruit, that is so much winning!
So, and I am finally now getting my act together and bringing veggies to birthday cakes. Don’t ask me what took so long. It’s not like cake isn’t one of my top 5 foods. I should be looking for all the reasons to make all the veggie-loaded cakes.
But, you know, better late than never.
This oatmeal carrot cake was inspired by the contents of my CSA box (so many carrots and oranges!) and is a spin off of my Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins. It is seriously it has a lovely sweet flavor while being naturally sweetened with oranges, applesauce and a little honey or maple syrup. Made with good-for-you oats, it can be enjoyed as a healthy breakfast cake, as a fun snack or would make you the star at any brunch you bring it to.
Homemade whipped cream frosting
If you are looking jazz this up for a celebration, I totally recommend homemade whipped cream. It is super easy to make, light in texture and flavor and you can control how much sugar you do (or don’t) add to it.
Homemade whipped cream is pretty much ALWAYS my go-to frost of choice at birthdays here in our house and really compliments this carrot orange cake beautifully!
NOTE: For a dairy-free option, try making whipped coconut cream!
Of course, you can 100% leave it off if you prefer or sub in the classic cream cheese frosting!
Suggested adaptions
- Up the orange flavor. The oranges in this recipe aids to the sweetness but doesn’t really bring that bright orange flavor some people might love. If you want a bright, citrus flavor, and some orange zest to the batter!
- Omit or reduce sweetener. This healthy carrot cake is are loaded with natural sweetness from oranges and applesauce, both of which does lots of naturally sweetening on their own. So if you are looking to reduce your added sugar or just enjoy a lightly mildly sweet cake, sub the maple syrup/honey with mashed banana or extra applesauce.
- Use mashed ripe bananas instead of applesauce I personally love the way carrots and apple go together. However if you don’t have applesauce on hand or just don’t like it, feel free to swap out the applesauce in this recipe with some ripe mashed bananas.
- Stir in some raisins or finely chopped nuts!
- Make as muffins. Portion out batter into 12 muffins and bake for 15-20 minutes that the same temperature.
- Make as a loaf. Simply pour into a prepared loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes that the same temperature or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Oatmeal Carrot Cake
Equipment
- cake pan
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
For oatmeal carrot cake
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats if gluten free is important, make sure the oats are certified gluten free
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 oranges, medium peeled
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup honey* or maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
for whipped cream topping (optional)
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream**
- 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey* or to taste
Instructions
For Oatmeal Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom.
- Take the grated carrots and place it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large paper towel. Wrap the carrots in the towel and squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can. Set aside.
- Pour oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt into your blender. Pulse until very finely ground and the oats resemble flour. Pour into a large bowl and set aside
- Add oranges, eggs, syrup, applesauce, oil, and vanilla to the blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides until everything is well blended. Pour orange mixture into bowl with dry ingredients.
- Mix well until batter has a smooth texture and everything is incorporated. Add in drained carrots and fold in.
- Pour the batter out into prepared cake pan. Gently tap the bottom of the pan on the counter to help release any bubbles trapped in the batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting with whipped cream if using.
For whipped cream
- Chill bowl and whisk attachment for electric mixer in freezer for 15 minutes.
- Once the bowl and whisk attachment is done chilling, remove from freezer. Pour heavy cream into chilled bowl. Using your electric mixer with chilled whisk attachment, beat the heavy whipping cream until light and fluffy.
- Add maple syrup or honey and gently fold in. Taste and add more if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Comments
If I want to sub flour for oats or vice versa depending on the day, is there a ratio you use?
It depends on the kind of flour. I would swap feel good about swapping whole wheat flour for the oats with the same amount since they both a “thirsty” flour and absorb about the same amount of liquid in a recipe. All purpose isn’t as thirsty, so I’d suggest adding extra flour.
By soaking up (off) the juice from the carrots you are discarding the healthiest part. I did not use the juice because I juice carrots – and drink it! So, I used the carrot pulp. In fact the carrot juice would give it more carrot flavor.
It is in the oven, so I cannot comment on taste, but know I will be adapting this recipe to make cupcakes, add walnuts, maybe cookies. Using oakmeal instead of flour is great.
Nancy – February 2023
For the amazing value of carrot juice see N.W. Walkers amazing booklet on Fresh Vegetable Juices.
Made this over the weekend and it’s already gone! Great flavor!
So glad you enjoyed it! And apparently everyone else in your house!
This was perfect for my baby’s first birthday. I used banana instead of maple syrup and vanilla extract instead of sweetener for the whipped cream. People pour maple syrup on top of their slice if they wanted it sweetened.
I love your recipes. Thank you for sharing them so generously. <3
I am so happy this was a success for your baby’s celebration! Love the little changes you made!
I do not have any oranges… could I replace with banana…I am all ready to make these and can’t get to the store now!
I haven’t tried with banana but it might work! Let me know how it goes!
Does the nutritional info/calories include the whipped cream? Thanks!
Yes 🙂
Can I substitute eggs with flaxseed?
That should work fine!
Hey Taesha! Bopping over from Instagram to try another one you your awesome recipes! Do these taste orangy? What would be an orange substitute? Oat/almond milk? Or did you need the citrus?
Hi Kirsten! I truthfully did not find this cake to be overly orangey since I used the whole orange and not the zest. Maybe lightly orange in flavor. I added it for a little brightness to the cake. You could replace it with more applesauce, I bet. Maybe 1/2 cup. I haven’t tested it without the oranges, but that is where I would start
Thank you my dear.
Oh. And is this something to make a day ahead, or can i bake it while we eat the meal?
I would say bake ahead. Especially if you want to frost it!
Replacing the oranges with an additional 1/2 cup applesauce worked very well. But I would recommend adding some more flavor (cinnamon or more vanilla).
Great note! Thanks for sharing!
If i wanted to make this in a 4inch pan for my baby how would I adjust the cooking time and temp?
I haven’t tested this recipe in a smaller pan, but here is by best guess on how to adapt it. I would bake at the same temp and start checking it at 25 minutes. If you have a kitchen thermometer, bake it until it has an internal temperature of 200F and it should be good.
I assume you are thinking of halving the recipe? I don’t believe the whole recipe would fit in a smaller pan without overflowing in the oven
I tried the recipe today! Baked it for 30 mins in 3 four inch pans and didn’t change the amount of the recipe and they turned out great. I also used banana instead of honey. I will be using this one for my baby’s birthday!! Thank you!
Thats awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing!