I’m back at it with the healthy desserts. This time I have a healthy carrot that I’m sharing with you all. I told you that this is what I do right? I enjoy recreating classics and making them taste as delicious as you’d expect them to. This one certainly fulfils the criteria. It’s sweet, moist and made without all of the ingredients you’d think is necessary for such an amazing outcome.
I tested this at least 5 times before I finally ended up with the desired result. It’s fluffy, soft and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
It isn’t as sweet as most cakes. The idea is that this cake is perfect for the mornings alongside a good cuppa. For the evenings, if you have an insanely sweet tooth like me then drizzle it with a bit of honey or maple and you’re good to go.
Creating the perfect healthy carrot cake
I chose to make this cake with wholemeal flour. I don’t bake with wholemeal flour as much as I’d probably like. I tend to stick to white and GF flours. But I thought this cake would be the perfect way to use up wholemeal flour that’s been sitting in my baking cupboard for a while.
In terms of texture, I did find it a bit of a challenge to get it perfect. Taking out the oil and using less sugar naturally makes a cake extremely dry. Using wholemeal flour takes that dryness to another level.
My secret to making this cake moist is using one finely grated apple. It’s really as simple as it sounds. Just peel and core the apple then use a fine grater. The results will be similar to using homemade applesauce.
My thought process behind this is that we are already grating carrots so why not add an apple to the mix. It’s quick, inexpensive and makes an amazing oil replacer.
Why this works so well
Both apples and carrots contain a substance called pectin which makes contributes to the moistness of the cake. Apples are particularly great as they also add a subtle tangy flavour. They’re one of the most versatile healthy baking ingredients out there.
The only downside is that you do have to use it in moderation as it can sometimes make cakes with generic gluten flour gummy and dense. Therefore finding the right balance is necessary for a good outcome. This issue isn’t as noticeably in gluten-free desserts though.
I really enjoyed making this recipe and hope you enjoy it too. I’d love to hear what your thoughts are if you decide to give this cake a go.
Thank you for reading!
Healthy Wholemeal Carrot Cake
A deliciously moist, fluffy, healthy carrot cake loaf made using wholemeal flour.
Ingredients
- 250 g Grated carrots , approx. 5 med carrots
- 70 g finely grated apples , approx. 1 med apple
- 350 g | 2 ½ cups | Fine wholemeal flour
- 200 g | 1 cup | Light brown sugar
- 2 Tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Ginger
- ½ tsp Salt
- 4 Large egg yolks
- 1 cup Unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- honey or maple syrup for serving
Instructions
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Grate carrots and apple and set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).
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Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt into a bowl. Whisk till all dry ingredients and mixed together.
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Add the egg yolks, finely grated apple, almond milk, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
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Whisk using a balloon or hand whisk until all of the ingredients are mixed into a batter. Don't over-whisk.
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Fold grated carrots into the batter and transfer to an 8 x 5 inch loaf tin. This is 900 g or 2 lb loaf tin.
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Place tin in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if the cake if ready by sticking it in the middle of the loaf. The cake will be ready when the toothpick comes out clean. Place cake in the oven for another 10 minutes if it still have batter on it.
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Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes before removing it from the cake tin. Place on a cooling rack and allow it to cool for another hour before serving.
Hi, does it have to be almond milk or can it be macadamia or cashew? Thanks
Hi Cara. Yes any milk will work fine for this recipe.