This healthy pumpkin carrot cake is sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar and topped with my tangy Greek yogurt cream cheese frosting made without powdered sugar. Pumpkin and freshly grated carrots keep it extra moist, soft, and warmly spiced.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake At A Glance
- ✅ Recipe Name: Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Healthy!)
- 🕒 Ready In: ~90 minutes (25 minutes hands-on, 40 to 50 minutes baking, 30 minutes cooling)
- 👪 Serves: 12 slices (two 6-inch layers or one 9-inch cake)
- 🍽 Calories: ~315 per slice with frosting
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Pumpkin purée, grated carrots, maple syrup, coconut oil, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, plus optional walnuts and coconut
- 📖 Dietary Info: Refined sugar-free cake, gluten-free and dairy-free options, freezer-friendly, nut-free without walnuts
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Extra moist and warmly spiced, with a tangy Greek yogurt cream cheese frosting that tastes indulgent but isn't overly sweet. This whole cake has less than half the sugar of a classic recipe!
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Why I Started Adding Pumpkin to Carrot Cake
I've always loved carrot cake for its cozy spices and soft crumb, but most recipes use ½ cup of oil and a cup or more of sugar to get there. I wanted a healthier version that still tasted like a treat.
This pumpkin carrot cake uses maple syrup instead of refined sugar. As a liquid sweetener, it adds moisture along with pumpkin purée, so the crumb stays tender with just ¼ cup of coconut oil. My tangy, healthier version of cream cheese frosting keeps it lighter than a classic powdered sugar frosting.
You can bake the layers up to 2 days ahead, which makes this one of my go-to Thanksgiving desserts alongside my gluten-free apple pie. If you love baking with pumpkin, my healthy pumpkin bread is a reader favorite too.
Jump to:
- Pumpkin Carrot Cake At A Glance
- Why I Started Adding Pumpkin to Carrot Cake
- What Does This Pumpkin Carrot Cake Taste Like?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Easy Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Moist Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Step-by-Step)
- Recipe Video
- Can I Make This as a 9x13 Sheet Cake or Cupcakes?
- My Tips for Moist Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Troubleshooting Guide
- How to Store, Make Ahead, and Freeze
- Pumpkin Carrot Cake FAQs
- More Cake Recipes You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was the best carrot cake ever!!! I love the pumpkin spice flavor and the texture. Really delicious.
- Hannah
What Does This Pumpkin Carrot Cake Taste Like?
It tastes like classic carrot cake with bold pumpkin spice flavor, thanks to a full tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. The crumb is moist and tender, and the walnuts and coconut add a little crunch.
It's less sweet than a bakery carrot cake. Maple syrup adds a warm, caramel-like note, and the Greek yogurt cream cheese frosting is tangy and creamy, so every bite still feels indulgent.
Ingredients You'll Need
This pumpkin carrot cake calls for mostly pantry staples. Here's why each ingredient matters.
For the Cake:
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cake structure. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off, since packed flour is the most common cause of a dry cake.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cake rise. Check that yours is fresh, because old baking soda can leave the cake dense and flat.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Yes, a full tablespoon. It's what gives this cake its bold, cozy pumpkin spice flavor.
- Salt: Balances the maple syrup and brings out the spices.
- Pumpkin Purée: Keeps the cake moist. You'll need 1 cup, a little over half of a 15-ounce can. Use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Use the rest of the can in my healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars or gluten-free pumpkin cookies.
- Grated Carrots: Add moisture and classic carrot cake texture. Grate them fresh on a box grater, since pre-shredded bagged carrots are too dry.
- Maple Syrup: Sweetens the cake without refined sugar and adds moisture for a tender crumb. Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup, which is mostly corn syrup.
- Coconut Oil: Keeps the crumb tender. Melt it and let it cool slightly so it doesn't firm up when it hits the eggs.
- Oat Milk: Thins the batter and keeps the cake dairy-free.
- Eggs: Bind the batter and give it structure. Use them at room temperature so the coconut oil stays smooth.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the spices and maple flavor.
- Walnuts and Shredded Coconut: Add crunch and texture. Toast the walnuts and let them cool before folding them in for the best flavor.
For the Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream Cheese or Neufchâtel: The creamy base. Neufchâtel has about a third less fat than regular cream cheese and keeps the frosting lighter. Use the block kind, not spreadable tubs, which make the frosting runny.
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt: Lightens the frosting, adds protein, and gives it a subtle tang.
- Maple Syrup: Sweetens the frosting without powdered sugar.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Make it gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum. Don't use almond or coconut flour, which make the cake dense and dry.
- Make it dairy-free: The cake is already dairy-free with coconut oil and oat milk. For the frosting, use dairy-free cream cheese and a thick unsweetened coconut or almond yogurt. It will be softer, so chill the cake before slicing.
- Make it nut-free: Leave out the walnuts or swap in pumpkin seeds.
- Butter instead of coconut oil: Use the same amount of melted butter.
- No pumpkin pie spice: Mix 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon cloves, then use 1 tablespoon in the batter.
- Add-ins: Fold in raisins or shredded apple with the carrots. If you love apple desserts, try my gluten-free apple cake.
- Cupcakes: Fill lined muffin cups about ¾ full and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. For a grab-and-go option, try my healthy pumpkin protein muffins.
How to Make Moist Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Step-by-Step)
This cake comes together in two bowls with no mixer needed for the batter. Here's a quick look at the process, with full instructions in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Make the batter. Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, then stir them together. Fold in the carrots, walnuts, and coconut just until combined. Overmixing makes the cake dense.
- Step 2: Fill the pans and bake. Divide the batter between two greased, parchment-lined 6-inch pans and smooth the tops. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the layers cool completely, 30 to 60 minutes.
- Step 3: Make the frosting. While the layers cool, beat the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup until fluffy. Room-temperature ingredients keep it smooth and lump-free.
- Step 4: Frost the first layer. Once the cakes are completely cool, spread ⅔ to ¾ cup of frosting over the first layer. Warm cake will melt the frosting.
- Step 5: Stack and finish. Set the second layer on top and frost the top. Leave the sides bare for a rustic look, as pictured, or frost them all the way around.
Recipe Video
Can I Make This as a 9x13 Sheet Cake or Cupcakes?
Yes. This batter works in a few different pans, so you can bake whatever fits your occasion.
- Cupcakes: Fill lined muffin cups about ¾ full and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 9-inch round: One batch makes a single 9-inch layer. Start checking at 40 minutes.
- Two-layer 9-inch cake: Double the recipe and divide the batter between two 9-inch pans.
My Tips for Moist Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Yes, a full tablespoon of spice: It looks like a lot, but maple syrup is milder than sugar, and the spice is what makes this taste like real pumpkin spice carrot cake. Don't cut it back.
- Pull it before you think it's done: The layers keep baking as they cool, so start checking at 40 minutes. A toothpick with a few moist crumbs is perfect.
- Frost it cold, serve it cool: The Greek yogurt frosting is softer than a classic powdered sugar frosting, so frost fully cooled layers and keep the cake in the fridge. Set slices out about an hour before serving.
Troubleshooting Guide
- Dense or gummy center: Usually too much pumpkin purée or underbaking. Measure exactly 1 cup of pumpkin, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean from the very center.
- Dry cake: Usually packed flour or a few extra minutes in the oven. Spoon and level the flour, and remember the layers keep baking as they cool.
- Runny frosting or sliding layers: The cake was still warm, or the frosting got too soft. Frost fully cooled layers, and if the frosting feels loose, chill it until it firms up before spreading.
- Lumpy frosting: The cream cheese or yogurt was too cold. Let them come to room temperature, then beat again until smooth.
- Flat or sunken cake: Check that your baking soda is fresh, and avoid opening the oven door during the first 30 minutes.
How to Store, Make Ahead, and Freeze
- Refrigerator: Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the frosted cake covered in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Set slices out about an hour before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- Room temperature (unfrosted only): Wrap unfrosted layers tightly in plastic wrap and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Chill the frosted cake until the frosting firms up, then wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Make ahead: Bake the layers 1 to 2 days ahead, wrap them tightly, and frost the day you serve.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake FAQs
It can be. This version is sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar, uses just ¼ cup of coconut oil, and has a Greek yogurt cream cheese frosting, so each slice has 316 calories and 18g sugar. It's still dessert, but a lighter one than most classic recipes.
Carrot cake gets its texture from grated carrots, while pumpkin cake gets its moisture from pumpkin purée. Pumpkin carrot cake uses both, so it's moister and more tender than classic carrot cake, with the same warm spices.
Yes. Pumpkin pie spice has the same cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves most carrot cakes use, so it's an easy one-jar swap. This recipe uses a full tablespoon.
Yes. Don't leave any cake with cream cheese frosting out for more than 2 hours. Store it covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Cake Recipes You'll Love
If you loved this pumpkin carrot cake, here are a few more recipes to try next:
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Video
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, yes Tablespoon!
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ cup oat milk
- ⅔ cup real maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated carrot*
Mix-Ins:
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted and cooled
- ½ cup shredded coconut
Cream Cheese Yogurt Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel, room temperature
- ¼ cup vanilla greek yogurt, room temperature
- ¼ cup real maple syrup, room temperature
Instructions
- Prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 6-inch cake pans (or one 9-inch pan) with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, melted coconut oil, oat milk, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
- Make the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined. Fold in the carrots, walnuts, and coconut.
- Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake. The cakes keep cooking as they cool.
- Cool completely. Let the layers cool completely before frosting, about 30 to 60 minutes. To speed it up, chill the layers in the fridge after the first 10 minutes in the pan.
- Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 1 to 2 minutes, until fluffy and smooth. Ingredients must be at room temperature or the frosting will be lumpy.
- Frost and assemble. Spread ⅔ to ¾ cup of frosting over the first layer, then gently set the second layer on top. Frost the top, and the sides if you like. Sprinkle with crushed walnuts.
- Chill and serve. Store in the refrigerator. Serve cold, or set out for about 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.
deanne says
This was my first recipe made by the Healthful Blondie and it did not disappoint! I am the cake baker for my friends and when my friends have gluten intolerance or dairy or sugar restrictions I am challenged! I was so thankful to find this delicious option that was loved by all my friends and they have requested it more than once! love all the options to tweak but still make a delicious and moist cake!
Tati Chermayeff says
Deanne, this made my day! I love that you're the go-to baker for friends with different food needs. Thank you for coming back to share, and I'm so glad it's become a repeat request!
Katie says
Just a suggestion to put the actual amount of pumpkin puree in the recipe. There are different can sizes. I had a very large can so only used half thinking that looked right for the recipe. But with baking things need to be precise. Cross my fingers it worked, in the oven now!
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi Katie! The recipe card calls for exactly 1 cup of pumpkin purée, but you're so right that can sizes vary so that is why I measure in cups.
Amy Watson Briceno says
can you make this recipe as cupcakes? thanks!
Tati Chermayeff says
Yes! They should bake for 18 - 22 minutes, but check with a tooth pick to ensure they are done 🙂
Emily says
Does this make a mini two layered cake? I'm trying to figure out the 12 servings but doesn't seem like the 6 inch pans would yield 12 servings. Just want to make sure I am using the right size pans. Thank you!
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi! Yes, it makes two mini layered cakes (with a 6-inch pan). You can also use a larger 9-inch pan for a larger cake. You can also double the recipe and make a two layered 9-inch cake.
Marie-Ange says
My new favourite cake recipe !
Tati Chermayeff says
Thank you, Marie-Ange! That means so much. I'm so happy you love it!
Hannah says
This was the best carrot cake ever!!! I love the pumpkin spice flavor and the texture. Really delicious.
Tati Chermayeff says
Thank you, Hannah! The full tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice really makes it. I'm so glad you loved the flavor and texture!
Nancy says
I love your recipes!
As a diabetic I’m wondering if I could use sugar free maple syrup in this recipe. What do you think?
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi! Thank you so much. I have never tried that and am not sure what the sweetness level will be, but it should work. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!