Pumpkin Carrot Cake

This easy-to-make pumpkin carrot cake is extra moist, pumpkin spiced, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. Topped off with a homemade healthy cream cheese yogurt frosting, this fall-time cake has the softest crumb and is packed with toasted walnuts, grated carrot, and shredded coconut.

5 from 30 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Serving servings

Ingredients

Dry:

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice, yes Tablespoon!
¾ tsp salt

Wet:

2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup pumpkin puree, NOT pumkin pie filling
¼ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup oat milk
⅔ cup real maple syrup
1 tbsp 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

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line two 6-inch cake pans or one 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together. Set it to the side.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together, excluding the carrots.
Add dry ingredients to wet ones and fold the shredded carrots, walnuts, and shredded coconut in.
Then, evenly divide the cake batter between the two greased and lined cake tins.
Bake for 40 - 50 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake the cakes, or they will be dry - they will continue to cook a little as they cool. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes, then carefully flip them out onto a wire cooling rack. Let them cool completely before frosting!
While the cake cools, make the frosting by placing all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beating with a handheld electric mixer for 1 – 2 minutes until fluffy and smooth. Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature. You can also you a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Frost the cooled cake by spreading about ⅔ - ¾ cups of frosting on the first layer, then gently place the second cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the frosting around the sides (if desired) and over the top of the cake. Decorate with crushed walnuts. Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can serve it cold or bring it to room temperature an hour before serving.

Notes

* Use freshly grated carrots for a moister cake! I used a box grater to shred mine.

Pumpkin Puree: You can use butternut squash puree, sweet potatoes puree, or acorn squash puree.

Coconut Oil: I used melted coconut oil as the fat in this cake recipe, but you can use melted unsalted butter or melted vegan, dairy-free butter too.

Oat Milk: You can use 2% or whole cow’s milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk too.

Nut-Free: Leave off the walnuts.

Easily make ahead. One of the BEST parts about this pumpkin carrot cake is that it tastes even better the next day, similar to banana bread. You can bake the cake and frost it up to 1 day in advance. Simply keep it covered in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before serving.

Storing: For best results, cover leftover frosted pumpkin carrot cake tightly and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can serve it cold or bring it to room temperature an hour before serving.

Nutritional information below is for one double-layered slice with frosting.

Nutrition

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @HealthfulBlondie on Instagram & hashtag it #healthfulblondie!