This 21 Day Fix carrot cake is tender, perfectly spiced deliciousness topped with the dreamiest, tangy frosting - an undeniably perfect combination! It's refined sugar-free, Weight Watchers friendly, and perfect for Easter!
Hey guys! How on Earth is it March already?! And the middle of March no less?
For those of you who don't know, my Coastie husband is getting ready to retire in June (JUNE!!!) and I may not be exactly ready, but I'll get there.
Am I feeling more anxious with every passing day?
Of course not.
I'm a pillar of strength and poise and definitely not hyperventilation.
That being said, I've often found that one of the best ways to distract oneself is with cake. Baking it, frosting it, eating it... all included in life's little joys. And so I baked.
And I baked.
And then I baked some more.
You guys - I'm fairly certain I made no less than 15 carrot cakes (and possibly even a batch of banana cupcakes) while working on making this 21 Day Fix carrot cake recipe the very best that it could possibly be and I really hope you guys love it as much as we do over here!
It really is just the perfect springtime treat - tender, moist cake spiced to perfection with all of the fun add-ins you could want, topped with the dreamiest, creamiest tangy frosting (read on for more on this awesome frosting!).
Anyway, it's perfect for Easter (of course!) and since my kids are obsessed with it (especially the frosting!), it's definitely going to be on our Easter menu this year. For your convenience, I have instructions below for both a single and double-layer cake, depending on how many people you're feeding (and if you want leftovers, which also freeze beautifully, by the way)!
Ok, let's get to it! Here are a few questions answered and then I'll show you how super easy it is to make!
Is 21 Day Fix carrot cake healthy?
This one is pretty darn healthy for a cake - but it's still a cake, you guys, so everything in moderation!
That being said, this beauty is full of wholesome ingredients like whole grains, maple syrup, fruits, veggies and nuts!
It's a delish cake that you can feel good about serving to your kiddos (or occasionally eating for breakfast, just saying).
Oh, it's Weight Watchers friendly, too!
What kind of frosting is on carrot cake?
Cream cheese frosting is what is usually found on carrot cake. My 21 Day Fix peeps will know that cream cheese is not technically approved, so I tested several options before coming up with this SUPER YUM goat cheese frosting.
YOU GUYS. This frosting is like a slightly tangier version of the classic cream cheese frosting you know and love and it's such a beautiful compliment to the carrot cake, I really think you're going to love it!
*Hot Tip: I've been told that the plain goat cheese from Aldi's (if you have one nearby) tastes almost exactly like cream cheese if you want to pick that up. That being said, I don't have one nearby and just bought the regular ol' goat cheese from my grocery store and I'm so in love with this frosting, I want to put it on all the things!
Can carrot cake be frozen?
Yep! This freezes beautifully!
Want some more fun carrot cake recipes?
Check out these awesome Carrot Cake Muffins from my friend, Nancylynn, and these yum Carrot Cake Overnight Oats from my friend, Carrie!
How to make healthy 21 Day Fix Carrot Cake:
Whisk together the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then stir in the carrots and add-ins.
Put batter in prepared pan(s) and bake!
Combine all of the frosting ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Assemble and enjoy!
If you guys give this healthy carrot cake recipe a try, please let me know what you think!! You can leave a comment below or tag me on Insta @thefoodieandthefix. Or if you’re in my private Facebook group, I’d love to see a photo of your creation in there! I hope you enjoy ♥
Don’t forget to save this 21 Day Fix Carrot Cake recipe to Pinterest! ⇓
📖 Recipe
Healthy 21 Day Fix Carrot Cake
This yummy 21 Day Fix carrot cake is so easy to make and perfect for Easter!
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ Tbs cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon powdered ginger
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup (this is my preferred amount, but if you'd like it sweeter, I've used up to a cup of maple syrup here, you'll just need to add a few extra minutes to the cook time)
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ Tbs vanilla extract
Add-ins:
- 1 ½ cups shredded carrots (I just use the carrot shredder on my food processor, but you can also use a box grater!)
- ½ cup raisins (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Frosting:
- ½ cup (4 oz) soft goat cheese (I like to let it sit on the counter for a little bit so it'll mix completely smooth into the frosting)
- ¼ cup softened butter
- 2 Tbs honey
- 1 Tbs maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a 9" cake pan (or a square baking dish) by spraying with olive oil cooking spray (if you plan on removing the cake from the pan for serving, it's helpful to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper).
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients, set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Combine the dry with the wet, whisking just until smooth (be sure not to overmix).
- Stir in the shredded carrots and any optional add-ins you're using, pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely (on a wire rack if you have one for faster cooling).
- In a mixing bowl (I usually just wipe out the dry ingredient bowl and use that so I don't have as many bowls to clean later), use an electric mixer to combine all of the frosting ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the top of your cake and serve!
- Refrigerate any leftovers. Before serving leftovers, I like to let them sit out and warm up to room temp first, but it's still yum cold!
Notes
Make Ahead Tips:
If you're making this cake ahead, I prefer to wait until just before serving to frost the cake (you can make the frosting ahead also and refrigerate it until ready to frost, pulling it out a little ahead to warm up and soften so you can give it a whisk first).
This lets you leave the cake out on the counter (covered), instead of refrigerating it, which I feel gives the best texture to the cake. That being said, it is still delish if you prefer to just make, frost and refrigerate the cake ahead.
21 Day Fix Container Counts per Serving: 1 yellow treat swap
Weight Watchers Personal Points: 21 Day Fix Carrot Cake
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 slice (⅛th of cake)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 278Total Fat: 10g
Nutritional information provided is approximate and for informational purposes only.
📖 Recipe
21 Day Fix Carrot Cake (Double Layer)
This pretty 2-layer 21 Day Fix Carrot Cake is perfect for Easter or any spring time get together!
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tbs cinnamon
- ½ Tbs powdered ginger
- ½ Tbs nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups pure maple syrup (this is my preferred amount, but if you'd like it sweeter, I've used up to 2 cups of maple syrup here, you'll just need to add a few extra minutes to the cook time)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 Tbs vanilla extract
Add-ins:
- 3 cups shredded carrots (I just use the carrot shredder on my food processor, but you can also use a box grater!)
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Frosting:
- 1 cup (8 oz) soft goat cheese (I like to let it sit on the counter for a little bit so it’ll mix completely smooth into the frosting)
- ½ cup softened butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tbs maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare two round 9″ cake pans by spraying the sides with olive oil cooking spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper (I just put my pan on top of the parchment paper and use a pencil to trace the bottom of the pan, then use kitchen shears to cut it).
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients, set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Combine the dry with the wet, whisking just until smooth (be sure not to overmix).
- Stir in the shredded carrots and any optional add-ins you’re using, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely (on wire racks if you have them for faster cooling).
- In a mixing bowl (I usually just wipe out the dry ingredient bowl and use that so I don’t have as many bowls to clean later), use an electric mixer to combine all of the frosting ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Assemble:
- Remove 1 cake from its pan (I like to take a disposable plastic knife and run it around the sides of the pan first, then it comes right out!) and put it on your serving dish upside down.
- Evenly spread ¾ cup of the frosting onto the bottom cake layer, then put the second layer on top (also upside down) and spread the top layer with the remaining frosting. I garnished with rolled-up slices of carrot (just using a vegetable peeler), but you can also garnish with walnuts, chopped or whole, or leave ungarnished! Serve!
Notes
If you're making this cake ahead, I prefer to wait until just before serving to frost the cake (you can make the frosting ahead also and refrigerate it until ready to frost, pulling it out a little ahead to warm up and soften so you can give it a whisk first).
This lets you leave the cake out on the counter (covered), instead of refrigerating it, which I feel gives the best texture to the cake. That being said, it is still delish if you prefer to just make, frost and refrigerate the cake ahead.
21 Day Fix Container Counts per Serving: 1 yellow treat swap
Weight Watchers Personal Points: 21 Day Fix Carrot Cake
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16th of cake)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 278Total Fat: 10g
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