Keto Carrot Cake

This Keto Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting is an amazingly moist, gluten-free, sugar-free dessert that is even more delicious than the traditional, sugar loaded version! All of my taste testers have vouched this is one of THE BEST carrot cakes they’ve ever had! And all at just 3g of net carbs per slice.

The recipe can be made as a double-layered cake or as cupcakes, depending on the crowd you’re feeding and whether you plan on freezing some. Made with simple ingredients, and ready in about 40 minutes, it’s a great option the whole family will enjoy!

Growing up, carrot cake was probably the cake I requested my mom make most often. With a birthday in April, carrot cake just always felt like the right choice. Her cake was rich and dense, but most of all it was SWEET. As a kid, I loved that. I couldn’t get enough of the sugar hit. But, now that I’m older, and (perhaps) wiser, I understand the importance of minimizing one’s sugar intake.

For a long time, I thought that meant no desserts… no indulgences… no treats. I ended up restricting my intake of any kind of dessert quite a lot. But now, thanks to Swerve and other natural sweeteners, I’ve been able to experiment with making healthier versions of the sweets from my past!

Don’t be intimidated by the somewhat long list of ingredients or instructions! This Keto Carrot Cake actually comes together pretty easily and doesn’t take much time at all.

Most of the ingredients for this cake can be found in a specialty or regular grocery store. Alternatively, you can purchase several of the ingredients from Amazon (links are provided in the recipe card below).

To save some time (and kitchen mess), I like to buy a bag of pre-shredded carrots for this cake and slightly chop them so the individual pieces aren’t quite so long. Similarly, I chop the walnuts into smaller pieces so they distribute more evenly throughout the cake.

One of the first questions I will probably get asked is whether the psyllium husk is necessary in this recipe. The first time I tested this cake, I made it without psyllium husk, and I can tell you that, YES, it is critical!

Psyllium husk acts as a great binder in baking and helps breads and cakes retain moisture as they cook. It’s especially common in keto and gluten-free baking because it acts similarly to gluten.

As an added bonus, psyllium husk is also a great source of soluble fibre, which has proven benefits on overall gut-health! Just be sure you’re baking with psyllium husk powder and not psyllium husk- the texture will be too grainy otherwise.

Absolutely! In fact, the first time I tested this recipe, I used the batter in muffin tins to make carrot cake cupcakes instead! Personally, I like the presentation of the double-layered cake, but cupcakes can definitely be easier to share with a large group.

The recipe makes about 18-24 cupcakes, depending on size. I recommend using baking cups with the muffin tray so the batter doesn’t stick to your tray. These silicone baking cups are a great option because they’re reusable and easy to clean!

The other great thing about opting for cupcakes is that leftovers can be a bit easier to store. Leftovers are those servings of a recipe that you don’t finish eating the day something is served. If you’re anything like me, this is an entirely foreign, slightly outlandish concept when discussing desserts.

But! If you’re disciplined enough to save some for later, cupcakes may be the way to go. The convenient single-serve size is perfect for freezing. Which brings me to my next point …

Yes! I experimented with freezing a slice of this cake as well as a cupcake (and, yes, it pained me greatly to have to save any). In both cases, freezing and thawing had no impact on the texture or taste of the cake!

If you’ve made cupcakes from the recipe, wrap each individually after they’ve been frosted and place them in the freezer. If you’ve made a full cake, cut the leftovers into slices, wrap each slice individually, and freeze. Freezing the slices separately makes it easy to thaw one piece at a time. I recommend taking the cupcakes or slices out of your freezer the night before and letting them thaw in the fridge overnight.

If you’re on the hunt for other low-carb dessert options, check out some of my other popular recipes:

• Keto Peanut Butter Blondies
• Vegan Fudge (Keto & Paleo)
• Keto Orange Olive Oil Cake

If you make this Keto Carrot Cake and cream cheese frosting, please rate it and add your comments below. And be sure to tag @thebespokebites in your photos and videos on Instagram for a chance to be featured!