Oatmeal Carrot Cake with Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This Oatmeal Carrot Cake is a wholesome, moist dessert perfect for a healthy treat. Made with rolled oats, shredded carrots, and natural sweeteners like maple syrup and orange juice, it’s blended to a smooth batter then baked to golden perfection. Finished with a light cream cheese frosting and optional walnuts, this cake is both nutritious and delicious, ideal for sharing with family or friends.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats (divided)
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup pulp-free orange juice
- ¾ cup applesauce
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
- ¾ cup raisins
Toppings
- Healthy cream cheese frosting
- Chopped walnuts for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease three 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray or coconut oil, then set them aside to be ready for the batter.
- Blend: In a high-powered blender suitable for powders, combine 2 ½ cups of rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, orange juice, applesauce, maple syrup, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Use a tamper if needed to push ingredients down towards the blades.
- Add: Gently fold in the remaining 1 ½ cups of rolled oats, shredded carrots, and raisins into the smooth batter. Mixing carefully keeps the texture hearty and prevents breaking down the added ingredients.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Frost: Once the cakes reach room temperature, frost them generously with healthy cream cheese frosting. Optionally, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top for added crunch and flavor.
- Serve: Slice the cake and serve. Ideal for breakfast or dessert, this carrot cake pairs wonderfully with a cup of tea or coffee.
Notes
- Using pulp-free orange juice ensures the batter stays smooth and well blended.
- Substitute olive oil with avocado oil for a milder flavor if preferred.
- The frosting can be customized with honey or maple syrup for a natural sweetener.
- This cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For a nut-free version, omit the walnuts or use seeds like pumpkin or sunflower instead.
