Keto Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Keto Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is the PERFECT springtime dessert.  With just 3 net carbs per slice, it’s a great, low-carb, and gluten-free alternative to traditional carrot cakes. Serve it as is – or toss in some chopped pecans for some extra crunch!

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Despite the snow that we have been getting this week here in southern Indiana – it is officially springtime! This low-carb carrot cake is perfect for springtime gatherings such as Easter or Mother’s Day and with the carbs super low, it would also be a great anytime treat!

Be sure to check out all of my keto-friendly Easter recipes!

Jump to:

• Ingredients and Substitutions
• Are carrots ok if you are on a Keto diet?
• How to make Keto Carrot Cake:
• Variations:
• Equipment
• Storing Leftovers
• FAQs
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

No carrot cake is complete without a cream cheese frosting, and this recipe is no exception. The frosting is a must and sets this recipe over the top.

After all, a carrot cake without frosting is really just a muffin, right?

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is what you will need for the keto carrot cake:

• Granular or confectioners sugar substitute – The recipe card calls for erythritol but I have made this cake with all kinds of sweeteners. Just be sure to check the conversion rate for the sweetener that you are using.
• Butter
• Eggs
• Unsweetened Almond Milk – or any milk or milk substitute that you like.
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Almond Flour and Coconut Flour – Using a mix of flours improves the texture of the cake substantially. I don’t recommend substituting the almond flour, but you can replace the coconut flour with ¼ cup of additional almond flour or vanilla protein powder.
• Baking Powder
• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Carrot

Here is what you will need to make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Cream cheese – You can use vegan, reduced-fat, or even fat-free cream cheese if you prefer.
• Butter
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Heavy Cream
• Confectioners (powdered) sweetener – In a pinch, you can run granular sweetener through a food processor but the texture won’t be quite as fine.
• Pecans – You can stir chopped pecans or walnuts into the frosting or sprinkle them on top if desired.  

A few notes on the ingredients:

I used Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweeteners in this recipe. Lakanto is my favorite low-carb sweetener because it doesn’t get grainy or gritty like other sweeteners tend to.

Right now you can get 10% off of all Lakanto products with the code “THISMOMSMENU” when you order from the Lakanto Website!

I’m not a huge fan of nuts mixed into desserts, but you could certainly toss some chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter of this cake if that’s your thing.

If you watch the video, you may notice that I used pre-shredded carrots. This was just an act of pure laziness 😏 It certainly worked, so if you are not about that grating life, then you could also use them. Just do yourself a favor and pop them in the microwave for about 2 minutes before adding them to the batter to ensure that they get cooked through.

Are carrots ok if you are on a Keto diet?

Since I initially posted this recipe, I’ve gotten many questions and comments about eating carrots on a ketogenic diet. I’m sure that some of you reading this will be wondering this very question.

The fact is that what you eat or don’t eat on a keto diet is totally up to you. There is no absolute list of foods that are “allowed” and foods that aren’t. Carrots in moderation shouldn’t cause any problems at all.

As long as you keep your total net carbs per day low enough (generally 20 grams) you will be in ketosis whether you use your carbs on broccoli, cheese, or yes – even carrots.

With all that said, if you feel like carrots aren’t a good fit for your diet you can easily substitute with an equal amount of grated zucchini.

How to make Keto Carrot Cake:

If you are new to baking in general, or just new to low-carb baking – Don’t let the thought of making a cake from scratch intimidate you. It is much easier than you might think!

Start out by preheating your oven and greasing a 9″ cake pan with cake release, or oil, and if you really don’t want it to stick you can also put a parchment round (affiliate) in the bottom of the pan.

Next, Beat the butter and sweetener together in a large mixing bowl until it is light and fluffy and the sweetener has begun to melt. Next, add in the eggs, almond milk, and vanilla. Mix until well combined, then set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the dry cake ingredients (this doesn’t include the carrots) Stir well, then gradually beat the dry ingredients in with the wet until you have a smooth and uniform batter.

Fold in the grated carrots (and nuts if desired). Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 18-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Tip: This recipe makes a single-layer cake. You can easily turn this into a 2 layer cake by simply doubling the recipe.

To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the sweetener and vanilla and continue mixing. Then, add the heavy cream and stir until you have a smooth frosting. Add more heavy cream ½ tablespoon at a time if your frosting is too thick. 

Once the cake has completely cooled, top it with the frosting and garnish with chopped pecans if desired.

Variations:

If you are looking for something other than the standard carrot cake, here are some ideas:

• Keto Carrot Cake Cheesecake – This recipe is made in an instant pot or in the oven. The bottom is a delicious carrot cake, topped with a layer of cheesecake.
• Low Carb Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies – The flavor of carrot cake but in the form of a delicious sandwich cookie.
• In addition to making this a 9-inch round cake, you can also make 12 cupcakes (reduce baking time by 3-5 minutes) or double the recipe to make a layer cake.
• Carrot-less carrot cake – If carrots aren’t your thing swap them for an equal amount of grated zucchini.

Equipment

This carrot cake only requires typical cake baking tools. Here are the things that you will need:

• Mixing Bowls – You will need medium and large mixing bowls for the cake and frosting.
• Electric Mixer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rubber spatula is great for getting all the batter and frosting from the bowl, and can also be used to spread frosting.
• 9-inch round cake pan
• Serving plate

Storing Leftovers

Since this cake has a cream cheese frosting, it should be stored in the fridge. To prevent any cut edges from drying out, you can press wax paper or plastic around them.

You can also freeze leftover cake either whole or by the slice. To eat from frozen, just allow the cake to thaw in the fridge.

FAQs

Be sure to check out these other great recipes:

• Keto Banana Bread
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake | Keto, Instant Pot
• Cinnamon Swirl Bread
• Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies | Keto, Gluten Free

📖 Recipe