Healthy carrot cake traybake is so easy to make. It's deliciously moist, naturally sweetened and a perfect recipe for sharing with friends and family!
This delicious healthy carrot cake traybake recipe is made without any butter and only uses the very minimal amount of oil.
Using oil instead of butter means you'll get a lighter moist sponge.
Instead of using any sugar I've also used honey and a banana as natural sweeteners.
So that means each slice of this carrot cake is only 212 calories.
It's easy to make using as few dishes as possible so there's less washing up!
You'll love the delicious aromas of cinnamon as this cake bakes in your oven.
There's 12 tasty slices from this carrot cake traybake which means there's plenty to go round should you be entertaining.
This version of carrot cake is much easier to make rather than individual cakes or muffins.
You just spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the sponge. You don't have to spend time decorating each cake individually!
As for the taste of this carrot cake?
Well its got a delicious naturally sweetened fruity taste.
Then it's topped off with a light lemony gooey soft cream cheese frosting just bursting with flavour.
There’s just something about the sweetness of the cinnamon spice, carrots and sultanas with the cream cheese that works so well together!
I think you're going to love this!
Where Is Carrot Cake From?
It's pretty impossible to be absolutely certain of where carrot cake is from.
The earliest recipe relating to a sort of carrot cake is of English origin and was published in 1591.
Then there is a french "Gâteau de Carottes" recipe dating from 1814 from Antoine Beauvilliers the former chef to Louis XVI. This recipe was then translated directly into English and published as "Carrot Cakes" in 1824.
There is also a 19th-century recipe from Switzerland whereby it is stated that carrot cake was one of the most popular cakes for the celebration of childrens birthdays!
Whatever the origin it is most likely that the popularity of the carrot cake was revived in Britain because of rationing during the Second World War. Where carrots were used as a substitute for sugar.
Your Questions About This Healthy Carrot Cake Traybake Answered
- Is carrot cake vegetarian? - Yes this version is vegetarian.
- Which oil is best for carrot cake? - I use vegetable oil. Use a similar oil with a neutral smell and taste that won't taint the recipe.
- How long does carrot cake last? - It will last 4 - 5 days if kept in a sealed container in the fridge.
- Can carrot cake be frozen? - Yes, after cutting it into slices freeze them on a baking tray then remove and wrap them individually.
- How long does it take to defrost? - Remove the cake from the feezer to the fridge to thaw overnight or take out and defrost for at least 2 hours on your kitchen worktop.
For This Carrot Cake Traybake You May Need….
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
This means that if you click on it and then buy that product, I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through, then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
This is the mixing bowl I use for all my recipes.
Great value for money it's high quality and made of heavy earthenware.
A perfect mixing bowl, easy to clean and with a wide, shallow shape for easy kneading. It's dishwasher safe too!
Subscribe to Neil's Healthy Meals
Don't miss future updates and new recipes. Make sure you’re subscribed to Neil’s Healthy Meals.
Subscribe here to add your email to the subscription list.
And you can follow me too via your favourite social channels :-
Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin & YouTube.
*I do not use your email for anything else other than adding you to my blog subscription list which you can opt out of at any time.
Other Popular Traybake Recipes You Might Also Like
- Chocolate peanut butter tray bake is a fantastic recipe to serve up at parties or as a special treat. The sponge cake is baked, covered in delicious peanut butter and then smothered in smooth milk chocolate.
- This low fat orange and apricot tray bake makes for a healthier bake to go with your morning or afternoon cuppa. Plus it’s only 246 calories per slice.
- Coffee walnut cake is for the lovers of coffee, walnuts and cake. It’s a low fat coffee cake and it’s low in calories too. Perfect for cake lovers who are calorie and fat conscious!
Healthy Carrot Cake Traybake Recipe
Some traditional carrot cake recipes have nuts in them. If you wanted to you could decorate the cream cheese frosting with some chopped alsorted nuts, like pecans or walnuts.
I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe in the comments below and please do rate my recipe 5* if you like it! 🙂
Healthy Carrot Cake Traybake Recipe
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
This means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake: -
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 85 g honey
- 50 ml vegetable oil
- 1 banana mashed
- 100 g plain flour
- 50 g wholemeal flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 large carrots grated
- 80 g sultanas
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Topping: -
- 200 g fat free soft cheese /quark
- 2 tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 lemon rind grated
- Carrot confectionary decorations*
Instructions
For the cake: -
- Preheat the oven to 180CFan and line a 30cm x 20cm shallow baking tin with grease proof paper.
- Put the eggs, honey, vegetable oil and mashed banana into a bowl and beat well.
- In a separate bowl mix the two flours, baking powder and cinnamon together, then fold in the wet mixture.
- Stir in the carrots, sultanas, lemon juice, vanilla extract and pinch of salt then mix everything well together.
- Scrape all the ingredients from the bowl into the baking tin. Smooth the top flat.
- Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes. Once the mixture has risen and turned a golden colour use a wooden skewer to check that the middle is cooked. (Skewer should come out clean from the mixture).
- Remove from oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes then remove, carefully, to a wire rack to cool completely.
Topping: -
- Place all the topping ingredients into a bowl and beat well until smooth. Spread evenly across the top of the cooled cake.
- Then put in the fridge for at least 2 hours
- Remove from the fridge and cut into 12 slices.
Kankana Saxena
You know, I always like to add oil in my cake recipes instead of butter! That's how my Mom used to bake and I kind of kept following that. Also less guilt LOL That cake looks so perfect and love those cute carrot decoration on top 🙂
Neil
Thank you Kankana. Oil just makes cake recipes so much more moist and keeps them fresher for longer too, don't you think?
I confess to not being the worlds greatest cake decorator either. Those cute carrot cake decorations are shop bought. 😆
David @ Spiced
I love carrot cake! It doesn't matter what form it comes in...I'm gonna want to eat it! I usually think of carrot cake around Easter, but it actually makes more sense in the Fall given the cinnamon in there. I love baking with cinnamon at this time of the year! And I bet these carrot cake squares would make for a great snack on your next walk...you know, the one Jen and Lynne are planning. 🙂
Neil
I'm with you David. Carrot cake is one of my favourite cakes too. And yes this Carrot Cake recipe would be fantastic for snacks on our next walk. That is if you could gaurantee there would be any left to take. The batches I trialled for this recipe were quickly scoffed by Lady Lynne. Ha ha!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen
Delicious twist on a tradition carrot cake! I do love using oil instead of butter for my baking too - so much better, lighter, and fluffier texture! Also, love the idea to use a banana, for sweetness and texture. Could you send me a slice, please? Oh well, I'm not on a diet - you can ship me 4 🙂
Neil
Thanks Ben. I love using bananas in my baking too. You're right they give a good dose of sweetness to the recipe without having to add any sugar or too much honey. Let me send you a few slices. Oh wait, sorry mate there's none left. Hee hee! 😉
Matt - TotalFeasts
I do think one of the best contributions of the British to the world is the idea of a traybake! Like most of the world, I love carrot cake, the sheer sugar content always makes me avoid making it. I love that you've made it healthier, now I can justify making it!
Neil
Glad you like it Matt! Yeah I'm a big lover of carrot cake, but not the sugar content either. Hope you get a chance to make this! 😀
Marissa
Loving this naturally sweetened traybake, Neil! And how adorable are those little carrots? Thanks for making this treat more nutritious!
Neil
Thank you Marissa. I wish I was creative enough to make those little carrots myself. They are really cute though aren't they?
Laura
I love a good carrot cake, Neil! And this one is practically no-guilt! That’s rock-star-status in my house! I also love that you used wholegrain flour. I have some sitting right here, just waiting to be used! Thanks for the recipe!
Neil
Thanks Laura. Yes you really can't taste that its made with wholemeal flour or no refined sugar either. I'm really happy with how this turned out and I hope you get a chance to make it!
GiGi Eats
I've never eaten REAL DEAL carrot cake before - I have tried making a GIGI APPROPRIATE one but I know it's just not the same! THAT FROSTING turns me on the most, haha!
Neil
My frosting seems to be a real hit with everyone! It does taste amazing though. But so does the cake. I look forward to seeing a fully approved GIGI APPROPRIATE carrot cake on your site soon! 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia
Love how you've baked this cake in a tray, Neil! And really love how it's so healthy! It's so cool to know that carrot cake has been a favorite for so long!
Neil
I was really surprised just how old carrot cake was when I was doing my research Kelly. Still at least its had all these centuries to be perfected! 😉
Annie
I really don't know w hat I did wrong..its really dry and very thin
it also stuck to the greaseproof paper.. i think i should have gone without it..but i oiled it well??
maybe i will try the loaf version next time.. as i had good results with the lemon drizzle!
thank you anyway x
Neil
You maybe had it in the oven too long? All ovens are different and my timings are only for guidance. No problems.
Annie
maybe you are right, but my thoughts after eating it yesterday once it had set was that it was that its tasted lovely but just too dense and a little dry, You are right about the length of time in oven - i think shorter would have been better as it is a tray and will cook quicker and a smaller tin would have been better if using your timings . i think either adding bicarbonate of soda and/or using self-raising flour is needed to make it rise better and I thought of reducing the carrots - as two large was a bit non-specific and mine after grating was like 210g (which may have been too much) for the density. Also what are your thoughts of adding yogurt or increasing the oil?
thanks though - i liked the challenge anyways - i have taken the rest into the nurses at work today.
Parveen
Agree with the comment above. This recipie does not work with the recommended sized tin. Mine also .came out flat and dense as if there wasn't enough cake mixture for the tin. Tastes OK though but would recommend switching to a loaf tin or doubling/trebling the quantities for the tin size stated.
Neil
Not sure why the recipe didn't work for you. I double checked the tin size and that was the one I made it in! Sorry it didn't work out for both of you!