Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe with Zucchini
Lower in fat and calories, and boosted with extra zucchini, you’ll want to bookmark this healthy carrot cake!
There are probably a million ways to make a healthy carrot cake. I’ve seen recipes that include applesauce, Greek yogurt, whole wheat flour and more.
One of my favorite past times is looking through cookbooks. I love bringing them home from the library, from the thrift store, or anywhere I can get my hands on them. Of all the things I collect, cookbooks are high on my list of things I couldn’t imagine giving away…even though so many recipes are online now.
So, in browsing my old cookbooks, I found a recipe similar to this one for carrot cake in an ancient Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. Their version however had margarine and a few other ingredients that I was surprised would be in the recipe. As you know, margarine 30 years ago was all the rage! So, I started with the margarine and replaced it with coconut oil. Then, I added some zucchini because our garden is exploding with it. Then, I also lowered the sugar by a lot! And then, instead of a high calorie frosting, I just sprinkled the top with cinnamon sugar! I’m SO thrilled with the result! This healthy version of a carrot cake is definitely one I’ll be remaking again and again!
The final cake was pretty small. I baked it in an 8 inch round cake pan and then sliced it into 8 slices. The final slice wasn’t very big, but it was quite filling. Each slice of carrot cake ended up having 154 calories, 2 grams of protein, 20 g of carbs, and 7 grams of fat.
This healthy carrot cake would even make some delicious muffins! Next time, I’ll definitely try that.
My other favorite baked goods that could either be dessert or breakfast include this Protein- cinnamon donuts or this low calorie mug cake!
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Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe with Zucchini
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 medium egg
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup grated carrots
- 1/4 cup grated zucchini
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- dash nutmeg
- sprinkle cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Combine coconut oil, egg, sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
- Add grated carrots and zucchini.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. - Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
- Grease an 8 inch round pan or 8X8 square pan.
Pour batter into pan and sprinkle top with cinnamon sugar. - Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, or until knife comes out clean.
Notes
154 calories per slice, 2 g protein, 20 g carbs, 7 g fat
Nutrition
Hi! I’m Amy, creator and owner of Heath Beet. I share low calorie recipes and portion control hacks to get you eating healthier, feel lighter, and satisfied with less food, to make weight loss finally possible! (Read all about me and my health journey here!)
Hi Amy,
Looks YUMMO-licious…how do you think subbing out some of the AP flour with whole wheat pastry flour would work?
Deb
I think it would work just great Deb!
Another question can i use sunflower or vegetable oil instead of cocunut
Yes! You can use any liquid oil!
LOOKS AMAZING when u calculated the calories did u use 1/3 cup normal sugar or zero calorie sweetner or something
that was calculated with full calorie sugar.