Spelt flour carrot cake is here to satisfy all your carrot cake cravings! I’ve always been a fan of carrot cake, so I’m excited to finally share a recipe of my own. It’s made with spelt flour, sweetened with coconut sugar + maple syrup, and is the only healthy carrot cake recipe you need this fall!
It deliciously sweet, dare I say moist, and topped with the best maple cream cheese glaze.
Months ago I shared a recipe for carrot cake oatmeal bars. While I love that recipe, I wanted to create a recipe that was more cake like. I’ve tested this one 3 times, and it’s definitely going to be a year-round staple.
I grew up in a family that always had something sweet in the morning. My mom would always enjoy a slice of homemade cake with her coffee, so I wanted to create a healthier cake recipe, and this one was such a hit!
I love using spelt flour in place of flour because its higher in fiber and protein, has a mildly nutty flavor, and provides essential nutrients like iron, magnesium and zinc.
The cake gets most of its moisture from the applesauce. Applesauce is a great addition to recipes when you want to cut back on the fat, but it also adds a little bit of sweetness without needing to add more sugar.
The glaze can be made dairy-free if you sub a vegan cream cheese, and this cake is freezer friendly too!
For a nut free versions, just leave out the chopped walnuts!
Spelt Flour Carrot Cake
Course: Baked goods12
servings15
minutes40
minutes55
minutesNOTES:
*I have not tested any other flour substitutes for this recipe
*I swapped almond milk for the coconut oil in the icing from my original recipe, and found the texture to be even better!
Ingredients
1 + 1/2 cups spelt flour
2 cups grated carrots, about 3 large carrots or 4-5 thinner ones
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
- CREAM CHEESE ICING
8 oz cream cheese (dairy or dairy-free), I prefer whipped cream cheese
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp non-dairy milk, as needed to thin
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the carrots, coconut sugar, maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil, applesauce and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix together until well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into a parchment lined rectangular baking dish. Mine was around 9 x 13. You can also use a 9″ cake pan, or loaf pan (note baking time adjustment below)
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until the top is firm to touch, and a toothpick comes out clean. If using a loaf pan, baking may be closer to 45-50 minutes.
- Once done, remove from oven and let cool completely before icing.
- Whisk the cream cheese, maple syrup, non-dairy milk and vanilla in a small bowl until thick. I usually start off with 1 tbsp of milk and add more if needed.
- Spread over the cake using a spatula. Top with cinnamon and crushed walnuts (optional). The cake is best served at room temperature.
- Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. If freezing, I suggest freezing prior to glazing and storing for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @somethingnutritious on Instagram- I’d love to see your creations!
Brilliant recipe – thank you! My family loved it. The only tweaks I made were using avocado oil rather than coconut oil and adding some dried ginger which gave it a little more spice with a kick. That icing is crazy good!
Thank you, Mel! The added ginger sounds delicious 🙂
hi! can i sub the coconut oil for butter?
I think that should work well with melted butter. I’ve made this before with avocado oil and vegetable oil as well.
Hi Gal, I loved reading your recipe! I’m looking for some nice Spelt Flour Recipes. I live in Australia, where the availability of Spelt Flours are starting to improve in recent times. Khorasan Flour is still hard to find – another great option to modern wheat!
It’s Autumn here with lovely Sunny days and Cool days, think I will venture some Baking too. Here’s an idea for Aussies: did you know you can use Macadamia Oil instead of Olive Oil – it has a similar profile. I used to make nice Muffins with it. The taste is much nicer, more palatable. And I’m about to try my Liquid Coconut Oil by Coco Earth (no nasties therein) This is a good opportunity to try the Spelt and Coconut Oil. I tried Spelt Bread in a Sunbeam Bakehouse Compact several times and kept getting ‘Bricks’………I’m sure it’s the bread maker, not the spelt. The Spelt and Khorasan taste nicer than wheat flour. I will look for more Spelt recipes on your website.
I haven’t made this yet, do you have a nutritional value/carb count? Also, could I substitute a sweetener like monk fruit or swerve blend for coconut sugar?
Hey Michelle, unfortunately I don’t have the breakdown. I’ve never baked with sugar substitutes so I can’t guarantee the result will be the same, but if I had to guess I believe it would work!
I substituted the coconut sugar with just 2 pinches of Pure Stevia. If you’re familiar with THM diet, they call it a donk (2 donks) of pure stevia.
Can you please give the amount of spelt flour in weight?
Beautiful cake! So moist and I particularly loved the icing. I subbed out the applesauce and used 1 banana, subbed out coconut sugar for rapadura sugar, subbed out coconut oil for olive oil and came out perfect. Thanks so much for sharing your lovely recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I haven’t made this yet, do you have a nutritional value/carb count? Also, could I substitute a sweetener like monk fruit or swerve blend for coconut sugar?
This was delicious. I substituted olive oil for coconut oil but otherwise made as is. My mother, whose favorite cake is carrot cake, actually liked it better than her original recipe. Thank you for sharing a healthier version that actually tastes amazing.
This was delicious! My only substitution was olive oil for coconut oil, otherwise I made as is. More importantly, my mom, whose favorite cake is carrot cake, actually liked it better than her original recipe. Thank you so much for providing a healthier version that actually tastes amazing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jenn!
Hi – is there something I can substitute for apple sauce?
Unfortunately I haven’t tested a substitute! I’m sorry
I’m eager to try this for my mom’s 80th BD party. I want to bake it in a clear glass dish that sets inside a beautiful holder. Is there a way to avoid the lining with parchment paper?
Hey Shannon, I hope I’m not too late! I think if you grease the pan with some butter or oil then let it cool completely after baking, there shouldn’t be an issue removing it. Just be mindful that baking in glass dishes sometimes requires a little more baking time!
Can I use oil instead of coconut oil?
Yes! You can sub 1/2 cup oil like vegetable or olive
Todah rabah Gal! The cake is beyond delicious! I made it for shabbat and just made it again now! Cant wait to try your other recipes. Loads of hatzlacha to you and your husband ♡
For starters I generally do not leave reviews, but flet I must because this cake was perfection! Not too sweet, but just sweet enough and made with all healthy ingredients. I do not usually bake, but wanted to surprise my husband. The family has not stopped eating it.
Just for reference for others if wanted:
I used violife vegan cream cheese, would never know the difference, amazing. I also made 1 1/2 x icing recipe because I made it a layer cake.
Used 3- 6″ cake round cake pans, 18-21 mins cook time at same temp.
Really great! Thank you!
Hey Keeley, thank you so much for your kind review! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Absolutely divine. I made some changes…substitute maple syrup for honey..only used baking powder as I didn’t have baking soda and banana instead of applesauce but still it was divine..Nice crust on the outside..n fluffy inside…thank you. It’s even my first time using spelt and making carrot cake!
Hey Cheryl, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Could I replace the coconut sugar with date sugar?
Texture wise I think it should work! I never baked with date sugar so I’m not sure if it will affect the level of sweetness or not
I was wondering if I could use sprouted spelt flour in your recipe. If yes, would I use 1:1 measurement?
Thanks
Yes! It would be the same amount
I also wanted to add that sprouted spelt may have a bit of a stronger, earthy taste than non sprouted, so keep that in mind when baking with it!
I made this today and everyone loved it!! This recipe is delicious and will definitely be making it again.
That makes me so happy! ❤️
What about for people who don’t like cream cheese? 😬😬
You can use vegan cream cheese like tofutti 🙂 it’s also delicious without the glaze!
This is such a great recipe. Crowd favourite 🙂
Thank you Rebecca! So happy to hear that ❤️
Hi,
I tried the receipt and it’s tasty, but i found it very grassy. Could I replace the oil with something else? More apple sauce? Thank you!
Hey Alexandra! You may be able to swap 3/4 applesauce and 1/4 cup oil instead ☺️ Let me know if you try it!
I used 1/4 olive oil and 3/4 unsweetened applesauce and it came out great, very moist cake. Just enough sweetness.
I absolutely LOVED this carrot cake recipe. It was so delicious, I already made it twice! Both times, the pan was scraped clean. I substituted the spelt flour for 1:1 gluten free flour and the consistency and taste was still perfection!
so happy to hear it worked with the flour substitute!
This was so good!
So glad you liked it!
I made this today and I can’t stop eating it! It’s truly is moist and delicious. And the icing tastes like the icing on a Cinnabon yummmmm. Definitely recommend making this
So happy you enjoyed it ❤️❤️
Yum so excited to try this!! What would be a good substitute for spelt flour?
Half almond meal, half oat flour? xx
Hey Bianca! I’m not sure that combo would work since almond flour is a lot lighter in texture and the cake may be too wet. You may have success with all oat flour, otherwise regular flour or a gluten free 1:1 flour blend would be best!
I really want to try this recipe!! In these days I will bake it. Is there any substitute for apple sauce that could work well in this recipe?
Hey Pilar! The applesauce is used to add moisture to the bread, and a little sweetness, without needing to add more oil. My only recommendation would be to increase the amount of oil in place of the applesauce. I haven’t tested it myself, but believe it should work well!
Hi. Can I substitute the eggs with something else?
Thanks
Hey Veronica, I personally haven’t tried any substitutes for this recipe. It may work with an egg replacer that you buy at the store