protein carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting

A slice of protein carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, topped with grated carrot, sits on a white plate. The cake looks moist with visible carrot bits, and the frosting is smooth and creamy.

5 from 3 votes

protein carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting

With a tangy cream cheese frosting whipped up with high protein goat cheese, this protein carrot cake recipe boasts 15 grams of protein. There’s no protein powder and the batter is made in one bowl.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Cooling time1

Total Time1 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Carrot, Carrot cake

Servings:

Calories: 482kcal

Author: Mika Kinney

Equipment

2 large mixing bowls
1 8x8 pan

Ingredients

Cake

2 eggs
1 cup greek yogurt non-fat
⅓ cup oil like avocado or olive oil
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup milk any kind
1 tablespoon vanilla
1.5 cup all purpose flour
½ cup almond flour super fine
¾ teaspoon ginger ground
1 tablespoon cinnamon ground
¼ teaspoon cardamom ground
½ teaspoon salt
Zest from half an orange
3 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cup carrots shredded, about 4 large carrots
½ cup hemp seeds
¼ cup crushed pineapple slightly drained

Frosting

4 oz cream cheese
4 oz goat cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
Zest and juice from half an orange

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8x8 pan. Set the cream cheese and goat cheese out to soften.
Spread the 2 cup carrots on a tray and bake for 5-10 minutes until dried out. Remove and set aside.
Mix the 2 eggs, 1 cup greek yogurt, ⅓ cup oil, ½ cup maple syrup, ½ cup milk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in a large bowl.
Then add the 1.5 cup all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon ginger, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ½ cup almond flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 teaspoon baking powder, and 2 teaspoon baking soda and mix until just combined.
Gently fold in the Zest from half an orange, ½ cup hemp seeds, and ¼ cup crushed pineapple. Transfer to the 8x8 baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
While it bakes, make the frosting by using a hand mixer to combine the 4 oz cream cheese, 4 oz goat cheese, 4 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and Zest and juice from half an orange.
Place this in the fridge to chill until ready to use.
Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Then cover and transfer to the fridge to completely chill.
Once chill, frost with the frosting and top with walnuts or excess roasted carrots just before serving.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips

Bring to room temperature: The cream cheese and goat cheese are SO much easier to work with this way. So set them out right away to soften.
Roast the carrots first: While the carrots roast, you can measure everything out. But having the carrots ready to go saves you from having the baking powder and soda react in the batter before it gets to the oven. This can happen while waiting to mix in a last ingredient.
Don’t over-mix: Oemixing carrot cake will overdevelop the gluten leading to a gummy and dense cake.
Let it all chill out: Let the cake fully cool to room temperature first, then cover and move to the fridge. Make the frosting and let it also chill in the fridge to firm up.
Grease and flour your pan: Nonstick or not, this will ensure you don’t have a cake stuck to the bottom. That would be very sad.

Storage tips

Fridge

This cake can be kept in air-tight containers for up to 1 week in the fridge. It will start to get very wet after day 3.

Frozen

You can freeze the frosted cake (once totally chilled) for up to 3 months. To freeze it, wrap slices in plastic wrap and then place them in plastic zip-top bags.

Reheating

Ideally, this cake is eaten cold, so leaving it to thaw int he fridge overnight is best, or even on the counter for 30 minutes. But you can pop it in the microwave in 15-second intervals to quickly thaw it.

Nutrition