Date Sweetened Carrot Cake
This date sweetened carrot cake is refined sugar free, moist, and full of those warm, classic carrot cake flavors you love.
Sweetened entirely with dates, it’s a feel-good dessert that doesn’t compromise on taste or texture.
Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just want a healthy dessert to enjoy with your family, this carrot cake delivers.
It’s sweet enough to satisfy your dessert cravings but made with ingredients will you feeling good.
Let’s dive into how to make this naturally sweetened version of a classic favorite!
Why you’ll love this date sweetened carrot cake recipe
This is a cozy, spiced carrot cake that’s naturally sweet and full of healthier ingredients.
Made with sweet Medjool dates instead of refined sugar, it’s a refined sugar free version of a classic.
Here’s what to love:
Naturally sweetened with dates – Medjool dates bring a rich, caramel-like sweetness that pairs beautifully with the warm spices and carrots—no refined sugar needed!
Moist and tender – Thanks to grated carrots, dates, and avocado oil, this cake bakes up soft, fluffy, and never dry.
Perfect for celebrations or everyday snacking – Whether you’re making it for a birthday, Easter, or just a cozy weekend bake, this carrot cake feels special but is simple enough for any day of the week.
Healthy carrot cake ingredients
This carrot date cake is made with simple, real-food ingredients you might already have in your kitchen—perfect for a healthier take on a classic treat.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dates – The natural sweetener in this recipe. Be sure to use soft, pitted dates.
- Whole wheat flour
- Carrots – You’ll need about 3 medium carrots grated in the small holes of the grater.
- Walnuts – Lightly toasted in the oven for a few minutes.
- Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Leaveners – Baking soda and baking powder are used to help make the cake fluffy.
- Eggs
- Oil – Use a neutral one like canola or avocado (I used avocado).
- Apple cider vinegar – Add acid to neutralize the baking soda.
- Vanilla
How to make carrot cake sweetened with dates
This healthy carrot cake is naturally sweetened with dates and packed with cozy spices, grated carrots, and toasted walnuts.
Here’s how to make it step by step:
- Soften the dates. Place the pitted dates in a bowl and add hot water. Cover and let them steam 10 minutes to soften.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Toast the walnuts. Add the walnuts to a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast until fragrant. Remove from the tray, let them cool, then chop the walnuts into small pieces.
- Process wet ingredients. In a food processor, combine the softened dates, eggs, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth and creamy. With the processor running, slowly stream in the oil until fully incorporated.
- Combine wet and dry. Pour the blended date mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently mix until just combined—don’t overmix.
- Fold in carrots and walnuts. Fold in the grated carrots and toasted chopped walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Bake. Divide the batter evenly between two greased and parchment-lined cake pans. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Baking tips
- Prep pans. To make sure your cake comes out of the pan nicely after baking, lightly grease the sides and bottom of the cake pans and then add a parchment round to the bottom.
- Center rack. Place a rack in the center position before heating up the oven. Baking your cakes in the center of the oven helps them bake evenly.
- Rotate halfway through baking. Another way to help your cakes bake evenly is by rotating them halfway through the bake time.
- Stay close by while walnuts are toasting. The walnuts can go from perfectly toasted to burnt real quick, so be sure to stay near by and attentive while toasting the walnuts for this recipe.
Conclusion
Naturally sweetened with date, made with whole wheat flour, and packed with tender carrots and toasted walnuts, this cake is the kind of treat you can feel good about serving for birthdays, Easter gatherings, or just a regular afternoon snack.
Whether you enjoy it with healthy cream cheese frosting or keep it simple and rustic, this cake brings all the flavor and comfort of classic carrot cake—without the refined sugar.
Date Sweetened Carrot Cake
April 21, 2025Equipment
- Food processor
- Two 9" round cake pans
Ingredients
- 15-20 (284 g) pitted medjool dates
- ½ cup boiling hot water
- 1 ½ cups (170 g) whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 large eggs room temp
- ½ cup (112 g) avocado oil
- 1 TBS vanilla extract
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cups (284 g) packed finely grated carrots
- 1 cup (112 g) toasted chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Place the pitted dates into a small bowl. Pour a ½ cup of boiling hot water over the dates. Cover and let sit for at least 10 minutes.15-20 (284 g) pitted medjool dates, ½ cup boiling hot water
- Lightly grease two 9" round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.
- Place an oven rack in the center position. Heat the oven to 350° F.
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.1 ½ cups (170 g) whole wheat flour, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda
- Toast the walnuts by placing them on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the hot oven until fragrant and golden. Once toasted, remove from the tray immediately and let cool. Once cool, chop into small pieces.1 cup (112 g) toasted chopped walnuts
- In a food processor, add the dates and soaking liquid. Process on high for 1 minute, stopping halfway to scrape the sides. The dates won't be completely smooth, but mostly broken down.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Process for 1 minute, stopping halfway to scrape the sides. Mixture will become light, smooth, and grown in volume.3 large eggs, 1 TBS vanilla extract, 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- With the food processor running, slowly stream in the oil until all the oil is added.½ cup (112 g) avocado oil
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold together until mostly combined.
- Fold in the carrots and toasted chopped walnuts until well distributed.1 ½ cups (284 g) packed finely grated carrots, 1 cup (112 g) toasted chopped walnuts
- Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans, ~ 625 g of batter in each pan.
- Bake for 22 – 25 minutes, until the edges are pulling away from the sides and the center is set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove from the pans and let cakes cool completely on the wire racks.
- Once completely cooled, frost and layer the cake. Try this date sweetened cream cheese frosting!
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