Moist, flavorful and delicious pineapple carrot cake with fresh milled flour is topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. Made with warm spices and naturally sweetened, this easy cake is perfect any time of the year!
Prior to our homesteading journey, I recall when my mom and I used to have a little home bakery. We would bake up cookies, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, you name it. Sometimes my mom would take her tasty treats to craft shows, other times people would call and place an order.
For a while we got into the cake decorating business. It was during our “cake boss” era. Orders would come in by word of mouth and we would make cakes for any event, but mostly birthdays and weddings. We’d do everything from small cakes to monstrous, several tiered cakes.
While those cakes were eye catching and beautiful, they were not healthy at all. Fondant. Food coloring galore. Sprinkles. And lots of sugar.
Fast forward to now where neither my mom nor I make fancy cakes any more. Rather we make homestyle cakes using only healthy ingredients. And we mostly bake for just friends and family.
On the menu today is carrot cake with fresh milled flour. No food coloring found here! Only real, wholesome ingredients that not only fill the belly but nourish the body as well. Veggies, fruit, lots of spices (my favorite) and cream cheese is what gives this cake it’s beauty and flavor. It is a perfect cake to serve to your kids or to bring along to a get-together like Easter and Thanksgiving.
Why You’ll Love This Fresh Milled Dessert Recipe
Healthy Carrot Cake – made with fresh milled flour and real, wholesome ingredients so you can rest assured that you are getting lots of nutrition, even if you are eating dessert.
Easy to Make – No special equipment required to make this unsifted carrot cake. A bowl, baking pan and a spatula are the basic tools you will need. Although, if you want to save time, a food processor with a shredding blade makes grating the carrots a breeze.
Naturally Sweetened – While most cake recipes call for loads of granulated and powdered sugar, this carrot cake with honey no sugar is naturally sweetened using either agave nectar or raw honey in both the cake batter and the cream cheese frosting.
Tips
- Drain the crushed pineapple before folding into the cake batter. Too much liquid will make for an overly wet batter and will not bake properly.
- After mixing the dry and wet ingredients together, I like to let the batter rest for a moment to give the fresh milled flour a chance to absorb some of the moisture from the oil, sweeteners and pineapple.
- The cake is done when a toothpick is inserted into the center of the cake and comes out clean.
- To ensure the smoothest, lump-free frosting it is best to use room temperature butter and cream cheese.
- Do not frost the cake while warm. Allow the cake to completely cool, usually a couple hours, before topping with the cream cheese frosting.
FAQs
Can I Use Honey Instead of Sugar in a Cake?
Opting out of the traditional granulated sugar and powdered sugar, that most cake recipes call for, this carrot cake with fresh milled flour uses raw honey (or organic agave) instead.
What Does Adding Pineapple to Carrot Cake Do?
The addition of pineapple to carrot cake not only adds extra sweetness and flavor but also helps to create a moist, tender crumb.
Ingredients to Make Carrot Cake
Soft White Wheat Flour – is the best flour to use when making a carrot cake with fresh milled flour.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda – helps the cake to rise.
Spices – A mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves gives this baked good a cozy and comforting feel.
Salt
Agave Nectar or Honey – the use of a natural sweetener provides the sweetness you know and love in a cake but without the sugar overload or blood sugar spike. We enjoy using organic agave since it is low glycemic.
Oil – I like to use organic, expeller pressed sunflower oil but avocado oil or your favorite healthy oil is best for this recipe.
Eggs
Vanilla – Adds a lovely, sweet flavor to the carrot cake recipe.
Carrots – While carrots vary in size, I find that 4-5 large organic carrots make 2 1/2 cups of grated carrots.
Pineapple – Crushed pineapple is added for terrific flavor but also to give the homemade carrot cake a very moist texture.
Cream Cheese – gives the frosting a rich and creamy yet tangy taste.
Tools You May Need
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Mixing bowls
Stand mixer or hand mixer
9” x 13” baking pan
Grain mill
Food processor or box grater
Easy Carrot Cake With Fresh Milled Flour
This simple carrot cake with fresh milled flour is incredibly moist, flavorful, full of warm spices and topped with a lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting. It is baked in a sheet pan to serve a crowd and requires no fancy equipment or decorating skills. Easy and delicious!
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Pineapple Carrot Cake
2 3/4 cups freshly milled soft white wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup agave or honey
3/4 cup oil
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 tablespoons butter, softened
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup agave or honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
Pinch of salt
Directions
To make cake: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix the agave or honey, oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir in carrots and drained pineapple.
Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix. I like to let the batter sit for a few minutes so that the flour can absorb the moisture of the wet ingredients.
Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Smooth into an even later. Bake for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted into the center of the cake and comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting.
To make cream cheese frosting: In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt. Whip for a couple of minutes until smooth. Add agave or honey and continue to whisk for another two minutes until fluffy and creamy looking. Frost cooled cake.
Recipe Variations
- Top cake with chopped pecans, walnuts or shredded carrots
- Toss in a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger for extra zing and spice
- Instead of baking the cake in a 9 x 13 pan, pour batter into two 9-inch cake pans to make a layered carrot cake. Baking time will need to be adjusted, usually a few minutes less.
More Fresh Milled Flour Dessert Recipes
Danishes With Freshly Milled Flour
Carrot Cake With Fresh Milled Flour
Moist, flavorful and delicious pineapple carrot cake with fresh milled flour is topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. Made with warm spices and naturally sweetened, this easy cake is perfect any time of the year!
Ingredients
- Pineapple Carrot Cake
- 2 3/4 cups freshly milled soft white wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup agave or honey
- 3/4 cup oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup agave or honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- To make cake: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
- In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix the agave or honey, oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir in carrots and drained pineapple.
- Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix. I like to let the batter sit for a few minutes so that the flour can absorb the moisture of the wet ingredients.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Smooth into an even later. Bake for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted into the center of the cake and comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting.
- To make cream cheese frosting: In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt. Whip for a couple of minutes until smooth. Add agave or honey and continue to whisk for another two minutes until fluffy and creamy looking. Frost cooled cake.
