Carrot Date Cake
This soft and naturally sweetened carrot date cake is the perfect healthier twist on a classic dessert. Made with wholesome ingredients like Medjool dates, fresh carrots, and warm spices, this cake is moist, fluffy, and packed with cozy carrot cake flavor in every bite.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 15 - 16 pitted Medjool dates see notes below
- ¾ cup hot milk
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup mild-tasting oil ex: avocado oil, extra light-tasting olive oil, coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients/Mix-Ins
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup finely grated carrots
- ½ cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8-inch cake pan.
- In a bowl or blender, soak the dates in hot milk for 10 minutes, then blend into a thick paste until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pour the date mixture into a bowl and add eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing or frosting.
Notes
- Soak the dates properly. Soaking the dates in hot milk for a few minutes makes them soft and easy to blend into a smooth paste, which keeps the cake moist. For soaking the dates, the milk should be hot but not boiling. You want it hot enough to soften the dates quickly, but not so hot that it cooks or scorches them.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the flour and leavening, mix just until combined to avoid a dense cake.
- Make sure to use finely grated carrots. Finely grated carrots blend seamlessly into the batter, adding moisture and subtle sweetness without changing the texture.
- Pan Sizes: I used a round 8-inch cake pan to bake this cake, but you could also use a square 8-inch pan and bake for the same amount of time. If you want to make this into a 2-layer cook, use two 6-inch pans, and bake them at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If using a 9-inch pan, bake at 350°F for 30–38 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 239mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 2270IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg
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