If you love carrot cake but want a healthier, easier version, this Carrot Breakfast Cake is for you! Made with wholesome ingredients like oats, Greek yogurt, and fresh carrots. It’s naturally sweet, perfectly spiced, and packed with fiber and protein. This soft and fluffy cake is perfect for breakfast, snack time, or even a toddler-friendly treat. No layering, no complicated steps—just mix, bake, and enjoy!
One of my favorite cakes is carrot cake, so I thought…why not make it into a nutritious breakfast option that would be easy to prep for the week?
This was inspired by my protein carrot muffins, and both pair so well with an easy yogurt cream cheese spread that I’ll share below!
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Ingredients
- oat flour (or oats blended)
- grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- eggs
- yogurt (Greek or DF alternative)
- avocado or olive oil
- vanilla extract
- maple syrup or honey (optional)
- hemp hearts (optional) or Tiny Sprouts Booster
- cinnamon
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Preheat oven – Set oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper. If wanting thinner bars, use a 9×13-inch baking dish (cook time will vary).
- Mix wet ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, Greek yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until smooth. Or blend wet ingredients with carrot for smoother texture.
- Add dry ingredients –Stir in the oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (if using) until well combined.
- Fold in carrots & raisins – Gently mix in the grated carrots (if you didn’t blend already) and raisins, ensuring they’re evenly distributed. If adding hemp hearts, add them here.
- Bake – Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool & serve – Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before slicing into squares. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!
Hint: For extra moisture and natural sweetness, let the grated carrots sit with the wet ingredients for 5-10 minutes before mixing in the dry ingredients.
Substitutions
- oat flour → swap for whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour (GF if needed). I haven’t tried with almond flour yet, but I would add ½ cup extra (texture may vary)
- greek yogurt → use dairy-free yogurt, mashed banana, or pumpkin puree
- maple syrup → substitute with honey, date syrup, or soaked dates (2-3) for natural sweetness, or omit for no added sugar
- avocado oil → use melted butter, coconut oil, olive oil, or unsweetened applesauce
- eggs → sub flax or chia egg (1 tablespoon ground flax seed + 3 tablespoon warm water, let thicken for 5 minutes)
If using gluten-free oats, then this recipe is already naturally gluten-free! Make substitutions for dairy-free and egg-free as needed.
Variations
- coconut carrot cake – stir in shredded coconut for extra flavor
- spiced carrot cake – add ½ teaspoon nutmeg & ginger for a warm, spiced kick
- carrot cake muffins – bake in a muffin tin instead, time will drop to about 20 minutes
- chocolate chip carrot cake – stir in ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips
See the muffin version of this recipe!
Equipment
You’ll need a high speed blender (if wanting these completely smooth, if not no biggie!), here is my favorite blender that I use daily! Then you’ll need a baking dish. If wanting to make muffins then I’ll either use this silicone muffin pan or muffin liners!
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze individual squares for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp or microwave for a quick snack!
Tiff’s Tip
Call it “cake” to make it more exciting for little ones! Spread a thick layer of Greek yogurt cream cheese frosting on top for a fun, nutritious twist—it tastes like frosting but adds protein and healthy fats to keep them full and satisfied. Just blend ½ cup cream cheese, ½ cup yogurt (plain Greek yogurt), 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional), ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
FAQ
Yes! Swap Greek yogurt for a dairy-free yogurt like almond or coconut yogurt.
Absolutely! Try chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or mini chocolate chips.
Yes! Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Carrot Breakfast Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats blended into flour, or 1 ½ cups of whole wheat, oat, or all-purpose flour (GF if needed)
- 1 cup grated carrots about 2 medium carrots
- 2 eggs can sub flax eggs: 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 5 tablespoon water
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or DF yogurt
- ¼ cup avocado oil or olive oil/melted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maple syrup can omit, or use 2 tablespoon for less sweetness
- 2 tablespoon hemp hearts optional, can sub chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon measure with your heart
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ teaspoon salt pinch, can omit
Instructions
- Preheat oven – Set oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Mix wet ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, Greek yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients – Stir in the oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (if using) until well combined.
- Fold in carrots & raisins – Gently mix in the grated carrots and raisins, ensuring they’re evenly distributed. If adding, add hemp hearts here.
- Bake – Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool & serve – Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before slicing into squares. Enjoy warm or at room temperature! Top with yogurt cream cheese "icing" for added fun and flavor.
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