Carrot Date Cake

Carrot cake is already a classic but this Carrot Date Cake takes it up a notch. It's moist, warmly spiced and uses dates as a natural sweetener. No refined sugar here- just the rich, caramel-like sweetness of blended dates. Sure, it takes a little more time and effort than just tossing in some sugar, but trust me, it's worth it!

As it might be obvious from all the different oat inspired breakfast recipes- I usually have chia pudding or a cozy bowl of oatmeal in the morning.

Lately however, I have been craving something with more of a bread-like texture and I wanted to create a recipe for something that's sweet enough to be served as cake (especially if you add the frosting) but healthy enough to be served as a breakfast loaf and voila- date carrot cake it is!

Don't get me wrong, working with dates can be a sticky mess but I LOVE that they not only taste amazing but also add extra fiber and nutrients. Plus, there's no butter and no eggs involved here as well!

Ingredients & substitution notes

• Dates: I used pitted Deglet Noor dates- the ones you'll find in most supermarkets. Medjool dates are larger, softer, and sweeter than regular Deglet Noor dates, which are smaller and drier. They could be used interchangeably in this cake, but you won't need to soak the Medjool dates and will end up with a sweeter cake when using the same amount in oz.
• Carrots: Finely grated for even distribution and better texture.
• Neutral vegetable oil: Helps keep the cake moist. I used canola oil because it has little to no flavor and won't interfere with the taste of your cake. Refined avocado oil is also a good option with a very mild taste.
• Unsweetened (plant) milk: Almond, oat, or soy milk works well.
• Flour: I used regular white, all-purpose flour.
• Leavening agents: A mix of baking soda and baking powder ensures a good rise.
• Walnuts: optional but sooo good for a bit of texture.
• Pinch of salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavors

See recipe card for quantities.

Variations & add-ins

Feel free to experiment with some more spices and flavors. I listed some ideas below:

• Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or allspice for warmth and depth.
• Citrus: Orange or lemon zest to brighten the sweetness of dates.
• Chocolate: Dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs for a richer twist.

Storage

• It keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.

FAQ

Related recipes

Looking for more recipes? Try these:

• Banana Carrot Smoothie
• Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake
• Banana Date Muffins
• Peanut Butter Date Balls
• Chocolate Date Cake

Pairing

These are my favorite drinks to serve with this cake:

📖 Recipe

Carrot Date Cake (Naturally Sweetened)

Author: Katie

This date sweetened carrot cake is a perfectly moist, warmly spiced cake that's naturally sweetened with dates but just as satisfying as the original.

If you love this recipe as much as we do, click on the 5-stars below!

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American-Inspired

Servings: 10 slices

Equipment

• 2 mixing bowls
• 1 spatula
• 1 immersion blender
• 1 loaf pan or cake pan

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

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Cake

• 1½ - 2 cups (9 - 10,5oz) tightly packed cups (250-300 g) pitted dates *depending on preferred sweetness, see notes
• 1 cup (150 g) white flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt (about ⅛ tsp)
• ⅓ cup (75 ml) neutral oil *I used canola oil
• 1 cup (150 g) finley grated carrot
• ¼ cup (55 g) soy milk *or sub oat milk, almond milk...
• handful of walnuts

Cashew Date Frosting (optional)

• 1 cup (140 g) cashews
• 1 cup (150 g) dates
• ¼ cup (55 g) oat milk *or almond, soy...
• 2 tablespoon melted coconut oil

You can find detailed step-by step-photos above the recipe card.

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 356℉ (180℃).
• Cover the dates in hot water and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
  1½ - 2 cups (9 - 10,5oz) tightly packed cups pitted dates
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
  1 cup white flour , 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, pinch of salt (about ⅛ tsp)
• Drain the dates and blend until you end up with a smooth paste. I achieved the smoothest results blending in two batches using a hand blender and a deep measuring jug. (You can use any other high-sided bowl that's narrow at the bottom). You'll also need to scape down the sides of the blender a couple of times (yes, it's a sticky mess ;-)).
  1½ - 2 cups (9 - 10,5oz) tightly packed cups pitted dates
• In a separate bowl combine the date paste with the remaining wet ingredients.
  ⅓ cup neutral oil , 1 cup finley grated carrot , ¼ cup soy milk
• Gently combine both wet and dry ingredients.
• Add in a handful of chopped walnuts (optional) and transfer to a loaf pan (8x4 inch/ 20X10 cm) lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for about 50-55 minutes (conventional heat) or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I usually cover with foil halfway through.

Cashew Date Frosting (optional)

• Soak cashews and dates in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and add them to a food processor together with the oat milk and melted coconut oil.
• Blend until you end up with a smooth cream. If you can, use a small food processor jug; otherwise, it won't blend smoothly.
• Spread evenly onto the cake using a spatula or wet spoon.

Video

Notes

• Amount of dates: Depending on how sweet you like the cake you could either go for  1 ½ or 2 cups of dates. I usually go for 1 ½ cup because it's sweet enough for me (especially if you add some icing) but it's totally up to you. 
• Type of dates: I used regular small dates, if you're using Medjool dates, stick to the oz measurement to get it right.
• Smooth date texture: I achieved the best results by blending the dates in a tall, narrow bowl or container like a deep measuring jug or a high-sided bowl using a hand blender. I didn't like the way my small food processor blended them, the paste wasn't nearly as smooth. You could also chop each pitted date into smaller pieces before blending if your blender is having a hard time.
• Cake pan or loaf pan?: If you want to make this in a cake pan (8 inch) rather than a loaf pan, adjust the baking temperature to 30-35 minutes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice with frosting. | Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 393mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 2mg

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates.

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