This keto carrot cake recipe is so quick and easy to make! It is soft, delightfully moist and will fill your kitchen with the gorgeous aroma of warm spices. Top this carb carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and enjoy a delicious sugar free dessert that's ready in only 10 minutes!
I love carrot cake. And I love my microwave. It has made my life SO MUCH EASIER. Heating stuff? Check. Defrosting stuff? Check. Mug cakes? Check, check, check!!
I did consider making a full-size sugar free carrot cake. But let's face it. Most of the time it's just a couple of people in the house, right? And what happens when you have a whole cake and only two people in the house?
Well, you eat the whole cake!
It might take a few days, but eventually, it'll be gone. And then you wish you had made this carrot mug cake for 2 instead.
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Why This Recipe Works
It is easy and quick. The great thing about this keto carrot cake is that you can tuck in ten minutes after thinking "Hey, I fancy a carrot cake!" Also, you don't need any fancy equipment. A bowl and a fork will do just fine.
Authentic flavor and texture. This cake tastes just like a classic carrot cake. It is rich and buttery, with lovely fall flavors.
Keto, gluten free and sugar free. One portion of cake contains only 6.4g net carbs.
Microwave or oven. If you don't have a microwave, make this cake in the oven or air fryer instead.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for a super healthy microwave low carb carrot cake:
- Carrot - finely grated. I used a box grater
- Egg
- Butter
- Heavy cream
- Almond flour - either super fine almond flour or ground almonds
- Walnuts
- Powdered Sweetener - I used powdered erythritol, but any powdered sweetener works, from monk fruit sweetener to xylitol, allulose or Swerve
- Spices - cinnamon and pumpkin spice mix
- Baking powder
- Cream cheese (for the frosting)
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
STEP 1
Mix your dry ingredients - almond flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking powder, powdered sweetener and crushed walnut pieces.
The walnut pieces are optional, but work perfectly taste-wise. You could sub with hazelnuts. If you have time, dry-roast them in a pan until gently browned. This increases the flavour.
STEP 2
Add the wet ingredients - grated carrot, melted butter and heavy cream.
STEP 3
Stir with a fork until combined. Your batter should be sticky but soft just like in the image above.
STEP 4
Now you have 2 options. Either fill the carrot cake batter into two well-greased ramekins or microwaveable containers (you could even use cups - this is a mug cake, after all). Or use a larger pyrex bowl and make one larger carrot cake for sharing. I microwaved at 800W for 5 minutes.
STEP 5
Wait until the cake is slightly cooled, then turn upside down onto a plate and top with delicious cream cheese frosting. Alternatively, enjoy straight out of the ramekin or mug!
Cooking Methods
Microwave method: I recommend that you microwave the cake at 700-800W. This gives the carrot plenty of time to go nice and soft.
I have also found that if you microwave on high, the cake rises very quickly and might spill over the top of your ramekin. Trust me, you don't want to clean up that mess.
Oven method: If you do not have a microwave, bake the cake at 180 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit for around 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Check with a skewer for doneness.
Air Fryer: Bake at 160C or 320F for 15 minutes.
Top Tips
#1 Measure with digital scales. It's always best if you can weigh your ingredients using a digital scale. You don't have to spend $$$ on one. Mine was cheap and still works perfectly several years on.
#2 If you use measuring cups, make sure you slightly pack the grated carrots.
#3 Use a cup or ramekin that is large enough. The narrower the vessel, the more the cake will rise. Don't fill the batter right to the top or it will overflow while cooking.
#4 Follow the recommendation of cooking at a lower power level!
Egg Free Carrot Mug Cake
You can make this carrot cake without egg. I discovered this by accident when I forgot to add the egg to one of my trial runs. If you choose to omit the egg, add an additional tablespoon of heavy cream to achieve a soft consistency.
The cake won't rise as much without an egg, and I don't recommend turning it out onto a plate (this would only work if the cake is fully cooled, but no guarantees there). But if you're happy to enjoy it straight from the ramekin, give it a go - I thought it tasted great.
In the image below you can see the "egg" version on the left and the cake without egg on the right. In case you're wondering about the colour of the left cake, the egg I used had a VERY orange yolk. I might also have had a heavy hand on the cinnamon for the right cake.
Recipe FAQs
I used powdered erythritol to sweeten my keto carrot cake. There are also many blends out there. Stevia or monk fruit blends are especially popular.
Xylitol or allulose will also work, just make sure you powder it first for a smoother result, especially for the cream cheese frosting.
Yes. Since coconut flour absorbs more liquid than almond flour, you'll need only ⅓ the amount: Use around 30 grams / ¼ cup of coconut flour.
Yes. Readers have tripled and quadrupled the recipe to make a full-sized cake. Bake in the oven for 35-50 minutes depending on size and cake pan (flatter cakes bake faster than taller ones).
Storage
Should you have any leftovers, store the carrot mug cake in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
More Keto Mug Cake Recipes
More Carrot Recipes
- Sugar Free Carrot Cake Muffins40 Minutes
- Sugar Free Carrot Cake1 Hours 5 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Keto Carrot Cake For 2
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- ½ cup / 100g shredded/grated carrot lightly packed
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp / 28g butter, melted
- 1 tbsp / 15 heavy cream
- ¾ cup / 75g almond flour or ground almonds
- 10 g / small handful walnuts, crushed
- 2 tablespoon powdered sweetener
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tablespoon full fat cream cheese
- 1 tsp powdered sweetener optional
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients - almond flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking powder, powdered sweetener and crushed walnut pieces - in a small bowl with a fork.
- Add the wet ingredients- grated carrot, egg, melted butter, heavy cream. Stir with a fork until a batter forms.
- Fill the carrot cake batter into 2 well-greased ramekins (I used melted butter) or 1 Pyrex glass bowl. Microwave 5 minutes at 800W (or 6 minutes at 700W). See oven instructions in the recipe notes below.
- Turn the cake upside down onto a plate and serve with cream cheese frosting (cream cheese mixed with optional powdered sweetener). Decorate with more crushed walnuts and grated carrots. Or eat straight from the ramekin!
Angelina
Thank you for sharing perfect recipe. My carrots were very watery and I do not like too wet carrot cake so I added 1 TBS ground flax seed.... the cake came great!
Katrin Nürnberger
Great idea! The flax would have soaked up all the liquid...and you added an extra fibre boost, too!
Maggie
I made this for my husband’s birthday last week and it was delicious!
We both loved it I baked in a 6” round Pyrex oven safe dish at 350F in convection oven ( not a toaster oven) - it took much longer than another reviewer said (about 35-40 mins), but it turned out amazing.
I used s different cream cheese icing recipe though as he really likes his cream cheese. Oh, and two of our non-keto sweets loving friends tried it too. They too loved it and were surprised it was keto. They even asked for the recipe
Katrin
That's great! It's always the best when non-low carbers love a low carb recipe!!!
Claire
Hi Katrin,
I made this recipe times three and it filled my round cake tin beautifully. I whipped up some cream cheese, whipped cream, vanilla, lemon juice and the rind of a lemon plus some sweetener and it is a masterpiece. Thank you for giving your magic so freely. It's amazing to just dive into any one of your recipes, because they all just so fantastic!
Claire xo
Katrin
Thank you for your kind words and for letting me know you can easily triple the recipe! Did you bake it in the oven?
Claire
Hi Katrin,
Yes, I baked it for 50 mins at 175ish C.
I'm so glad I made the whole cake instead of in a mug... It's heavenly hangover food today and surprisingly, super moist!!! Lol.
Claire xo
Katrin
Sounds like you’re having a good weekend
Rasha
Hi , can i double the ingredients and bake it in the oven as a usual cake ?
Thanks
Katrin
Yes, I think that should be no problem. I know that people have doubled and tripled other microwave recipes of mine before with great success. You might have to increase the baking time a little bit and definitely test with a toothpick or a knife inserted that it is done. Let me know how you get on with it, I would love to know!
GypsyChick
Delicious! Best carrot mug cakes I've tried. They rose too high in my 2 ramekins, even though I used 60% power on my 1200 watt microwave. Not too messy though. 1/2 cake was big enough for dessert. Next time I'll split the mixture in 4.
I think there might be something missing from your frosting recipe - cream cheese with "optional" sweetener? Si, just cream cheese? Shouldn't there be butter or cream or something?
Thanks
Katrin
Hi there, I find that a way around mug cakes overflowing is to stagger the microwaving into shorter bursts and let the cake settle down in between. As for the frosting - I don't have much of a sweet tooth and I actually like it with just cream cheese. But you can definitely add a bit of sweetness to the cream cheese if you prefer. Of mix half cream cheese and half whipped cream with a bit of vanilla and sweetener. Or make a full-on buttercream frosting with butter.
Loni
This is sooo good!! Have made it twice, both times I baked it in a six inch cake pan inthe oven at 350 F for 15 minutes and it turns out beautifully!! I cut it into 4 and it is still a decent sized treat!! The second time I committed a rookie mistake....started mixing everything before checking to make sure o had all the ingredients!!! I had no carrots for my carrot cake so I shredded zucchini to measure half a packed cup and then squeezed the liquid out of it well before adding it as I would have the carrots.....it was delicious too!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
Katrin
Wow! I must make a zucchini version of this cake!!
Patricia
Also what other sweetners can be used in what quantities?
Katrin
You can replace it with any sweetener that can be used as a 1:1 replacement of sugar. If you want to use liquid stevia, check the amount if drops to use per tablespoon (normally it's 4 or 5) and take it from there 🙂
Patricia
What can be used instead of Walnuts.
Katrin
You could use any nuts you have in the house. I imagine pecans or hazelnuts would taste good. But even almonds would work. Or just leave them out!
Judith
I used Pyure as the sweetener but need to increase a bit next time. Perfect texture. Took about 2 1/2 minutes here in the US.
Ayla
Tried this, and it's delicious!! I have a cheap microwave with no numbers on it (just min med max), and saw on the corner of my microwave '700W', so I assumed that's its maximum level. Microwaved for 6 minutes and it was perfect! I do think you could easily split it in four! I made it worth the extra tbsp of double cream instead of an egg, as I had run out of eggs. This is the 5th recipe we have tried from your blog to try low carb and I'm so happy I've found it! My go to place for low carb recipes now!