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Healthy Indian Style Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

A moist, easy-to-make carrot cake using whole-wheat flour and fresh carrots, topped with lighter cream cheese frosting — a beginner-friendly, healthier dessert with Indian home-kitchen simplicity.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Indian, Vegetarian
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups whole-wheat flour sifted
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil or light cooking oil
  • 1/3 cup low-fat yogurt
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar or jaggery powder for Indian twist
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 2 cups grated carrots about 3–4 medium carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts optional, for crunch
  • 200 grams low-fat cream cheese softened
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar or less to taste
  • 2 tbsp low-fat yogurt for lighter frosting

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • grater
  • 9-inch cake pan

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 9-inch cake pan lightly and line bottom with parchment or dust with flour.
  2. In a bowl, sift whole-wheat flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Mix well so baking soda is evenly distributed.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together oil, yogurt, brown sugar (or jaggery), and eggs until mixture is smooth.
  4. Pour wet mixture into dry flour mixture. Stir gently until just combined — avoid overmixing.
  5. Add grated carrots and chopped walnuts (if using). Fold gently until carrots are well distributed in batter.
  6. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth top. Bake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
  7. Remove cake from oven and let it cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack (or plate) and allow to cool completely — frosting should be added only when cake is fully cool.
  8. To make frosting: in a bowl, beat softened low-fat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and low-fat yogurt, and whisk gently until creamy and thick.
  9. Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake. Chill for 15–20 minutes in fridge if possible. Slice into 8 portions and serve.

Notes

You can replace brown sugar with jaggery powder for an Indian natural sweetener option. Use low-fat cream cheese and yogurt to cut down saturated fat. Chilling frosting helps set it better.