Honey Apple Carrot Cake
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This Honey Apple Carrot Cake is a simple twist on classic carrot cake uses apple along with carrot inside a moist cake, and it's finished with a honey buttercream and a drizzle of honey.
If you love carrot cake, be sure to check out my Orange Ginger Carrot Cake, Frosted Carrot Cookies, or my Vegan Strawberry Carrot Cake.
Table of Contents
This easy naked cake is light and sweet, providing a little twist on classic carrot cake. I use apples and honey inside this organic cake, as well as honey in the frosting. This light and sweet carrot cake is a nice change from the classic made with cream cheese icing.
I decorate this naked cake style, making it quick, easy, and so beautiful! I prefer to make a naked cake because it is literally so much easier than frosting a whole cake! If you are new to naked cake, they are so much fun to make!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Twist on a Classic: This classic take on carrot cake makes an amazing moist, fluffy, and sweet carrot cake. I love this Honey Apple Carrot Cake because it uses apples in addition to carrots, making it really moist, but also providing a different flavor!
Easy Naked Cake: This Honey Apple Carrot Cake is frosted naked cake style with a honey buttercream and a simple piping bag and decorating tip. Even if you do not have the decorating tip, you can still make this a naked cake by just adding frosting with a spatula onto each layer for a more rust look. Check out my post How to Make a Naked Cake for more info.
Fall Vibes: This Honey Apple Carrot Cake is perfect for spring or fall! Serve this Honey Apple Carrot Cake with vanilla bean ice cream for an indulgent dessert the next time you're craving carrot cake.
Ingredients
- Carrots: Make sure to use a fine grater to grate the carrots. If you use a larger grater, then the carrots don't bake into the cake as well, and the texture can be gummy.
- Apples: You can use any kind of apple for this cake, though I prefer the sweet varieties like Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady or Macintosh.
- Canola Oil: I use organic canola oil because its the most neutral oil. If you are avoiding seed oils, then you can use extra virgin olive oil in its place.
- Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar for natural sweetness. Organic cane sugar is less processed than granulated white sugar and therefore has a more natural sweetness, without being overly sweet.
- Honey: I use organic raw honey in the cake and the frosting.
- Eggs: Use large eggs so you have the right amount. Eggs will help bind this carrot cake together as well as make it rise.
- All Purpose Flour: I use organic all purpose flour because this cake has a lot of moisture with the carrots and apples. So, the higher protein content helps bind this cake more than a cake flour would.
- Baking Powder: Use baking powder, not soda. Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
- Salt: Use fine sea salt.
- Cinnamon: I use organic Korintje cinnamon for the best flavor. Check out my post the Best Cinnamon to Bake With to learn more about the different cinnamon varieties.
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter for the frosting, you can use your favorite. Just be sure the butter is softened.
- Powdered Sugar: You'll need organic powdered sugar for the frosting, be sure its sifted well so yo have a smooth frosting with no clumps.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a high quality vanilla extract, not imitation.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Stand Mixer: This organic cake batter is so easy to make, you can mix it up just in a mixing bowl with a spatula. But, you'll need a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the frosting.
- 6-inch Cake Pans: You'll need three 6-inch cake pans.
- Parchment Paper: I always use nontoxic parchment paper cake rounds to ensure this carrot cake comes out of the pans easily, especially because its a naked cake. With a naked cake, you want to ensure the edges of the cake come out of the pan without breaking as you'll see the edges.
- Piping Bag: You'll need a large piping bag to pipe the frosting on this naked cake.
- Decorating Tip: I use Ateco tip #827, you can use any open star tip for a similar look.
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
Step 2
To make the batter: In a bowl add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt and whisk together.
In either a mixing bowl with a whisk, using a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the carrots, apple, canola oil, cane sugar, honey, and eggs. Then add the flour mixture on top. Mix on low or stir with a spatula until the mixture comes together into a cake batter.
Step 3
Measure batter evenly into each pan, about 272 grams each. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pans.
Step 4
To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until all ingredients are combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape sides and mix again on high. Once the frosting is made, put at least half into a piping bag with Ateco tip #827.
Step 5
On your cake round, spinner or stand, place the first layer of cake. Next, spread a good amount of frosting in the center of the cake. Then, go around the outer edge with the piping bag and tip to create a pretty side view. Top with the second layer of cake and repeat this process until the last layer is on.
Baker's Tips
- This carrot cake is really easy recipe, it's basically a one bowl cake turned into a layer cake. You can easily make this batter using a hand mixer or a just a bowl with a wooden spoon, you do not need a stand mixer for this cake recipe.
- Usually I don’t butter and flour the sides of my cake pans and I just use parchment paper on the bottom. But, as a side note, you can always use butter and flour instead of parchment paper on the bottom. Also, whenever making a naked cake it is always better to butter and flour the sides of the cake pans because it makes the cake pull away more form the sides. With a naked cake, you will see the sides versus with a fully frosted cake you won’t. So, you want the sides to look good. And if you use butter and flour the cake will bake a little apart from the sides, so you won’t have to cut around with a butter knife to remove as much and possibly ruin the sides of the cake.
- When making this type of naked cake, you don’t have to use a piping bag or tip if you don’t have one or if you don’t want. You can just use a cake spatula to spread out the frosting too! Or you can even use a different decorating tip if you prefer. I use Ateco tip #827 for this cake, but use whatever method you prefer!
FAQ's
Yes, you do not have to make this a naked cake. The frosting recipe is enough for a naked cake or to frost the whole cake. While that may seem odd, naked cakes actually have the same amount (if not more) frosting! Check out my tutorial How to Crumb Coat a Cake if you would like to frost the whole cake.
Yes, if you want to make this cake vegan you can. You'll need to omit the eggs and honey and replace that with ½ cup dairy free milk. I have tested this with coconut milk. Then, use vegetable shortening or vegan butter for the frosting and remove the honey in the frosting as well. You may need to add some coconut milk or water into the frosting for the right consistency.
Yes, there's a simple adjustment in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for gluten free. I also list the flour I used to test this recipe.
Yes, if you want to use extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or even sunflower oil, those would all work. I have not tested coconut oil.
Craving More?
Honey Apple Carrot Cake
Equipment
- Ateco Tip #827 (or any other star tip)
Ingredients
Batter
- 191 grams all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 85 grams carrots (finely grated)
- 1 medium apple (finely grated)
- 113 grams canola oil
- 226 grams cane sugar
- 21 grams raw honey
- 2 large eggs
Frosting
- 226 grams salted butter (softened)
- 454 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 30 grams raw honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In a bowl add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt and whisk together.
- In either a mixing bowl with a whisk, using a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the carrots, apple, canola oil, cane sugar, honey, and eggs. Then add the flour mixture on top. Mix on low or stir with a spatula until the mixture comes together into a cake batter.
- Measure batter evenly into each pan, about 272 grams each. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pans.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until all ingredients are combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape sides and mix again on high. Once the frosting is made, put at least half into a piping bag with Ateco tip #827.
- On your cake round, spinner or stand, place the first layer of cake. Next, spread a good amount of frosting in the center of the cake. Then, go around the outer edge with the piping bag and tip to create a pretty side view. Top with the second layer of cake and repeat this process until the last layer is on.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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