Orange Ginger Carrot Cake
This website uses affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase.
This Orange Ginger Carrot Cake is an amazing and light take on classic carrot cake with less sugar! I use only half the amount of sugar I normally do in carrot cake as well as orange zest and ginger in this classic carrot cake, and it's topped with an orange buttercream frosting and fresh orange slices!
If you love carrot cake as much as I do, then check out my other favorites like my Frosted Carrot Cookies, Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes, or my Vegan Strawberry Carrot Cake.
Table of Contents
I created this carrot cake recipe to celebrate my good friend who is going through cancer. And, carrot cake has always been her favorite. And she is doing less sugar than normal. So, I created this carrot cake with less sugar so she could still enjoy a slice of her favorite cake, while being mindful of sugar. And, this is still a carrot cake that everyone else at the party will love just as much.
This carrot cake with less sugar has less sugar inside the cake, but I still frost it with normal frosting. I did this so everyone else at the party could enjoy a delicious slice of cake, and Kimmy could just eat less frosting. This organic cake is so much better than anything you'd get the store, and its made with mindful organic ingredients.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Zesty & Sweet: If you like carrot cake as much as I do, then you will love this Orange Ginger Carrot Cake! I use orange zest and ginger in the carrot cake batter, which gives it a light and zesty flavor. Then it's topped with an orange buttercream and fresh orange slices. I frost it naked style, so you get the perfect amount of frosting to cake ratio, and not too much!
Carrot Cake with Less Sugar: I created this cake recipe for my good friend Kimmy's birthday. And while she is fighting cancer, she did want to celebrate her birthday with organic cake, but with less sugar. So, if you're looking for a carrot cake with less sugar, this one is it! I use half the amount of sugar as I do in most of my cakes, but this one still tastes amazing!
Easy & Impressive: While this organic cake may look impressive and beautiful, it is incredibly easy to make! This naked style cake is even easier to frost than a traditional layer cake with frosting on all sides. Be sure to watch my video below to see just how easy it is.
Organic Cake: I love baking carrot cake at home because I can use the best organic ingredients. This carrot cake is sure to be better than anything store bought!
Ingredients
- Carrots: Make sure to grate your carrots with a fine grater. You may be tempted to use a larger grate because they will grate faster, but this size of grated carrots provides a less than ideal finished crumb and can result in a gummy texture of your carrot cake.
- Oranges: I use organic oranges inside the cake and as a garnish on top.
- Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar, but just less than my usual carrot cake recipe.
- Canola Oil: I use organic canola oil for the most neutral flavor, but if you are avoiding seed oils, then you can also use extra virgin olive oil.
- Eggs: Use large eggs.
- Yogurt: I use organic vanilla yogurt for more flavor in this carrot cake with less sugar. As vanilla yogurt is sweet. But, if you want to use plain or Greek, that also works.
- All Purpose Flour: I use organic all purpose flour in this carrot cake. Because carrots have so much moisture, I use a higher protein content flour like all purpose to give this cake structure. This is why you don't want to use cake flour here.
- Baking Powder: Make sure to 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.
- Ginger: I use organic ground ginger for a little kick and added health benefits. I love the combination of ginger with the orange!
- Cinnamon: It's not carrot cake without cinnamon, I use organic ground Korintje cinnamon as its my favorite flavor profile. If you were a customer at my bakery, this is the cinnamon we used for everything!
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter in the frosting, you can use your favorite. Just be sure your butter is softened.
- Cream Cheese: I also use a mix of cream cheese in the frosting too, as there's nothing like a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting!
- Powdered Sugar: I use organic powdered sugar for the frosting, be sure to sift it. While this is a carrot cake with less sugar, the frosting is a normal frosting. I created this cake this way incase you have people who are limiting sugar as they can eat some of the cake and not all the frosting. While others can enjoy all the frosting with their cake for a carrot cake that will taste delicious for everyone.
- Orange Flavor: I use organic orange flavor in the frosting as this provides a concentrated orange flavor.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Stand Mixer: You'll need a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the frosting. But, this carrot cake is so simple, you can just mix up the cake batter in a mixing bowl or you can also use a mixer, either works!
- 6-inch Cake Pans: You'll need three 6-inch cake pans.
- Parchment Paper: I always use nontoxic parchment paper cake rounds to ensure my carrot cake comes out easily.
- Piping Bag: You'll need a large piping bag to pipe the frosting if you want to decorate it like I have done here.
- Decorating Tip: I use Ateco tip #827, but any open star tip will give you a similar look.
Subscribe to Mimi's Organic Eats Channel
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for all the latest videos. Bake and cook along with John John and me on YouTube!
Subscribing is easy and just by subscribing, you are directly supporting my site!
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 large mixing bowl, add the carrots, cane sugar, canola oil, eggs, and yogurt. Whisk together to combine completely.
Add in the all purpose flour, baking powder, ginger, sea salt, and cinnamon in that order. Mix on low until a batter forms.
Step 3
Transfer to the prepared cake pans, about 250 grams each, and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pans. (Be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe if you are baking at high altitude).
Step 4
To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and orange flavor. Mix on low to combine, then increase speed to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #827.
Step 5
Place the first cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Pipe a spiral, starting at the outer edge and working your way in, to cover the cake layer with frosting completely. Top with the second cake layer, repeat this process with the third layer. Then spiral again on the top to finish the cake. Top with orange slices (optional).
Baker's Tips
- I use 6-inch cake pans for this cake. But, if you double the recipe, you can use 9-inch pans if you have a larger party. If you do make a 9-inch, be sure to bake your cakes a little longer about 3 to 6 minutes, and make sure to test that they are done.
- Use a fine grater for the carrots, not a large one. I weigh the carrots whole (7 ounces) and then grate them from there, it doesn't have to be exactly 7 ounces of grated carrots.
- I use organic vanilla yogurt in this recipe, but if you only have plain yogurt that will also work!
- My favorite organic orange flavor is from Frontier Co-Op. They have the best flavor here, in my opinion! If you don't have this, you can use a little orange juice instead, but no more than 1 teaspoon as it will make the frosting too thin, and that's not good for a layer cake.
- I use Ateco tip #827 for this cake. You can also use Ateco tip #846 as that is also very similar. Any large open star tip will look just like this. And, if you don't have a piping tip, you can use just a bag as well, or you can even just slather frosting on the cake with a spatula. This is an easy cake to frost!
- Make sure to store this cake in the fridge as the frosting has cream cheese in it. Always store cake in a cake dome or an airtight container so it doesn't dry out. If you do have it in the fridge, you can remove it an hour or two before serving so it comes to room temperature.
FAQ's
Yes, feel free to use extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil in place of canola oil. I used canola oil as it has the most neutral flavor here.
If you don't have yogurt, you can use sour cream in its place. Because I use vanilla yogurt, so if you use sour cream it may be even a little bit less sweet.
Yes! If you want to frost the entire cake and not do it naked, feel free to do that. Check out my tutorial on How to Crumb Coat a Cake.
This cake has cream cheese frosting, therefore, it needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Also, you can put your cake dome in the fridge!
Craving More?
Orange Ginger Carrot Cake
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
Ingredients
Batter
- 198 grams carrots (finely grated)
- 113 grams cane sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 57 grams vanilla yogurt
- 191 grams all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 orange (zest)
Frosting
- 226 grams salted butter (softened)
- 454 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 57 grams cream cheese
- ¼ teaspoon orange flavor
Topping
- orange slices (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, add the carrots, cane sugar, canola oil, eggs, and yogurt. Whisk together to combine completely.
- Add in the all purpose flour, baking powder, ginger, sea salt, and cinnamon in that order. Mix on low until a batter forms.
- Transfer to the prepared cake pans, about 250 grams each, and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the 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, cream cheese, and orange flavor. Mix on low to combine, then increase speed to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #827.
- Place the first cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Pipe a spiral, starting at the outer edge and working your way in, to cover the cake layer with frosting completely. Top with the second cake layer, repeat this process with the third layer. Then spiral again on the top to finish the cake. Top with orange slices (optional).
- Store in a cake dome in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Join Our Organic Community
Mhmm wow looks amazing
I don’t know what it is about this recipe, but the flavors really pop on this one compared to similar recipes. So balanced and so delicious!
Thanks Tom!
I absolutely smashed this! So good!
so glad, cake is definitely for smashing!
I recently tried making an orange carrot cake, and I have to say, it was absolutely delicious! The blend of sweet carrots and the zesty orange flavor made for such a refreshing twist on the classic recipe. The cake turned out incredibly moist and soft, and the hint of citrus added a light, bright touch that really made it stand out. If you’re looking for a cake that’s both comforting and a bit different, this orange carrot cake is definitely worth trying!
so glad you enjoyed this!!