Carrot Cake Squares with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting (Sugar Free)
It’s not springtime without a little bit of carrot cake! While this treat is sugar free, it does not lack sweetness and it’s packed with freshly grated carrots and topped with a creamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting that is bound to satisfy that sweet tooth craving.
When spring rolls around, carrot cake always comes to mind. Fresh produce is finally starting to make a comeback, which is the perfect excuse to shred up some carrots and turn it into a sweet treat. For all the other carrot cake lovers out there, I think we all know that nothing compares to a cream cheese frosting as the perfect pair. It’s creamy, tangy, sweet, and this cream cheese frosting has a hint of cinnamon that really ties the whole cake together. This whole cake, including the frosting, is completely sugar free. Utilizing monk fruit sweetener and Swerve sweetener in place of sugar, brown sugar, and confectioner sugar is the key. You won’t even be able to tell the difference, and this treat certainly does not slack when it comes to having a sweet tooth.
- 3/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 1/2 cup Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener (can use regular sugar if not making sugar free or a different sugar substitute)
- 1/2 cup Swerve Brown Sugar (can use regular brown sugar if not making sugar free)
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 8 oz Fresh grated carrots (about 3 cups, depending on size of carrot shreds)
- 1 2/3 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/3 cup Chopped walnuts
- 8 oz Reduced Fat Cream Cheese (softened)
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 3 cup Sifted Swerve Confectioner Sugar (can use regular confectioner sugar if not making sugar free, and may need to add more or less depending on the consistency you prefer)
- Preheat oven to 350*F and spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Fit parchment paper to the baking pan and press to stick to the spray to help removal after baked.
- In an electric stand mixing bowl, add the applesauce, Monkfruit Sweetener and Swerve brown sugar. Mix until combined.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in the electric stand mixer gradually, until smooth.
- Mix in the carrots until fully combined.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Check with a toothpick in the center to ensure it is baked through.
- Meanwhile, using the paddle attachment on an electric stand mixer, mix the cream cheese and butter for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and cinnamon and mix until combined. Slowly add in the sifted Swerve confectioner sugar until smooth and turns into a frosting.
- Once the cake is done baking, let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then move to a baking rack until completely cooled.
- Using an off-set spatula, spread the cinnamon cream cheese frosting onto the cake and sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Cut into 24 squares and serve.
- I highly recommend freshly grated carrots, as it adds additional moisture to the batter. You could use the pre-shredded carrots, however it could potentially result in a dryer cake.
- If you don't have an electric stand mixer, you could use an electric hand mixer, or even a whisk for the cake batter. The frosting likely wouldn't come out to the consistency you're looking for with just a whisk.
- Optional add-ins would be chopped walnuts or raisins. I would suggest about 1/2 cup for either, or both, added to the batter if you would like.