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Oatmeal Carrot Ginger Cake made with oats instead of flour, pure maple syrup instead of sugar, and applesauce instead of oil! This moist, fluffy, warmly-spiced treat is loaded with fresh ingredients for a feel good dessert or snack.

Carrot ginger cake cut into slices (in the form of a loaf) on a blue backdrop with fresh carrots and a golden napkin to the side. Ready to serve.

My latest favorite treat!

In this week’s edition of Treats I Devoured In One Day, I’m sharing my all-new Carrot Ginger Cake.

My personal highlights are that it is made with all ingredients I feel good about, including oats, pure maple syrup, fresh ginger and carrots, and applesauce. Plus, it boasts huge feel-good flavor, and it is just the right level of sweetness.

I find cake recipes like this so irresistible because they tell my brain I’m indulging in something mega sultry, yet my body loves the better-for-you building blocks. Double whammy!

If you’re like me and you enjoy a mindful treat daily, and you’re a fan of carrot cake flavors, this ginger carrot cake may just be your next favorite cake recipe!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Wholesome: As usual, I’m making it with wholesome ingredients like whole grain oats, applesauce, and pure maple syrup for a treat you’ll feel good about putting on repeat.
Carrot Cake Vibes: The way I see it, this carrot ginger cake is perfect for carrot cake lovers who could opt out of the raisins, shredded coconut, and nuts.
Easy to Customize: Just check out the Ways to Customize section below for ideas!

The simple ingredients are easy to find at any grocery store! Below is a detailed explanation as to why I selected each ingredient when developing this recipe.

Ingredients for Carrot Ginger Cake:

Quick Oats: I love baking with oats instead of regular flour because they are a slow-burning carbohydrate due to their fiber content. They are also known for being a highly satiating food, which I always consider when developing recipes.

You can use instant oats, quick oats, or old fashioned rolled oats. For a gluten-free cake, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats. I use gluten-free sprouted oats.

Fresh Carrots: The star of the show here, fresh carrots are grated up and added in for a natural sweetness, a little texture and classic carrot cake flavor.

Eggs: Regular eggs help the batter rise into a fluffy, moist consistency.

Pure Maple Syrup: My sweetener of choice. I prefer using natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup because it is less processed than cane sugar.

Unsweetened Applesauce: An all-star ingredient that adds moisture without the need for additional fat and also some natural sweetness. I often use applesauce in place of milk or oil for a wholesome approach.

Avocado Oil: A little avocado oil goes a long way in assisting with the moist crumbs and the richness of the cake. You can replace it with olive oil or melted coconut oil.

Pumpkin Pie Spice: Because pumpkin spice includes a combination of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and allspice, it covers all of the warmly-spiced bases. I love using it rather than picking individual spices because to me it has the right amount of everything.

Fresh Ginger: Key player! Don’t skip the fresh ginger as it really takes the flavor up a notch! It adds a subtle spice and that unmistakable ginger flavor, which is difficult to mimic with any other ingredient.

Pure Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds a softness and warm flavor to elevate the whole experience.

Baking Powder: The leavening agent here, baking powder helps the batter rise into a fluffy consistency.

Sea Salt: Salt is a big flavor enhancer! It helps elevate the warm spices, the sweetness, and the overall carrot ginger profile so that we’re left with a big bold flavor.

Ways to Customize:

Carrot Cake: For a carrot cake vibe, add ⅓ cup of raisins (or chopped candied ginger) and ⅔ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts. You can also frost the cake with a homemade cream cheese frosting.
Different Flour: Replace the oats with 1 ¾ cups of regular all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Make it Sweeter: If you prefer that your sweets are very sweet, add 1 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar.

How to Make Carrot Ginger Cake:

Oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt in a blender to be blended into a flour.

Applesauce, eggs, oil, and pure maple syrup in a mixing bowl for carrot ginger cake.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9” x 5” loaf pan or an 8” x 8” square baking pan with parchment paper.

Transfer the oats, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and sea salt (dry ingredients) to a high-powered blender and blend on a low speed for 60 seconds or until a flour forms.
Mix the eggs, applesauce, pure maple syrup, avocado oil, and pure vanilla extract in a large bowl until the wet ingredients are combined. Then, mix in the fresh grated ginger and grated carrots.
Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture and mix well until a smooth batter forms.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking dish.
For a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan: Cover the pan with a sheet of tented aluminum foil, and bake on the center rack for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cake is fully baked through. For a 8-inch square or round pan: Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is baked through.
Check for doneness: Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the cake in order to check for doneness. It is ready if it has reached an internal temperature of 190 degrees F or higher. The best texture for cake is between 190 and 205 degrees F.

Allow the cake to cool completely to room temperature before slicing and serving.

I like warming up a thick slice with butter for a lovely little afternoon snack!

Storage Options:

Room Temperature: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Transfer the bread to an airtight container or a zip lock bag and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freezer: For longer term storage, freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.