The Best Protein Carrot Cake Loaf You’ll Ever Have!

12 slices
1 hr 10 min

Moist, Sweet and healthy, this really is the best Protein Carrot Cake Loaf you’ll ever have! A low calorie high protein healthy carrot cake bread made with unflavored and vanilla protein powder and moistened with Greek Yogurt and Applesauce – low fat and sugar free Easter dessert or post-workout treat!

If you’re questioning that name – or even if you’re not – you NEED to make it, because it really is the best carrot cake ever.


Fan of carrot cake? High protein desserts? Sugar free desserts? Healthy desserts?

No?

You STILL NEED to try this recipe.


This protein carrot cake is so moist and so soft and so fluffy and so everything, it will change your perspective on protein powder baking, and healthy baking for good.


My roommate (who previously said how healthy desserts can’t taste good) had quite a number of words (not suitable to be posted on a public platform) about this. And it was an instant reaction on the very first bite here.


I ate some of this carrot protein cake 6 days after baking – and it was STILL just as good. I’m now planning a cheesecake with this beauty as a base recipe.

Ingredients for the best Protein Carrot Cake Loaf Ever

This healthy high protein carrot cake bread is made with clean and simple ingredients like whole wheat (or whole meal) flour, protein powder, applesauce and non-fat greek yogurt. There’s only a tiny bit of oil in here, making this quite a low fat and low calorie recipe.

For the wet ingredients:


  • Shredded Carrots
  • Unsweetened Applesauce; as a replacement for most oil in other recipes
  • Sugar-free Maple Syrup for low calorie recipe with no sugar! I use the monk fruit maple syrup from Lakanto (code HAYLSKITCHEN gets you a discount)
  • Non-fat Greek Yogurt a high protein carrot cake
  • Almond Milk
  • A bit of Coconut Oil
  • Egg

And for the dry ingredients:


  • Whole wheat pastry flour for that lightness of the all-purpose flour, but with the nutritious benefits of whole grains
  • Unflavored Protein Powder to replace some of the flour (and carbs) in the recipe for a slightly low carb high protein carrot cake. I used a whey-caesin blend from Quest Nutrition
  • Vanilla Protein Powder to add some sweetness. This is the replacement for sugar and also some of the flour. Quest again here.
  • Spices – feel free to make your own using a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
  • Baking Soda

A high protein cream cheese frosting for carrot loaf:

For the perfect high protein carrot cake bread, I topped the loaf with a cream cheese frosting that’s sweetened with protein powder!

Simple ingredients here too:


  • Reduced Fat Cream Cheese, which might also be called Neufchâtel, for a low fat and low calorie recipe
  • Vanilla Protein Powder; Quest again here
  • Almond Milk or your milk of choice
The Best Protein Carrot Cake Loaf You’ll Ever Have!
Recipe details
  • 12  slices
  • Prep time: 10 Minutes Cook time: 1 Hours Total time: 1 hr 10 min
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, 120g
  • ½ cup Unflavored Protein Powder, 1½ scoop, about 45g (see post for sub)
  • ½ cup Vanilla Protein Powder, 1½ scoop, about 45g
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Ginger Powder
  • ¼ tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • ⅔ cup Unsweetened Applesauce, 160g
  • ½ cup Almond Milk, 120ml
  • ¼ cup Non-fat Greek Yogurt, about 56g, Room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup, Sugar-free recommended
  • 2 Tbsp Melted Coconut Oil
  • 1 Egg, Room Temperature
  • 1⅔ cup Grated Carrots, 197g, from 3 medium
Protein Cream Cheese Icing:
  • 2½ oz Reduced Fat Cream Cheese, Softened, 75g
  • ¼ cup Almond Milk, 60ml
  • 2 Tbsp Vanilla Protein Powder, about 11g
Optional Mix-ins:
  • ⅓ cup Pecans/Walnuts
Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8½” x 4½” loaf pan with parchment paper.
In medium bowl combine whole wheat pastry flour, unflavored protein powder, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and baking soda.
In a large bowl, whisk together applesauce, almond milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, coconut oil and egg.
Add dry mix to wet, and gently fold until just combined.
Add grated carrots (and any mix-ins) and fold to combine.DO NOT OVER-MIX or protein powder and gluten will from wheat flour will make the bread dense.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 55-60 minutes, covering with a foil tent after 30 minutes. Mine took about 60 min.A toothpick inserted into center should come out dry.
Cool for 15 minutes, then lift out of pan using the lining. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
For icing: In a small bowl whisk together softened cream cheese, almond milk and protein powder until smooth. Or use a hand mixer.Spread over loaf, slice and serve!
Tips
  • Nutrition values, ingredient alternatives, tips, storage details on my website: https://www.haylskitchen.com/best-protein-carrot-cake-loaf/
Haylee Jane Monteiro
Want more details about this and other recipes? Check out more here!
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Comments
  • Susen Holt Susen Holt on Mar 21, 2021

    Can you use just all vanilla powder as I don’t have unflavored and can almond flour or coconut flour be used instead and in same proportion? Thanks

    • Haylee Jane Monteiro Haylee Jane Monteiro on Mar 21, 2021

      Hi Susen!

      Using all of an approaching part of would make the loaf too sweet. You could use a regular flour, almond and coconut will not work. I put the details on my website. You can check them out there. Here's the link.

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