Greek Yogurt Pineapple Carrot Cake

A fun twist on a seasonal classic – Pineapple Carrot Cake! Using whole grain flour, greek yogurt, pineapple and a delicious cream cheese frosting. This carrot cake is loved by so many!

this recipe

Delicious Pineapple Carrot Cake with Greek Yogurt

Does anyone else think carrot cake is underrated?

I will admit, it might not be my all-time favorite cake but it is damn good. There is just something about how all of the ingredients come together in this pineapple carrot cake that is unlike any other.

I have a friend who loves carrot cake (let’s just say this friend isn’t the “healthiest” eater) and he really loves this cake.

Why You’ll Love This Cake

In this particular healthier cake recipe we’ve got:

• Whole grains
• Greek yogurt for moisture
• Pineapple for extra sweetness
• And a cream cheese frosting

I’m fairly certain that carrot cake without a frosting is against the rules, right?

To make this carrot cake recipe you need some basic pantry ingredients and some extras like the crushed pineapple, carrots and walnuts.

Cake Ingredients

• whole wheat pastry flour (or half regular AP/ half whole wheat)
• baking soda & salt – the leavening agent and salt balances flavor.
• carrot cake spices – ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves.
• granulated sugar – brown or coconut will have the best flavor here.
• oil – for added moisture and keeps the cake soft. You can use avocado, coconut oil (melted/cooled), or olive oil works too.
• Greek yogurt – this replaces some of the oil but also plays a part in keeping the cake moist. We’re also using it in the cream cheese frosting! You can also make this cake recipe using Skry (Icelandic yogurt).
• eggs – a staple in many cake recipes. They add structure and stability.
• crushed pineapple – a delicious addition to this carrot cake. Adds sweetness as well as some moisture.
• grated carrots – I like grated carrots here for little bits that blend well into the batter.
• chopped walnuts – walnuts in carrot cake is essentially an unwritten rule.
• cream cheese & confectioners sugar – for the frosting, of course.

Once the frosting is ready and the cake has cooled, spread on the creamy goodness and chill until ready to dive in.

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley

★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

How to Make…

Whole Grain Greek Yogurt Pineapple Carrot Cake

A healthier take on a seasonal classic–Whole Grain Greek Yogurt Pineapple Carrot Cake. Your guests will not believe this is made healthier. Moist, perfectly spiced and loaded with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple and walnuts. 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes

• Yield: 24 1x
• Scale: 1x2x3x

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Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour*
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Wet Ingredients

• 3/4 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 1/3 cup oil (avocado, sunflower or olive oil preferably)
• 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or Skyr (0%, lowfat or full fat all work)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup canned crushed pineapple (slightly drained)
• 2 cups grated carrots (about 3/4 lb)
• 1 cup crushed walnuts

frosting

• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter or oil, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients, flour through spices. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl whisk together sugar and oil until combined, then whisk in yogurt until combined. Add eggs one at a time until fully combined. This can also be done in stand mixer with paddle attachment
4. Gently fold dry ingredients to large bowl of wet ingredients, until just combined. Then add in crushed pineapple, grated carrots, and lastly crushed walnuts, gently stirring until everything comes together.
5. Pour carrot cake batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Watch your oven to make sure you don’t over-bake. Cover with foil if edges brown too fast. Check for doneness with inserted toothpick coming out with little to no crumbs. Allow cake to cool for a full hour before frosting. (Can also cool in fridge for 30-45 minutes.)
6. Prepare the frosting after the cake has cooled: In large bowl using beaters or paddle stand mixer attachment, beat together softened cream cheese and yogurt, then gently add in powdered sugar a little at a time, until light and fluffy. The more powdered sugar you add, the thicker the frosting will be.
7. Once the frosting is ready and the cake has cooled, spread on the creamy goodness. Chill cake for 30 minutes before cutting into and serving. Enjoy!

Recipes Notes:

*could likely sub a 1:1 all-purpose GF baking flour if needed. My go-to for this is Bob’s Red Mill. Or sub with half whole wheat, half all-purpose flour.

When draining the pineapple, you can leave some liquid behind, just not all of it.

Cake can be made one day in advance.

Store cake in fridge and enjoy within four to five days.

Prep time includes cooling time

Nutrition Information:

• Serving Size: 1/24th
• Calories: 195
• Sugar: 15g
• Sodium: 208mg
• Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 33mg

Category: dessert Method: oven Cuisine: American
Keywords: carrot cake with pineapple, moist carrot cake, healthy carrot cake
Author: Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen

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