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    home » Recipes » Lunchbox Recipes

    Apple, Carrot and Coconut Cake

    Published: Jun 30, 2021. Modified: Feb 17, 2022By:Kylie·This post may contain affiliate links·

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This apple, carrot and coconut cake is a crowd pleaser! Deliciously sweet and filled with carrot and apple, it is perfect for afternoon tea. The creamy icing and the texture of the coconut makes it super popular with kids and adults alike. Get it baked in only 25 minutes!

    apple carrot and coconut cake cut open, iced
    Contents hide
    1 Why you're going to love this recipe
    2 What goes into the recipe
    3 How to make this recipe
    4 Expert Tips and FAQs
    5 More delicious cakes
    6 Apple, Carrot and Coconut cake

    Why you're going to love this recipe

    If you like carrot cake, then you will LOVE this cake! Here are the reasons why:

    • no nuts, so perfect for the kids
    • dairy free (swap the cream cheese for whipping coconut cream)
    • moist and delicious
    • carrot and apple (one of those if actually a veggie!)
    • easy to mix
    • uses a mixer to get the cake super light
    • freezer friendly (before icing)

    What goes into the recipe

    don't forget to scroll to the recipe card for ingredient amounts and full method

    Cake

    ingredients: carrots, apple, coconut, brown sugar, self raising flour, eggs, cinnamon, salt, coconut oil
    • carrot- carrot in cakes is awesome. It cooks down, but retains enough "carroty-ness" so that you can taste it!
    • coconut oil- you can swap this for butter if you prefer, but it helps to add to the coconut flavour of the cake. Coconut oil can be swapped 1:1 for melted butter.
    • cinnamon- really compliments the other flavours in this recipe!
    • apple- we have used pink lady apples in this recipe. They are probably our favourite type of apple and are super versatile. They are also great in these yummy Apple and Raspberry Puff Pastry Pies or in Apple and Cinnamon Rice Pudding.
    • self-raising flour- self raising flour is flour that already contains a rising agent. If you don't have any, you can use plain flour with the ratio of 1 cup plain flour to 2 tsps baking powder.

    Icing

    icing ingredients: cream cheese, vanilla extra and icing sugar
    • icing sugar- not icing mixture, the real stuff!
    • vanilla paste- it adds the black speckles to the mixture, making it look even more delicious
    • cream cheese- not the spreadable stuff- the original!

    How to make this recipe

    • Grate the carrot (Image 1)
    • grate the apple (image 2)
    • combine the melted coconut oil, eggs and sugar in the bowl of a mixer. (image 3)
    • with a paddle, mix until well combined (image 4)
    grated carrot, grated apple, eggs, sugar and coconut oil, mixing
    • mix the flour, cinnamon and salt together. (image 5)
    • add to the mixer in thirds. (image 6)
    • mix until well combined. (image 7)
    • add the grated apple, grated carrot and coconut. (image 8)
    combining dry ingredients, adding dry ingredients to the wet, mixing, adding in the grated apple, carrot and coconut
    • Mix well. (image 9)
    • pour into a 20cm square tin (lined or silicone) push out to the edges. (image 10)
    • bake for 25 minutes at 180 degrees celsius- 355f, cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely before icing. (image 11)
    • combine the icing sugar, vanilla and cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer. (image 12)
    mixing it together, putting into the cake pan, baked cake, icing ingredients
    • Whip together until smooth and creamy. (image 13)
    • spread over the top of the cake. (image 14)
    mixing the icing, icing the cake

    Expert Tips and FAQs

    This cake is so easy to make! If you don't have a mixer, you could mix this by hand, but it will be a little instense.

    Can I freeze this cake?

    Yes! But don't ice it before freezing. I would also cut into squares before freezing.

    Do I need to add the coconut?

    The apple cooks down significantly during baking and the coconut helps by adding the texture back into the cake.

    How can I make this cake dairy free?

    Simple! Swap the cream cheese for whipping coconut cream, it will turn out awesome!

    a slice of apple carrot and coconut cake on a blue plate

    More delicious cakes

    • Strawberry and Lemon Polenta Cake
    • Sticky date cake with caramel syrup
    • Baked Caramel Pudding
    • Ginger caramel cheesecake, a no-bake celebration cake
    images of recipes overlaid with: want more family-friendly recipes?

    Why don't you subscribe to my newsletter, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram? If you make something from the blog please tag @kidgredients on instagram- it really makes my day to see what you've been making!

    Apple, Carrot and Coconut cake

    This apple, carrot and coconut cake is delicious and perfect for a sweet treat. From the gooey icing, to the super sweet and moist interior, it's the perfect cake!
    5 from 21 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Desserts
    Cuisine: Modern Australian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 20 pieces
    Calories: 156kcal
    Author: Kylie

    Equipment

    square 20 by 20 cm silicone cake tin
    mixer
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • ½ cup coconut oil melted
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup self raising flour
    • 2 tsps cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2 carrots peeled and grated
    • 1 large red apple peeled and grated
    • ¾ cup shredded coconut

    Icing

    • 125 gms cream cheese
    • 1 ½ cups icing sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste.

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
    • Line the 8" cake pan.
    • In a mixer combine the melted coconut oil, sugars and the eggs.
    • Mix until it is thoroughly combined and smooth.
    • Combine the self raising flour, cinnamon and salt.
    • Add this in thirds to the mixer.
    • Mix until well combined.
    • Stir through the coconut, apple and carrot.
    • Pour into the cake tin and spread it to the egdes.
    • Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    • Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack.
    • Cool completely before icing.
    • Combine the icing ingredients and mix with electric beaters until smooth.
    • Spread over the cooled cake.
    • Store in the fridge and remove 5-10 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    This also works with half a cup of sugar, feel free to use less if your kids (and you!) don't want such a sweet treat.

    Recipe video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Sodium: 142mg | Sugar: 11g | Fiber: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Calories: 156kcal | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Fat: 9g | Protein: 2g | Carbohydrates: 17g
    Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @Kidgredients or tag #kidgredients!

    This post was originally published on November 14, 2014, new photos were added in 2020, then the entire post was refurbished on June 30, 2021, with process images, video and helpful hints and tips.

    « Zucchini and Rice Fritters
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amze says

      March 22, 2021 at 4:38 pm

      5 stars
      Easy, tasty and loved by the kiddos.

      Reply
    2. Kathy says

      May 30, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      Hi - I made this as a double recipe and using a spring form round tin And it was delicious. Topped it with toasted coconut and slivered almonds.

      I hadn’t used coconut oil for baking before and wanted to suggest editing the ingredients to say “1/2 cup melted coconut oil”.

      Also suggest editing the instructions as the ingredients say self raising flour whereas the instructions say “add flours, baking powder” May I suggest removing the word “baking powder” from the instructions.

      In case anyone else wants to bake it as a celebration cake it took about 50 minutes using a 30 cm round spring form cake tin. It was the first time we had seen my father in law for 3 months and everyone (aged 2-79) loved it!

      Reply
      • Kylie says

        May 31, 2020 at 3:50 pm

        Hi Kathy,

        I have just made both those changes. Thank you for giving awesome feedback! I really appreciate it. I redid the photos and made some changes to ingredients when I did so and the devil is in the details, isn't it! When you're running in little sleep and homelearning at the same time, I miss the little things.

        once again, thank you!

        Reply
        • Bec says

          July 04, 2021 at 11:07 am

          5 stars
          Easy to make and absolutely delicious to taste, everyone I have shared with has loved it.

          Reply
    3. Simone says

      May 08, 2020 at 7:51 pm

      I presume it’s 1 ‘cup’ sugar?
      Thanks, Simone x

      Reply
      • Kylie says

        May 08, 2020 at 8:28 pm

        Yes, all fixed! Sorry! Homelearning and blogging should possibly be mutually exclusive. 🤣

        Reply
    4. Simone says

      May 08, 2020 at 7:47 pm

      Can this be made without coconut ie only carrot and apple?
      Thanks, Simone x

      Reply
      • Kylie says

        May 08, 2020 at 8:28 pm

        Yeah! You could even use sultanas or slivered almonds?

        Reply

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