Freshly Milled Spelt Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe combines everything I love most about carrot cake—a moist, cinnamon-spiced base and a creamy, maple-sweetened frosting. Made with freshly milled Spelt flour, this carrot cake strikes the perfect balance of indulgence and nutrition in every bite!

I still remember my first encounter with American-style carrot cake. It was sometime in the 2000s when Starbucks was just gaining traction in Europe. It was the first time I ever had a slice of layer cake smothered in cream cheese frosting. The cake was moist and juicy, the cream cheese frosting chock full of cinnamon. It was a revelation.

Germany has its own version of carrot cake (known as Rüblikuchen) which usually involves ground almonds or hazelnuts and is topped with a sugar glaze and a sweet marzipan carrot on every slice. It’s cute, but it never made my heart skip. Ever since that Starbucks moment, I’ve had a craving for that cinnamon-sweet, creamy experience hardwired into my brain.

And I’m happy to report that this fresh flour carrot cake recipe has surpassed the original in both taste and nutrition. Move over Starbucks—this version is melt-in-your-mouth juicy, studded with cinnamon and made with real, wholefood ingredients.

Why you’ll love this Freshly Milled Spelt Carrot Cake

Whether as muffins for breakfast or a classic layer cake for dessert, carrot cake is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s versatile and hits the spot every time. Here are some more reasons why you should give this recipe a try:

Make-Ahead Wonder: This carrot cake is a great make-ahead treat. The flavors even improve after a day or two in the fridge!

Moderate Sweetness: Enjoy the luxury of actually tasting all the other ingredients beyond just sugar! This cake has a moderate sweetness level. It’s a treat without being overpowering.

Veggie-Packed: Nothing beats handing your 3-year-old a piece of cake and telling them to eat their veggies! Watch the adorable puzzled look as they enjoy their “dessert” full of good-for-them ingredients.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

You can feel good about this cake—it’s full of veggies, whole ancient grains and practically a balanced meal disguised as dessert:

Grated Carrots Every great carrot cake recipe worth its salt should start with a generous amount of carrots!

Freshly Milled Spelt Flour Spelt has a wonderful subtle, sweet character. You could also mill any regular European Wheat or American Soft Wheat berries. If you don’t mill your own flour you can swap store-bought whole grain Spelt, European whole wheat, or whole wheat pastry flour.

Eggs A commodity these days, but eggs play a big role in this recipe, providing structure and moisture.

Raw Cane Sugar You could also use coconut sugar or regular white sugar.

Salt Don’t skip salt in a cake recipe, it works to unlock all the flavors.

Butter A classic ingredient for richness and flavor. Replace with a dairy-free butter or a solid oil, like (refined) coconut oil.

Maple Syrup While not a whole food, maple syrup is a healthier option. Keeping the amount low imparts the signature maple taste without the sugar rush.

Tools You May Need

Food Processor (optional) Makes grating carrots a breeze, saving time and effort.

Removable Bottom or Springform Pan (23 cm/9-inch) Perfect for easy cake release.

Electric Hand Whisk or Stand Mixer You’ll be creaming a lot of butter, so a powerful mixer will make your life much easier!

Cake leveler or Wire Cutter A handy tool for cutting even, thin, professional looking cake layers.

Piping bag Great for spreading cream cheese frosting on your layers smoothly. No piping bag? A plastic freezer bag with a tiny cut in the corner works just as well. No need to get too fancy!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Bake carrot cake:

01

• Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease a 23 cm (9-inch) removable-bottom or springform pan.
• Mill whole Spelt berries using the finest setting of your grain mill to make fresh flour.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

02

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating briefly after each addition, just until incorporated.
• Gradually fold in the dry ingredients, mixing gently until combined.

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03

• Add the grated carrots and gently fold them into the batter with a spoon or spatula. The batter will be quite thick.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it evenly.

04

• Bake the cake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For an extra check, you can use an instant-read thermometer; the internal temperature should read around 95°C (203°F).

05

• Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake, then flip it onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
• Allow the cake to cool fully before frosting. If you plan to frost it on a different day, wrap the cooled cake tightly to prevent it from drying out.

Make maple cream cheese frosting:

^{Note: For American cream cheese, the order of ingredients will differ—start with the cream cheese, then add butter. For more on the difference between European and American cream cheese frosting, check out this helpful article.}

01

In a medium bowl, beat the butter until it becomes pale and fluffy.

02

Add the cream cheese and beat gently, just until incorporated. Be careful not to overbeat to prevent the frosting from breaking.

03

Stir in the maple syrup. You can either mix it in on the lowest setting of your mixer or fold it in by hand with a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate until needed to keep it firm and easy to spread.

assemble Freshly Milled Spelt Carrot Cake:

01

• Using a long, sharp knife, carefully slice the cake into three even layers. (For best results, I recommend using an adjustable wire cutter, though it’s not necessary.)
• With the help of a piping bag, spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting between each cake layer. Make sure the frosting layer is about the same size as the cake layers for an even look.

02

• Apply a thin layer of frosting to the sides of the cake to create a crumb coat. If you prefer a more rustic look, you can go for a “naked cake” design, allowing the edges of the layers to peek through.
• Decorate the top of the cake with your choice of toppings—sprinkles (yay!), toasted coconut flakes, chopped pistachios, marzipan carrots, or whole candied walnut halves. The world is your oyster!

Tips for Perfect Freshly Milled Spelt Carrot Cake

• It’s better to weigh freshly milled flour than using measuring cups. Fresh flour is fluffy and aerated, meaning that a cup of fresh flour will weigh less than one that has had time to settle. If you don’t have a food scale at home, tap the bowl of fresh flour on your counter until it settles down visibly. Then scoop and level off the excess.
• For the smoothest texture, grate the carrots as fine as you can. This way, they melt into the cake batter for a soft, even crumb.
• Instead of baking 3 separate layers, I prefer baking one 23cm/9-inch cake and slicing it into layers. This method avoids dealing with multiple domed tops. It’s easy to do with a wire cutter or cake leveler.
• The frosting yields just enough to fill the cake and apply a thin crumb coat. If you want to fully frost and decorate your cake on the outside, double the recipe.

How to Adjust for Different Pan Sizes

This recipe works with several pan styles. Depending on the pan you choose, baking times will need to be adjusted. Here’s what you can use:

Variations and Add-Ins

The classic spice in carrot cake is cinnamon but cardamom also works beautifully.

Or, for a seasonal twist, you can replace one tsp of cinnamon with one tsp of pumpkin pie spice, German Lebkuchengewürz or 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg.

Carrot Cake is super versatile and everyone seems to have a favorite add-in. Choose whatever floats your boat and add about 1/2 cup:

How to Store and Freeze Freshly Milled Spelt Carrot Cake

Best Served Chilled: Carrot cake is best served chilled, and it actually tastes even better the second day! Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Freezing Leftovers: I doubt there will be any, but leftover frosted cake can be frozen for later enjoyment. Simply wrap it tightly and freeze.

Freezing Unfrosted Cake Layers: If you’re not ready to frost the cake yet, you can wrap the unfrosted layers in plastic wrap and freeze them for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to serve, frost the cake while it’s still frozen, but be sure to let it thaw for about 2 hours before serving.

Have you tried this recipe for Freshly Milled Spelt Carrot Cake? Drop a comment below with any questions, or let me know how your cake turned out! Don’t forget to share and rate this recipe with stars—your feedback means so much! Happy baking!

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