Diet Soda Carrot Cake

Indulge in the perfect balance of sweetness and lightness with this Diet Soda Carrot Cake, a modern twist on a classic favorite. This moist and flavorful dessert replaces heavy oils with unsweetened applesauce and uses diet soda to create a lusciously tender crumb, making it a lower-calorie yet irresistible treat. Enhanced with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and packed with grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and optional walnuts for texture, this cake delivers layers of wholesome flavor in every bite. Whether served as is or topped with a creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting, this easy-to-make cake is perfect for any occasion. Ready in under an hour and serving up to 12, it’s a guilt-free way to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping things light.

Nutriscore Rating: 56/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:40 mins

Total Time:60 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking soda
• 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt
• 2 large Eggs
• 0.75 cup Granulated sugar
• 0.5 cup Brown sugar, packed
• 0.5 cup Unsweetened applesauce
• 0.75 cup Diet soda (e.g., Diet Sprite or Diet 7UP)
• 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups Grated carrots
• 0.5 cup Crushed pineapple, drained
• 0.5 cup Chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 batch Cream cheese frosting (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or two 8-inch round cake pans.

Step 2

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until creamy and well combined.

Step 4

Add the applesauce, diet soda, and vanilla extract to the wet mixture, mixing until smooth.

Step 5

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Avoid overmixing.

Step 6

Gently fold in the grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and chopped walnuts (if using) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 7

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish or evenly divide it between the cake pans.

Step 8

Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Step 9

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan(s) on a wire rack.

Step 10

If desired, frost the cooled cake with cream cheese frosting, slice, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1559.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	3451.5

Total Fat 100.6g	0%
Saturated Fat 36.4g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 492mg	0%
Sodium 4180.8mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 597.0g	0%
Dietary Fiber 24.3g	0%
Total Sugars 371.8g
Protein 58.3g	0%

Vitamin D 82IU	0%
Calcium 483.7mg	0%
Iron 19.3mg	0%
Potassium 1667.6mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 25.7%

Protein: 6.6%

Carbs: 67.7%