It’s the last day of #AKSmoothieWeek! I hope you guys have enjoyed all of the recipes and found something new to try. Today’s smoothie is all about my love for carrot cake!
If there’s one cake that I could eat over and over again, it would be carrot cake. And hint, hint: if you haven’t made my layered grain free carrot cake yet, you absolutely need to put it on your must bake list ASAP!
However, if you happen to be in the mood for something a little lighter and more nutritious, I highly suggest this delicious creamy carrot cake smoothie that tastes like a slice of cake.
Carrot cake smoothie ingredients
This carrot cake smoothie has all of the delicious flavors of carrot cake, including the cozy spices like cinnamon, natural sweeteners from fruit and carrots and other simple ingredients packed with nutrients. There’s 10g of protein, almost 8g of fiber, and heart healthy fats making it a perfect breakfast or post-workout smoothie. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
raw carrot: this recipe calls for a large carrot, which will add vitamin A and that delicious, carrot cake flavor. If you don’t have a high powered blender, it might be hard to completely blend the raw carrot.
frozen banana: using frozen fruit it best in smoothies and banana helps to sweeten this one!
frozen pineapple: if you’ve ever had a carrot cake with pineapple in it, you’ll LOVE this addition. It adds a unique sweetness that brings out the carrot cake flavor.
coconut milk (or any milk): I love using coconut milk in this recipe to add a tropical, creamy flavor, but feel free to use any milk you’d like (dairy free or regular).
greek yogurt: for a boost of protein and to keep the recipe smooth and creamy, I love using greek yogurt. I typically use plain greek yogurt in my smoothie recipes, but you can use vanilla if you prefer a sweeter smoothie.
oats: this adds a little heartiness to your carrot cake smoothie and will help thicken it, feel free to add in 1/4 cup rolled oats. Do not use steel cut oats as they will not blend well.
nut butter: either pecan butter or almond butter will work well in this recipe to create that nice, toasty flavor that’s often found in carrot cake.
vanilla: always.
spices: don’t forget the cinnamon and nutmeg to help bring out that spiced carrot cake flavor!
What does this healthy carrot cake smoothie taste like?
Adding carrot to a smoothie might sound strange, but trust me, it’s delicious! If you’ve ever made my Healthier Carrot Cake Banana Bread, you’ll love the flavors in this toasty, perfectly sweet smoothie. Add a few chopped pecans on top, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or even some coconut flakes for a yummy breakfast that tastes like a treat.
Tips for prepping carrots for this carrot cake smoothie:
If you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, feel free to just chop your carrot and add it into your blender for the smoothie. If your blender isn’t as heavy duty, I’d recommend shredding your carrot first with a hand grater or box grater so that it blends up well with the other ingredients.
Adding extra nutrition to this carrot cake smoothie
flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. Usually a tablespoon is plenty! Here’s a brand I love.
chia seeds: feel free to add in a tablespoon of chia seeds to your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats and fiber.
hemp seeds: if you’ve been wondering what to do with those hemp seeds lurking in your cupboard, feel free to throw in a tablespoon into your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats, omegas and minerals.
spinach: if you’re looking to get more greens in your smoothie, try adding a cup or two of raw or cooked spinach. You’ll never be able to taste it, but just know that it may change the color of your smoothie to brown depending on what other fruit you use.
protein: Easily add more protein to a smoothie by adding 1/2 cup greek yogurt or 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder. I recommend Vital Protein collagen peptides or Bob’s Red Mill Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder.
frozen cauliflower: feel free to throw in a cup of frozen cauliflower to thicken your smoothie even more and get extra veggies in. You won’t even be able to taste it!
Tips for making smoothies
Here are a few of my favorite tips I like to share in regards to making the best creamy, healthy smoothies:
- Using frozen fruit is best as it helps keeps the smoothie cold and thick. Sometimes ice doesn’t blend as well, so it’s best to skip unless absolutely necessary.
- Don’t be afraid to add more liquid if your smoothie is too thick or won’t fully blend. High powered blenders tend to blend frozen fruit much better, so if you have a regular or personal size blender, you may need to add more milk.
- Start the blender on low speed, then gradually increase to high to help blend all ingredients. Finally end with the blender on low speed.
- If a smoothie doesn’t taste sweet enough for your liking, you can add a 1/2 tablespoon of honey, pure maple syrup or 1 pitted Medjool date.
- Feel free to use any milk you’d like in smoothie recipes according to your preferences. Almond milk tends to have a neutral taste in smoothies, coconut milk will add a more tropical and creamy flavor, and regular milk will add a boost of protein.
I can’t wait to hear how you like this carrot cake smoothie! Come back tomorrow for another delicious smoothie recipe you won’t want to miss. And don’t forget to check out our guide on how to prep smoothies ahead of time. xo!
Carrot Cake Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 large raw carrot, sliced (or shred if you don’t have a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix)
- 1 frozen medium ripe banana
- ½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
- ¾ cup light coconut milk, plus more if necessary (use any milk you'd like)
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup gluten free oats
- 1 tablespoon pecan butter or almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
-
In a large high-powered blender, add in all ingredients and blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until all ingredients are well combined. If necessary, add in more almond milk to thin the smoothie. Makes 1 smoothie.
Recipe Notes
Optional add-ins:
flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. Usually a tablespoon is plenty!
chia seeds: feel free to add in a tablespoon of chia seeds to your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats and fiber.
hemp seeds: if you’ve been wondering what to do with those hemp seeds lurking in your cupboard, feel free to throw in a tablespoon into your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats, omegas and minerals.
spinach: if you’re looking to get more greens in your smoothie, try adding a cup or two of raw or cooked spinach. You’ll never be able to taste it, but just know that it may change the color of your smoothie to brown depending on what other fruit you use.
protein: easily add more protein to a smoothie by adding 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder. I recommend Vital Protein collagen peptides or Bob’s Red Mill Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder.
frozen cauliflower: feel free to throw in a cup of frozen cauliflower to thicken your smoothie even more and get extra veggies in. You won’t even be able to taste it!
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
10 comments
My favorite cake in smoothie form!!!!
Same girl! SO good.
This is suuuuuuch a good recipe. Not only does it taste delish but it’s packed with healthy goodies. Thank you so much for this amazing smoothie option!
Absolutely! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
So yummy!
One of my favs!
I made this today after a friend shared it with me. It was so easy and SO good! I used a little more greek yogurt and then substituted the cinnamon and nutmeg for pumpkin pie spice since I didnt have just nutmeg. The pineapple is really what makes this, but the nut butter also adds a nice surprise as well. I think next time I will try adding some toasted coconut!
This is HANDS DOWN mx fave smoothie at the moment 😍✔️
So happy to hear that!
Love carrot cake and this is exactly like it in a smoothie! So helpful to use some of my extra carrots, too 👍🏼