Name: Carrot Cake Smoothie
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 large raw carrot, shredded ((heaping ½ cup)); 1 frozen medium banana ((~1 cup)); ½ cup frozen pineapple; ½ scoop vanilla protein powder ((~1 ½ tbsp)); 2 tbsp chopped pecans ((or walnuts)); 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce; ½ cup vanilla almond milk ((plus more if necessary)); 1 tsp vanilla extract; ½ tsp cinnamon; Pinch of nutmeg, ginger, clove

Everything you love about carrot cake, but in a smoothie.

You’re going to have to use a little bit of ~imagination~ for this one.

*cue Spongebob meme*

This Carrot Cake Smoothie is truly nutritiously delicious(ly?). It is jam-packed full of wholesome ingredients that you know, love, and definitely have in your pantry and/or freezer. It is perfectly tied together with the warm, home-y spices commonly found in our much beloved friend (P.S. our friend is carrot cake if you didn’t pick up on that)

Fun Fact: Carrot Cake is my favorite thing in the whole entire world. Scratch that. My Grandma Susan’s Christmas Carrot Cake is my favorite thing in the whole entire world. You may find yourself asking, “Christmas? Carrot Cake?” Don’t ask. Don’t question. Just know, it is the highlight of my entire holiday season. I could probably live without the never-ending stream of Christmas cookies, but I could not live without my Christmas Carrot Cake.

So, while making breakfast yesterday morning I got to thinking; how can I take everything I love about carrot cake and transform it into a smoothie? Well, being the high-end baker/maker/recipe-tester I am, I threw a bunch of random things in a blender and went for it. And it was good! SO good. Good enough for me to quickly turn around & write a blog about it. Wow!

I finished this particular bowl off with some coconut, pecans and shredded carrot, because no smoothie is truly complete until you add your TOPPINGS. Here are my go-to’s:

homemade granola
sliced fruit (bananas, berries, etc)
chopped nuts
shredded coconut
mini chocolate chips
nut butter (favorite: trader joe’s almond butter)
chia seeds
honey

So pals, grab a blender, some fruits & veggies, lots of spice, and get to carrot-caking!

Carrot Cake Smoothie

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Total Time 5 mins

Servings 1 serving

Equipment

Blender or Nutri-Bullet
Grater

Ingredients

1 large raw carrot, shredded (heaping ½ cup)
1 frozen medium banana (~1 cup)
½ cup frozen pineapple
½ scoop vanilla protein powder (~1 ½ tbsp)
2 tbsp chopped pecans (or walnuts)
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
½ cup vanilla almond milk (plus more if necessary)
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg, ginger, clove

Instructions

In a blender or NutriBullet, add in all of the ingredients and blend on high for 1-2 minutes (or until all is well combined). Yep. That's it.

Notes

I used a NutriBullet to make this smoothie. I like my smoothies THICC and in bowl-form, but feel free to add in 1-2 more tbsp of almond milk to thin it out/help it blend.
If you like your smoothie sweeter, add in 1 tbsp of honey or maple syrup.
Add-Ins are MORE than okay in this recipe. Throw in some chia seeds, spinach, ground flaxseed, yaknow, whatever your little heart desires!
If you want your smoothie to be on the THICC-er side, add in more frozen banana or pineapple. OR, get a lil crazy & add some frozen cauliflower. We love a hidden veggie surprise.
While the protein powder is not essential, it does give this smoothie a super fluffy texture I love love love.

While this may not be as satisfying as an atypical slice of cream-cheese-frosting-coated carrot cake, it sure does come in close second. My Carrot Cake Smoothie is the dessert-forward breakfast you’ve been dreaming of. Enjoy! And, as always, pop over to @mads.eatz and let me know if you try it. Meet ya there!

XOXO,

Mads