Last Updated on 07/2026 by Mom Goes Camping
I like to experiment with dehydrating random things for backpacking. A lot of times, they end up being complete fails (lots of things don’t rehydrate well). But this dehydrated carrot cake was definitely not a fail! Even my picky kids ate it up for breakfast.
Caloric Density
Even before you dehydrate it, carrot cake is already pretty calorie-dense. There are usually around 416 calories in 100 grams of carrot cake without icing. Obviously, this is going to vary depending on the recipe you use. Recipes with a lot of oil and sugar will obviously have more calories than healthier versions.
Once you dehydrate it, the carrot cake ends up being even more calorie-dense. My carrot cake ended up losing 30% to 40% of its weight once dried. I calculated that it had 160 calories per oz (or nearly 6 calories per gram)!
Also read: Best Calorie-Dense Healthy Foods for Backpacking
Instructions
At Home:
- Make or buy carrot cake (without icing). I used this vegan recipe. Note that I used mashed bananas instead of applesauce in the recipe.
- Cut the carrot cake into cubes. Mine were about 1 inch by 1 inch. Try to make them equal sizes.
- Dehydrate until the cubes become hard like croutons. No moisture should come out when you squeeze the cubes.
In the Field:
- Rehydrate some powdered milk. I like coconut milk.
- Add the dehydrated carrot cake cubes to the milk.
- Let it sit for a minute and eat like cereal. If you let them sit too long, they will eventually turn to mush. It’s a tasty mush, but I prefer them to retain their texture a bit.
- You can also munch on the cubes as a snack (they will be crunchy).
Want gourmet meals on the trail?
My dehydrator recipes ebook has 50+ calorie-dense backpacking recipes — just add hot water.
There are also tons of other cakes and baked goods you can dehydrate. For example, I sometimes dehydrate pancakes to bring backpacking. I rehydrate them in milk and eat them like cereal. I also heard of one backpacker who dehydrates Costco Coffeecake Muffins. They come out to around 160 calories/oz.
Seriously, experiment with dehydrating and you’ll be amazed at how much better your backpacking meals become.
Dehydrated Carrot Cake FAQ:
Can you really dehydrate carrot cake?
Yes — and it works better than you’d expect. The key is cutting it into uniform cubes before dehydrating so they dry evenly, and going until they’re fully hard like croutons with no give when you squeeze them. Underdried cake will go mouldy in your pack.
How long does dehydrated carrot cake last on the trail?
Properly dried (no moisture remaining), it should last the length of any normal backpacking trip several days to a couple of weeks at room temperature in a sealed bag. If you notice any soft spots or off smell before you go, dry it longer.
Does it rehydrate well?
Reasonably well in powdered milk or coconut milk. It softens enough to eat comfortably within a few minutes but doesn’t completely fall apart. Soaking too long turns it to mush — which is still tasty, just different in texture. If you prefer crunch, eat within the first minute of adding it to the milk.
What kind of carrot cake dehydrates best?
Denser, oil-based recipes without cream cheese frosting. Frosting doesn’t dehydrate it stays sticky and goes rancid. A vegan recipe without dairy tends to dehydrate more cleanly. Avoid recipes with a lot of added moisture from fruit purées; they take much longer to dry and are harder to get fully stable.
Can I dehydrate other baked goods the same way?
Yes. Pancakes, muffins, and dense quick breads all work on the same principle cut into uniform pieces, dehydrate until fully hard, rehydrate in milk on the trail. Coffee cake muffins in particular are popular among backpackers for their high calorie density. Anything with icing, custard, or cream filling won’t work.
Btw, if you want more meal ideas, check out my book: Gourmet As Heck Dehydrator Backpacking Meals.
Read more about other delicious dehydrated recipes below:
