The most delectable Vegan Carrot Cake you will ever sink your teeth into! Wonderfully nutty, spicy-sweet, and perfectly textured!
There is nothing I love more than indulging in some carrot cake goodness! And I guess my love shows, since there’s no shortage of carrot cake recipes on FFF! Carrot cake is one of those quintessential cakes served at almost every café in my neighborhood, and if I’m out for coffee with friends, this is definitely a treat I can’t resist. Truth be told, however, not all carrot cakes are created equal. I’ve certainly had my fair share of dry carrot cakes with either too much or too little frosting. That could be the reason why I’m always eager to experiment and try new recipes myself.
Today’s recipe is PERFECT for those in your life who are vegan, and really, for EVERYONE because it’s so delicious! That’s right, this decadent vegan carrot cake is tender, flavorful, and the texture is on point!
Is This Vegan Carrot Cake Healthy?
First, let’s do away with the misconception that vegan automatically means healthy. When a recipe is vegan, it simply means that it doesn’t call for any animal products. This vegan cake recipe is quite caloric and doesn’t shy away from using sugar and fat, so you’ll definitely want to save it for special occasions. To lower the fat content, you could replace the avocado oil with the same amount of unsweetened applesauce, but bear in mind that the results will be denser. We can’t really replace the vegan butter in the frosting, as that’s what gives it its soft, creamy texture.
If you need to make a vegan cake that is also gluten-free, you are in luck! Check out this Vegan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Carrot Cake for the BEST recipe out there!
Flaxseed As An Egg Replacement
Eggs are one of those ingredients that work magic in baking. They help cakes rise, keep them moist, and give them a soft, tender crumb. But how can we replace them in vegan baking? In fact, there are many ways—from using fruit like applesauce and mashed bananas, to using silken tofu and even aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas). It pretty much depends on the recipe.
In cakes, cookies, and even pie crusts, I usually use what is known as a “flax egg” in the vegan world. Per egg, you’ll need one tablespoon of flax meal mixed with three tablespoons of water. If you don’t have flax meal, you can grind the seeds yourself (I sometimes do this with a mortar and pestle). Let this mixture sit for about ten minutes so that it becomes gelatinous. Basically, the flax egg acts as a binding agent, just like real eggs would. If you don’t have flax at home, chia will also work.
How to Make Ahead And Store
To prep ahead of time, you can bake the cake layers a day in advance and make the frosting the following day. Once assembled, the cake can be kept at room temperature (covered on a cake stand) for up to 3 days, but it will last longer (7 days) if stored in the fridge. The cake can also be frozen for up to 4 months.
Serving Suggestions
For me, nothing beats a cold glass of Oat Milk and a thick slice of carrot cake. For those coffee shop vibes, you can also pair it with this gorgeous Homemade Caramel Vanilla Iced Coffee. And, if you love carrot cake as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to try these Carrot Cake Cookies and this Carrot Cake Bread next.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 6 tablespoons warm water
- 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 3/4 cup avocado oil (or any neutral flavored oil)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
- 2 cups carrot, grated
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces dairy-free cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F and line the bottom of 2 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, rubbing the sides with oil.
- Whisk the flax meal and water and place into the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Spread the coconut flakes and pecans on two separate small baking sheets and bake until the coconut is golden, about 3-5 minutes and the pecans smell nutty, about 10 minutes.
- Finely chop the pecans and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Add in the milk, oil, vanilla and the flax mixture from the fridge, and whisk well.
- Lightly press out some of the liquid from the crushed pineapple and stir it, along with the carrots, pecans, and coconut into the batter.
- Divide between two cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 37-42 minutes. Let cool COMPLETELY.
To make the frosting
- Using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add in the vanilla and salt and beat again.
- Add the sugar a little at a time and then beat until fluffy.
To assemble
- Spread 3/4 of frosting on one of the tops of the cakes and then place the other cake on top.
- Spread a VERY thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, frost the rest of the cake.
- DEVOUR!
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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