Vegan Carrot Cake

This vegan carrot cake recipe is moist, rich, and certifiably loaded with fresh carrots! Incredible on its own, it gets even better when blanketed by silky and sweet vegan cream cheese frosting. 

You can’t spend more than a few minutes browsing my blog without bumping into a fruit or veggie based baked good–from my favorite zucchini muffins and cauliflower pizza bites to the killer flavor combos of pumpkin-banana bread and cranberry-orange bread. Don’t tell the others, but my favorite of these farmstand-derived delights might just be this vegan carrot cake recipe.

I know a few folks who hold their carrot cake recipe as a closely guarded family secret. For me though, this vegan version is one that I am more than happy to share! Despite being a vegetable, carrots can be sweet as candy and this cake–complete with a full TWO cups of carrots!–really lets thats sweet flavor shine.

And, this recipe is actually a twofer! I’ve included my vegan cream cheese frosting recipe, as its sweet yet tangy taste is the perfect topper for the robust and earthy cake crumb. 

Vegan Carrot Cake Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake: 

• Vegetable oil – I like to use neutral-flavored oils, like virgin olive oil–especially the California variety. This version is light in taste, so it doesn’t fight with the flavor of the cake. You can use canola or vegetable oil instead of olive oil.
• Lemon juice – This acidic ingredient works to activate the baking soda for lift and lightness! You will be using lemon juice in both the cake batter and the cream cheese frosting so plan on juicing about a ½ lemon altogether.
• Vanilla extract – Rounds out the flavor profile of this hearty, lightly spiced carrot cake. You’ll need this ingredient to make the cake batter as well as the cream cheese frosting. 
• Flax eggs – Flax meal readily absorbs water, making it an excellent binding agent that is capable of replacing real eggs in baked goods. To make the flax eggs, you’ll need ground flax seeds and water–mixing instructions follow.
• Vegan cane sugar – Organic cane sugar is my go to for cakes and other baked goods as I can be certain it is vegan. Some regular refined sugar brands use animal products in their processing, so I try to avoid these. 
• Grated carrots –  Fresh carrots are best! Those pre-shredded carrots you see in the grocery store might seem like a nice shortcut, but unfortunately they are often dried out and too coarse. Freshly grated carrots have more moisture, resulting in a more moist carrot cake.
• All-purpose flour – Provides excellent cohesion and the best base structure for this super-moist carrot cake. I have not tested this cake with whole wheat, alternative, or gluten free flour blends. 
• Ground cinnamon – In the world of ingredients, cinnamon + carrots are a power couple. This spice gives your vegan carrot cake a subtle warmth and earthiness. 
• Baking soda – A vital leavening agent. When baking soda comes into contact with an acid–in the case of this cake, lemon juice–it produces carbon dioxide bubbles that help the cake to rise.  
• Baking powder – The lift provided by baking soda is not quite enough on its own for this cake, so baking powder is here to pick up where baking soda leaves off! Powder is longer acting as compared to soda, so it continues to aerate and lift the cake batter throughout the baking process. 
• Chopped nuts –  Either chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans would be excellent in this cake! You can also use a mixture of the 3 or use your own favorite nut. Whichever you use, I recommend opting for a roasted but unsalted variety. 

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Vegan cream cheese –  Cream cheese frosting on a carrot cake is completely classic! Thankfully there are several decent vegan cream cheeses to choose from. The key in making this frosting is to make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature before whipping, as this will produce the most light and fluffy frosting. 
• Powdered cane sugar – Just like the cane sugar we’re using in the cake batter, I try to choose organic powdered sugar to be sure it is vegan. Before making the frosting, I recommend sifting the powdered sugar to remove any lumps. Using powdered sugar to make icings is important as it makes a smoother, creamier result. Granulated sugar will turn out gritty. 

How to Prepare Flax Eggs

Preparing flax eggs is simple! As they need to sit for a few minutes, I recommend doing this before you start working on the cake batter itself: 

1. Combine 2 Tbsp of ground flax seeds with 6 Tbsp water. 
2. Whisk the ingredients until cohesive and set aside. After about 5 minutes, the mixture should be thick and gelatin-like. 

How to Make Vegan Carrot Cake

1. Preheat, prep, and combine. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan, then line the bottom with a round cut of parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients: vegetable oil, lemon juice, vanilla extract, flax eggs, and cane sugar.

2. Whisk. Beat the wet ingredients together until consistent. This may take a few moments due to the density of the flax eggs and cane sugar. 

3. Incorporate carrots. Add the shredded carrots and stir to combine.

4. Add dry ingredients. Pour in all of the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. 

5. Fold the batter. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to fold the dry ingredients into the wet-ingredient carrot mixture. Continue stirring until just mixed. 

6. Add nuts. Add the chopped nuts and stir to combine. 

7. Bake the cake. Transfer the carrot cake batter to your prepared pan and use a rubber spatula or spoon to smooth the top. Place the cake pan in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 

8. Start the frosting. While the cake bakes, start making the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl, combine vegan cream cheese, powdered cane sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.

9. Whip the frosting. Use an electric mixer or vigorously whisk the frosting mixture until creamy and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to the refrigerator and let it chill for 30 minutes before using. 

10. Cool the cake. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely in the cake pan before removing it onto a plate.

11. Time to frost! Spread your chilled cream cheese frosting over the surface of your carrot cake as desired. 

12. Chill and serve. Once frosted, place the entire cake in the refrigerator and let it chill for another 30 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.

Watch Us Make Vegan Carrot Cake

Chef Tips 

Removing cakes–especially a moist, sticky cake like this carrot cake–can be a tricky task. Here are my top tips for getting that cake out in one piece! 

• If you have it, use a cake pan with a nonstick coating and be sure that the coating is in good condition. 
• When you grease the pan, make sure to get all the way up the sides of the pan as well as the bottom, then place your parchment paper circle into the pan. Vegan cooking spray, vegan butter, or melted coconut oil all work well.
• A light dusting of flour in the pan is not necessary, but sometimes I do it as an extra insurance policy. 
• After baking, make sure to let the cake cool completely before attempting to remove it from the pan. 
• Before removing the cake, run a butter knife (preferably a plastic one if you are working with a nonstick coating that can be scratched) all along the edges to loosen the sides of the cake. 
• If, after all of the above, your cake seems stuck, try reheating just the outside of the cake pan for a few minutes. I do this by placing it on a heating pad or a towel that has been dampened with hot water. The heat applied to the outside of the pan helps to create some separation between the metal and the cake itself. 

How to Store 

Refrigerating. To keep your frosted carrot cake fresh, I suggest covering it and refrigerating. With its moist texture, this cake can last up to a week, unlike other cakes that dry out more quickly. 

Freezing. Wrap each individual slice of vegan carrot cake tightly in plastic wrap (this will be easier to do if the cake is chilled in the fridge first) and place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Thawing. When you’re ready to eat your frozen carrot cake, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator until soft.