Carrot cake has always been one of my favorite desserts! This vegan carrot cake recipe doesn't hold out on the quintessential classic: it's light, moist, fluffy, and kinda healthy. Top it with vegan cream cheese frosting (recipe included) and you're headed for taste bud bliss. Plus this easy recipe does it all in just one bowl and a worry-free bundt pan!
What special ingredients do I need to make this vegan carrot cake?
- Egg Replacer - I used Vegan Egg by Follow Your Heart. It's not cheap, but I love it. If you can't find it locally, Amazon sells it. Most of the time I just use flax eggs in my recipes (1 tablespoon of ground flax to three Tbsp. cold water whisked together and set for 5 minutes) and some readers have used this substitute with good success.
- If you're going for the topping (and I totally recommend it!! YUM!) you'll also want vegan cream cheese and vegan stick margarine on hand.
Related recipe: Vegan Zucchini Muffins
How to make Vegan Carrot Cake:
Grab a large mixing bowl. Add non-dairy milk and vinegar and whisk together to create vegan buttermilk (Photo 1).
Add cold water and vegan egg powder and whisk together (Photos 2 & 3). Now add oil, applesauce, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and whisk together (Photos 4 & 5).
Add sugar, flour, and baking soda and baking powder on top (nested in the flour) (Photo 6). Mix all together until well combined (avoid over-mixing) (Photo 7).
Fold in raisins, finely shredded carrots, and chopped walnuts (Photo 8).
Thoroughly oil or pan-spray your bundt pan (don't forget the shaft especially!) and pour your carrot cake batter into it (Photo 9). Note: I do not recommend flouring your pan, only oil or pan-spray.
Bake at 350 degrees on the middle rack for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (Photo 10).
Related recipe: Vegan Lemon Quick Bread
Expert Cake tips:
After removing the carrot cake from the oven let it cool IN the Bundt pan for 10-15 minutes before trying to remove it. Then, using a blunt thin instrument such as a plastic knife, check to make sure the cake has loosened from the pan on all sides, including the shaft. You can also give the cake a bit of a shake sideways to see if it's loosened up.
Place a wire rack over the surface of the pan and flip pan and rack over together to remove the cake from the pan and onto the wire cooling rack (Photo 11). Let the cake cool while you prepare the vegan cream cheese frosting.
No carrot cake is complete without cream cheese frosting and this vegan cream cheese frosting absolutely takes this cake to a WHOLE new level of amazing. Simply in love!
More vegan baking recipes: Vegan Sticky Buns with Apples
How to make Vegan Cream Cheese frosting:
- Let your vegan stick margarine and vegan cream cheese rest at room temperature while you're baking the cake (Photo 12).
- Beat together vegan margarine and vegan cream cheese, then add vanilla, and powdered sugar (Photo 13.)
- Beat everything together until smooth (Photo 14).
- Try to avoid eating all the frosting while waiting for the cake to cool!!
- Spread the cream cheese frosting on the cake once it is mostly cooled. I usually like the cake to be still slightly warm, so that the frosting cascades down the sides in a most irresistible way! Start at the crest of the bundt shape adding a little at a time until you've got it all on there! If it's dripping too fast (maybe the cake is too hot or the frosting too warm) just put either the cake or the icing (or both) in the refrigerator for a few minutes to cool a bit.
- Garnish with a few chopped walnuts.
- Place your finished vegan carrot cake into the refrigerator for at least half an hour to set the icing. Then serve!!
How long does Vegan Carrot Cake last?
You can keep your carrot cake in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can I freeze Vegan Carrot Cake?
Freeze any left-over vegan carrot cake in a covered container for up to three months. The icing may not look quite as pretty after being frozen and thawed but it will still taste fabulous!
Hope you enjoy making this Vegan Carrot Cake! You may also enjoy:
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Recipe
Best Vegan Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Vegan buttermilk, mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar with non-dairy milk to make vegan buttermilk
- 3 Vegan eggs, 6 tbsp. Vegan Egg by Follow Your Heart and ¾ C. Cold water
- ½ cup Applesauce
- ½ cup Canola oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cup Sugar, organic if you prefer
- 2 cup All purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 2 cup Finely shredded carrot, not packed
- 1 cup Coarsely chopped walnuts
- ½ cup Raisins
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ¼ cup Vegan cream cheese
- 3 tablespoon stick margarine, or vegan butter, I used earth balance
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¾ cup Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350.
- In a medium sized bowl whisk non-dairy milk and vinegar together to make vegan buttermilk.
- Add Vegan egg and water (or other egg substitute if preferred). Whisk again.
- Now add applesauce, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Whisk well.
- Add sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until incorporated but do not over mix.
- Fold in shredded carrots, walnuts, raisins.
- Grease your bundt pan well with oil or pan spray. (I do NOT recommend flouring the pan.) All sides, especially middle shaft. Pour mixture in and bake for approx, 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Place bundt pan on cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before attempting to remove cake from pan. Use plastic knife or other slim non-sharp object to ensure separation of cake from pan. Be sure to do this around middle shaft. Shake pan from side to side to see if loosened. Place wire cooling rack overtop of bundt pan and flip carefully. Voila!!
- Let cake cool on wire rack for 30-60 minutes or until mostly cool before attempting to frost.
Making the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cake is baking, let vegan cream cheese and margarine soften at room temperature.
- Beat vegan cream cheese and margarine together. Add vanilla extract and whip with confectioner sugar until smooth.
- Pour or spoon frosting over the (mostly cooled) cake and add extra chopped walnuts for garnish if desired. Place in the refrigerator for a few moments to set the frosting. Serve and decor!
Pamela
Any thought on making this gluten free?
Jennifer Luing
We made this for Easter, and OMG, it was PERFECT. This is a keeper recipe 🥰 Thank you for this!
Kate
This would be great as cupcakes! I haven't tried, but start with 18-20 minutes and check regularly to make sure you don't overbake them.
Wendy Garcia
Can i use coconut oil or avocado oil ?
Kate
I haven't tried, but yes, that should work! Melt the coconut butter first so it's liquid just like the vegetable oils.