Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe
Description
The Vegan Carrot Cake recipe uses grated carrots as the base, combined with sweeteners like maple syrup and sugar and oil for moisture. Lemon juice and vanilla add brightness and aroma. Flaxseed meal and apple puree act as vegan binders, while chopped carrots and ginger contribute extra texture and flavor. The dry ingredients include a balance of whole wheat and white flour, baking powder, baking soda, and warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger, complemented by chopped walnuts and currants for added chewiness and crunch.
Baking creates a dense yet moist loaf with a balanced sweet-spice profile, and the included cashew vanilla frosting made from soaked cashews, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla offers a rich, dairy-free topping that contrasts nicely with the spiced cake.
This carrot cake bread works well as a wholesome breakfast or snack and benefits from cooling before slicing to maintain shape. Adjusting carrot quantity allows altering moisture and texture, tailoring to preference.
Ingredients
Wet:
- 2 cups carrots loosely packed, grated or shredded
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup sugar i use a mix of regular and brown sugar. Add 2 tbsp more for sweeter
- 1/4 cup neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp flax seed meal
- 1/2 apple small or 1/4 cup chopped or 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1/3-1/2 cup carrot chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger optional, fresh
- 1/2 cup water or use orange juice, or non dairy milk
Dry:
- 2 cups flour I use 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup unbleached white
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cardamom or more
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup walnuts chopped
- 1/3 cup currants or raisins
Cashew Vanilla Frosting:
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked 1 hour or overnight
- 3-4 tbsp water
- 1/8-1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice or more
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tsp coconut flour
Instructions
- Prepare your pan for baking by lining with parchment or greasing and dusting with flour. Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F / 180ºc.
- Grate or shred the carrots and transfer to a bowl. Add the maple, sugar, oil, lemon, vanilla and mix well. Let sit for 2 mins.
- Meanwhile Blend the flax, apples, chopped carrots, ginger with water until pureed. Add to the carrot bowl and mix well.
- In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients until well combined. Transfer to the wet and mix until there are no dry flour streaks. Fold in the nuts and currants. The mixture should be a stiff-ish batter. If the batter is too wet/moist (depends on the carrots), add 1 to 2 tbsp more flour and mix in.
- Drop the thick batter into prepared loaf pan. Even it out on the top.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the toothpick from the center comes out almost clean. Cool for 15 mins and remove from the pan. Cool for atleast another 10 minutes before slicing.
- Frosting: Blend the soaked cashews with water, salt, lemon, sugar and vanilla. Blend until smooth. (I use a nutri bullet small blender).Taste and adjust lemon, sweet and salt and blend. Add a 1/4 tsp white vinegar for stronger sour flavor. Add some cinnamon for a cinnamony frosting. If the mixture is runny, add 1 tsp coconut flour and blend it. Add more coconut flour if needed to get the desired consistency. Spread the frosting over the cake.
Notes
- For a less moist and more airy loaf, reduce grated carrots to 1.5 cups and omit the apple.
- To make gluten-free, substitute dry ingredients with those from a gluten-free pumpkin loaf recipe and add oats and chia seeds to hold the bread together.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 540 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 540kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 84g | 28% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Sodium | 329mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 755mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 39g | 78% |
| Vitamin A | 8315IU | 166% |
| Vitamin C | 5.4mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 161mg | 16% |
| Iron | 3.1mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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