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Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe With Cream Cheese Frosting

Rich, lightly spiced, moist vegan carrot cake with a tender crumb, brimming with grated carrots, juicy raisins, finished with a luxurious layer of vegan cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time
12 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Cooling Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 17 mins
Servings: 12 (Makes a two layer 9-inch cake)
Calories: 316 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt or applesauce
  • ½ cup canola oil sunflower oil, or vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup coconut sugar brown sugar, or palm sugar
  • 3 cups shredded carrot packed
  • ⅔ cup hunza raisins or regular raisins
optional, but strongly encouraged:
  • 1 cup pineapple diced
  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup pecans
  • 3 ½ cups Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). For the easiest-to-remove cake, cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of two 9-inch cake pans. Then, grease the bottom and sides of the pan with any neutral-tasting oil of your preference.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plant-based yogurt or applesauce, plant milk of your choice of oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract until well combined. 
  3. Sift together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar in a separate bowl. 
  4. With a rubber spatula, mix together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a denser cake.
  5. Fold in the shredded carrots, raisins, and, if using, the diced pineapple, shredded coconut, and chopped nuts into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout.
  6. Divide the batter into the two prepared cake pans, smoothing the top with a spatula.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The exact time can vary based on whether you mix all of the extra goodies into the batter, so start checking a few minutes early to ensure the cake does not overbake.
  8. Once done, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. When the cake is completely cool, use a serrated knife to evenly trim off the rounded dry “skin” on the top of each layer. Spread the vegan cream cheese frosting between the layers, over the top and sides, with a knife or offset spatula, creating a smooth or decorative pattern as desired.
  10. If you like, you can garnish the frosted cake with additional nuts, shredded coconut, a little dusting of cinnamon, or carrot shreds.

Notes

  • 🌪️ Be Gentle With Me: 
  • 🌪️
  • Gently fold them in when adding carrots, raisins, and extras to the batter. This method keeps the batter well-structured with less developed gluten for a more delicate, nicely crumbed cake.
  • 🚪 Oven Door Discipline: 
  • 🚪
  • Avoid opening the oven door too often. Frequent temperature changes can make your cake fall or bake unevenly. Patience is key to a perfect bake.
  • ❄️Cool It: 
  • ❄️
  • Wait for the cake to completely cool before frosting. Applying frosting to a warm cake will cause it to melt and look sad and sloppy.

Nutrition Information

Calories 316kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 46g (15%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 6g Trans Fat 0.04g Sodium 382mg (16%) Potassium 197mg (6%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 5386IU (108%) Vitamin C 11mg (12%) Calcium 86mg (9%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12(Makes a two layer 9-inch cake)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 316

% Daily Value*

Calories 316kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 46g 15%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 0.04g 2%
Sodium 382mg 16%
Potassium 197mg 4%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 13g 26%
Vitamin A 5386IU 108%
Vitamin C 11mg 12%
Calcium 86mg 9%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.