The Best Vegan Carrot Cake

If you are looking for a perfect vegan carrot cake recipe, this is it!  I’ve made this carrot cake countless times for birthdays, holidays, and I even used this recipe to bake my own vegan wedding cake.  It always bakes up moist and delicious with just the right amount of spices.  You can use it to make cupcakes, sheet cakes or sturdy layered cakes.  Top it with my homemade vegan cream cheese frosting or vegan buttercream for a truly authentic carrot cake.

This recipe has no strange or hard to find ingredients, just simple things you can buy at your local grocery store.  You can add nuts or raisins if you would like, or just leave them out for a simple cake.

You’ll LOVE this carrot cake recipe because it’s …

• dairy-free, egg-free, and can easily be made gluten-free and nut-free too.
• moist, yet firm enough to hold up in layered cakes.
• simple and easy to make.
• made with every-day ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store.

What you will need to make a vegan carrot cake and why:

Tools:

• A Cheese Grater or Food Processor – to chop up or grate the carrots into very small pieces.
• A Large Mixing Bowl – to mix everything.
• Cake Pans – to bake the cakes in.  You can make it in 9-inch rounds, a 9 X 11 sheet cake, or even cupcakes.

Ingredients:

• Carrots – chopped or shredded into small pieces.
• Flour – for the base of the cake.  Any gluten-free flour mix will work well.
• Baking Soda – to help your cake rise.
• Baking Powder – to help your cake rise.
• Salt– for flavor.
• Cinnamon – for flavor.
• Nutmeg and Ginger or Pumpkin Pie Spice – You can use 1/2 nutmeg and 1/2 ginger or a pumpkin spice mix to make it easier.  You can also use freshly grated ginger to give it that extra punch of flavor.
• Brown Sugar – to sweeten the cake.  You can also use half brown and half white or use coconut sugar or Sucanat instead.
• Plant-Based Milk – for moisture and add some protein.  I usually use soy, but almond, rice, coconut, or oat milk all work well too.
• Vanilla Extract – for flavor.
• Oil – to make it moist.  You can use any neutral flavored oil that you would like.  You can also swap out 1/2 of the oil for apple sauce or crushed pineapple if you would like a lower fat option.
• Frosting – Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting or my homemade Vegan Buttercream Frosting work best, but you can also make it easy and use store-bought frosting – most varieties of Pillsbury and Duncan Hines are vegan. 

How to make an easy vegan carrot cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare your cake pans by rubbing them with oil and then dusting a little flour on the oil.  You can also line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper.
3. Chop or grate the carrots into small pieces and set them aside.
4. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices to a large bowl.
5. In a smaller bowl, mix the brown sugar, plant milk, vanilla, and oil then stir with a whisk.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a whisk.
7. Add the chopped carrots and beat with a whisk again for about 30 seconds until everything is incorporated. Don’t over mix the batter.  (Add nuts and raisins at this time if you choose.)
8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans filling them about 3/4 of the way full to leave plenty of room for them to rise.
9. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted it the center comes out clean.
10. Allow cooling on a rack for about 15-20 minutes before inverting to remove the cake from the pans, and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
11. Frost with my homemade vegan cream cheese frosting or my vegan buttercream frosting.

Pro Tips for making a perfect cake:

• Use a food processor to chop your carrots to save time and effort – and keep your hand from hurting from all that grating.
• Be sure to preheat your oven and don’t put the cake in until it has reached 350° F.
• Grease your cake pans before adding the batter.  If you reduce the amount of oil in this recipe, be sure to line the bottom of the pan with parchment as well. 
• Be sure to chop the carrots up into very small pieces.  You don’t want a big chunk of carrot in your cake.
• Bake your cake until it dry on the top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow your cakes to cool completely before frosting.
• Note: This will make two 9-inch round cakes or 24 cupcakes.  You can easily cut the recipe in half if you need less.

How to make a sheet pan carrot cake:

• Use a 12 X 18-inch sheet pan to bake the cake. 
• Pour all of the cake batter into an oiled and lightly floured sheet pan.
• Bake at 325°F for 45 -50 minutes until the top is dry to the touch and springs back up when pressed slightly. 
• Let cool completely and frost in the pan.

For carrot cupcakes:  (Yields 24 cupcakes)

• Pour the batter into cupcake liners that have been placed in a muffin tin.
• Bake at 375°F for about 22 minutes until the top is dry to the touch and springs back up when pressed slightly.
• Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Should I add nuts and/or raisins to the carrot cake?

It’s really up to you.  If I make this for a party or for kids who may be a little picky, then I just leave it plain.  If I know that the people I’m sharing it with like nuts and raisins, then I add them.

What type of frosting should I use?

For a classic carrot cake, use my authentic tasting vegan cream cheese frosting recipe.  If you want a lighter fluffier frosting that works well for piping and decorating, use my classic vegan buttercream frosting recipe.  (When I use the buttercream frosting, I usually make it in the cinnamon flavor.)

How can I make this recipe gluten-free?

You simply need to swap out the flour for a gluten-free flour mix.  I have made it with many different brands over the years and they all work well.  If the mix doesn’t contain xanthan gum, you can add 1 tsp of xanthan gum to help it bind together better. 

How I made a vegan wedding cake with this recipe…

When my husband and I got married 17 years ago, it was nearly impossible to find a vegan wedding cake, so I decided that I would bake my own.  I knew that this carrot cake recipe never failed me, so I was sure that it would work well.  I rented 3 large cake pans from my local cake store and baked 3 incremental sizes of these very large cakes a week before the wedding and then froze them.  On the morning of the wedding, I assembled the cake on a stand, frosted them while still frozen, and topped them with fruit and sugar.  By the evening, the cake was perfectly thawed. (It costs about $75 to make a cake that served 70 people – that included the cake pan rental and cake stand which I bought).

This cake has been a favorite in my house for over 20 years and I’m sure it will be a favorite in yours too!  I’ve made it in just about every form, with both regular and gluten-free flour.  It always bakes up perfectly and everyone loves it.

Want to make your carrot cake into a fun shape for Easter?  Make it into an easy 3D bunny cake – It’s super easy and I give you step by step instructions!

Some more vegan cakes that you may like…

• Vegan Vanilla Cake
• Super Easy Vegan Soda Cake
• The Best Gluten-Fre Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
• Vegan Angel Food Cake

Be sure to follow me on Instagram for daily vegan inspiration and recipe ideas!  Tag me at #thehiddenveggies!  I love to see what you made too! Connect with me on Facebook and Pinterest too!

5 from 1 vote

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Vegan Carrot Cake

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

A classic carrot cake made without eggs or dairy.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free carrot cake, egg-free carrot cake, vegan carrot cake

Servings: 16

Calories: 462 kcal

Author: Monica Davis | The Hidden Veggies

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 3 1/4 cup flour use any gluten-free flour mix if needed and add 1 tsp of xanthan gum if the mix doesn't contain any.
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp grated ginger
• 2 cups brown sugar or 1 cup white and 1 cup brown sugar. You can also use coconut sugar or Sucanat.
• 1 1/2 cup plant-based milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup Oil any neutral-flavored oil will work. Make it lower fat by using 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup apple sauce or crushed pineapple.

To frost the cake:

• 3 cups Frosting

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare your cake pans by rubbing them with oil and then dusting a little flour on the oil.  You can also line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper.
3. Chop or grate the carrots into small pieces and set them aside.
4. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices to a large bowl.

5. In a smaller bowl, mix the brown sugar, plant milk, vanilla, and oil then stir with a whisk.

6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a whisk.

7. Add the chopped carrots and beat with a whisk again for about 30 seconds until everything is incorporated. Don't over mix the batter.  (Add nuts and raisins at this time if you choose.)

8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans filling them about 3/4 of the way full to leave plenty of room for them to rise.
9. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted it the center comes out clean.
10. Allow cooling on a rack for about 15-20 minutes before inverting to remove the cake from the pans, and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
11. Frost with my homemade vegan cream cheese frosting or my vegan buttercream frosting.

Recipe Notes

• Be sure to preheat your oven and don't put the cake in until it has reached 350 degrees F.
• Grease your cake pans before adding the batter.  If you reduce the amount of oil in this recipe, be sure to line the bottom of the pan with parchment as well. 
• Be sure to chop the carrots up into very small pieces.  You don't want a big chunk of carrot in your cake.
• Bake your cake until it dry on the top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow your cakes to cool completely before frosting.
• Note: This will make two 9-inch round cakes or 24 cupcakes.  You can easily cut the recipe in half if you need less.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Carrot Cake

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 462 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 728mg32%

Potassium 296mg8%

Carbohydrates 84g28%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 57g63%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 4765IU95%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 140mg14%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.