This easy vegan carrot cake is a true marvel – effortlessly prepared, yet captivating enough to command attention as the undisputed star of your Easter celebration. Its rich flavor and moist texture will leave your guests utterly surprised that it’s completely plant-based!
Hello, fellow food enthusiasts!
What a joyous new week it is! It’s genuinely hard to believe that we’re already deep into Spring, with Easter just on the horizon. Doesn’t it always feel like it sneaks up on us every single year?
And speaking of things that are hard to believe, this very blog is celebrating its third anniversary this April! Three wonderful years have passed since I first started sharing my culinary adventures and cherished recipes in this little corner of the internet. What better way to mark such a special occasion than with a delicious, celebratory cake?
Your Go-To Easy Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe for Any Occasion
With Easter mere weeks away, I couldn’t think of a more perfect time to share this incredibly easy vegan carrot cake recipe. After all, a delicious carrot cake is practically synonymous with Easter festivities, isn’t it? Beyond its seasonal appeal, this recipe also fills a noticeable gap in my collection – a classic carrot cake! (However, if carrot cake isn’t quite what you’re craving, my Vegan White Chocolate Cake with Blood Orange Curd is another fantastic option for your holiday table.)
What truly sets this particular vegan carrot cake apart is its remarkable simplicity coupled with its undeniable ability to impress. You only need a handful of common ingredients, two mixing bowls, and an oven to create something truly spectacular. The magic lies in its exquisite flavor profile: tender, sweet grated carrots are perfectly blended with warming, aromatic spices, all crowned with a luscious, sweet, and wonderfully fluffy vegan cream cheese frosting. It’s a symphony of textures and tastes that will delight every palate.
Feel free to unleash your creativity when it comes to decorating and toppings – add chopped walnuts, pecans, or even a sprinkle of extra cinnamon. Alternatively, keep it elegantly simple with just the vanilla cream cheese frosting. No matter your chosen presentation, the cake’s irresistible flavor is guaranteed.
If you prefer a more casual, loaf-style treat, you might also enjoy this delicious Vegan Carrot Cake Loaf from the So Yummy Recipes blog.
Crafting the Perfect Vegan Carrot Cake: Key Ingredients Unveiled
Achieving a truly exceptional vegan cake, especially one as moist and tender as carrot cake, hinges on selecting the right plant-based binders to replace traditional eggs. In this recipe, I swear by applesauce. It’s an incredible alternative that not only provides essential structure but also imparts a natural sweetness and unparalleled moisture, working beautifully in nearly all vegan cake recipes. You’ll find my simple method for making homemade applesauce right in the recipe card notes – trust me, it’s worth the small effort!
Let’s break down the rest of our ingredients into their ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ counterparts for clarity. For the dry elements, we’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda for optimal lift, a pinch of salt to balance the flavors, and a fragrant blend of aromatic spices. My preferred mix includes ground cinnamon and mixed spice, but I encourage you to experiment with your favorite spice combinations – perhaps a touch of nutmeg, ginger, or allspice for added depth. The wet ingredients consist of freshly grated carrots (I often opt for organic carrots with their tops still attached, as those vibrant greens make for a beautiful, natural decoration on the finished cake), a light-flavored oil like olive oil (or any neutral vegetable oil), the aforementioned applesauce, and soft light brown sugar. While sugar is technically a ‘dry’ ingredient, its moist texture and role in the wet mixture make it an honorary ‘wet’ member here!
The star of the topping, our rich vegan cream cheese frosting, is a simple blend of vegan cream cheese, softened vegan butter or spread, a dash of vanilla paste for warmth, and powdered (icing) sugar. A crucial tip for the smoothest, lump-free frosting: ensure all these ingredients are at room temperature before you begin mixing. This prevents a grainy texture and guarantees a perfectly creamy consistency.
Homemade Applesauce: A Simple Secret for the Best Vegan Carrot Cake
Elevate your carrot cake with homemade applesauce. It’s incredibly easy and adds a fresh, natural sweetness that store-bought versions can’t match. Simply peel, core, and dice about 3 medium apples. Place them in a saucepan with 250ml (1 cup) of water. Add a ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 cloves, and ½ teaspoon of mixed spice for an extra layer of flavor that complements the carrot cake beautifully. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the apples are wonderfully soft. Then, mash them with a potato masher or blend them into a smooth puree using a hand blender. This homemade touch truly makes a difference in the final taste and moisture of your cake!
How to Bake Your Easy Vegan Carrot Cake: A Step-by-Step Journey
The beauty of this vegan carrot cake lies not just in its taste, but in its incredibly straightforward preparation method. It truly couldn’t be simpler!
- Prepare Your Dry Ingredients: Begin by preheating your oven to 170°C (fan) and lightly greasing and lining a 20 cm springform cake tin. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and mixed spice. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly to ensure they are evenly distributed.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate, equally large bowl, bring together your wet ingredients: the finely grated carrots, olive oil (or vegetable oil), applesauce, and soft light brown sugar. Stir them until well combined, making sure the sugar is mostly dissolved and everything is incorporated.
- Mix Wet and Dry: Gently add the dry flour mixture into the wet carrot mixture. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir until the ingredients are *just* combined. This is a crucial step! Like with any cake batter, avoid over-mixing, as this can lead to a dense, chewy texture rather than the light, moist crumb we’re aiming for. Stop mixing as soon as no pockets of dry flour remain.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the luscious cake batter into your prepared springform tin. Transfer it to the preheated oven and bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes. The cake is ready when it turns a beautiful golden brown on top, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and dry. If you notice the top browning too quickly, simply cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Cool Completely: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for about 10-15 minutes. This allows it to firm up slightly. Then, carefully release it from the tin and transfer it to a wire rack to cool down completely. This step is essential – frosting a warm cake will result in a runny, melted mess!
- Whip Up the Frosting: While the cake cools, prepare your vegan cream cheese frosting. In a clean bowl, combine the room-temperature vegan cream cheese, softened vegan butter, vanilla paste, and icing sugar. Beat these ingredients together with an electric mixer until the frosting is wonderfully light, fluffy, and smooth. If your frosting seems a little too runny, gradually add a tablespoon or two more icing sugar until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Frost and Enjoy: Once the cake is entirely cool, generously spread the creamy vegan frosting over the top. Decorate as desired, perhaps with some reserved carrot tops for a rustic touch, or a sprinkle of extra cinnamon. Then, slice, serve, and savor every delightful bite!
Tips for Baking the Best Vegan Carrot Cake Ever
- Choose Fresh, Sweet Carrots: The quality of your carrots makes a difference. Opt for fresh, sweet carrots, ideally organic, for the best flavor and moisture. Grate them finely to ensure they integrate seamlessly into the batter.
- Don’t Over-mix: This cannot be stressed enough! Over-mixing develops gluten in the flour, leading to a tough, rubbery cake. Mix only until the dry and wet ingredients are just combined.
- Room Temperature Frosting Ingredients: For a smooth, lump-free, and perfectly spreadable cream cheese frosting, ensure your vegan cream cheese and butter are at proper room temperature. This allows them to cream together beautifully.
- Cool Cake Completely: Patience is key! Frosting a warm cake will cause the frosting to melt and slide right off. Allow the cake to cool fully on a wire rack before applying any frosting.
- Experiment with Spices: While cinnamon and mixed spice are classic, don’t hesitate to add a pinch of nutmeg, ground ginger, or even a touch of cardamom for a unique flavor twist.
- Add-ins: For extra texture and flavor, feel free to fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, or ½ cup of raisins or dried cranberries into the batter before baking.
- Storage: Store your frosted vegan carrot cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The flavors often deepen beautifully overnight!
Frequently Asked Questions About Vegan Carrot Cake
Q: What makes this carrot cake vegan?
A: This carrot cake is vegan because it uses plant-based ingredients instead of animal products. Instead of eggs, we use applesauce as a binder and moistener. Dairy butter and cream cheese are replaced with vegan butter and vegan cream cheese for the frosting, making the entire cake completely dairy-free and egg-free.
Q: Can I use different oil for the cake?
A: Yes, absolutely! While olive oil provides a subtle richness, you can easily substitute it with other neutral-flavored vegetable oils such as canola oil, sunflower oil, or even melted coconut oil (ensure it’s cooled before mixing with wet ingredients) without significantly altering the cake’s taste or texture.
Q: How long does vegan carrot cake last, and how should I store it?
A: Once frosted, this vegan carrot cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting. It will stay fresh and delicious for about 3-4 days. Unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature for a day or two, or wrapped tightly and frozen for up to a month.
Q: Can I add nuts or raisins to this recipe?
A: Definitely! Carrot cake is wonderful with additional textures. Feel free to fold in about ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or raisins into the batter along with the dry ingredients. This will add an extra layer of flavor and delightful chewiness.
Q: Is it possible to make this cake gluten-free?
A: While this specific recipe calls for all-purpose flour, many readers have successfully adapted similar recipes using a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Ensure your blend contains xanthan gum or add ½ teaspoon per cup of flour for best results. Keep an eye on baking time as gluten-free cakes can sometimes bake a little quicker or slower.
As always, thank you so much for stopping by and reading today’s post! I truly hope you’ll give this incredibly easy and delicious vegan carrot cake recipe a try, and that you’ll love it as much as I do. Please remember to leave me a comment below with your thoughts and creations, and feel free to connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest! I adore seeing your culinary masterpieces.
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Easy Vegan Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 400 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 200 g grated carrots
- 180 ml olive oil (vegetable oil will also work)
- 250 g apple sauce (see recipe notes)
- 200 g soft light brown sugar
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 200 g vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
- 100 g vegan butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 200 g icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170 C (fan). Grease and line the springform cake tin (mine was 20 cm). In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices. In a separate large bowl, mix together grated carrots, olive oil or vegetable oil, apple sauce and brown sugar.
- Add the flour mixture to the carrot mix, and stir all together until just combined. Do not over-stir. Pour the mixture into prepared baking tin and bake in the oven for 50- 60 minutes, until golden brown or until skewer inserted n the middle comes out clean. Cool down for 10 minutes, then remove from the baking tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Beat all the ingredients together until light and fluffy. If the frosting feels too runny, add more icing sugar. Spread the frosting on top of the cake. Enjoy!
Please note that all my recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I recommend that you use digital scales for a more accurate results. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Notes
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