Our vegan carrot cake is an easy-to-make one-layer cake with simple ingredients you already have in your pantry.
You’ll love this recipe because you can put it together with little effort; it’s perfectly moist, tender, and packed with flavor thanks to the carrots, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
You can have this vegan carrot cake with or without our vegan cream cheese frosting, plus the recipe has less oil and sugar than most online recipes. Try it, and you’ll never bake any other carrot cake again!
![Carrot cake with frosting and walnuts](https://theplantbasedschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Carrot-cake-with-frosting-1.jpg)
Table of Contents
Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet. It’s low on cholesterol and saturated fats.
Don’t have time to read the full blog post? JUMP TO RECIPE HERE!
What is Vegan Carrot Cake?
Like our other delicious vegan dessert recipes, vegan carrot cake does not contain eggs, butter, or milk.
Don’t be put off by the “vegan” in the title.
We carefully developed this recipe to be the easiest, tastiest, most delicious carrot cake you’ll ever bake.
Our readers love this recipe because there are no complicated steps, no layers to build, and, most importantly, no unusual or strange-tasting vegan ingredients.
And like with most vegan cake recipes – think of our viral apple cake, zucchini bread, banana bread, and blueberry muffins, the secret to making a rich, flavor-packed, soft, and perfectly moist vegan carrot cake is getting the correct ratio of liquids, flour, carrots, and spices.
To do that, we tested this cake more than 50 times over the years and are thrilled to share this recipe with you.
Thanks to your feedback, we tried it with different oils and without oil.
The cake turns out beautifully with olive and avocado oil, and you can substitute apple sauce for oil to make it oil-free.
Similarly, we tested different sugar amounts as some of you prefer less sweet cakes.
And yes; you can cut the sugar in this recipe in half for a less sweet cake.
Finally, you can bake the cake in a square, round, or rectangular pan, in a muffin pan or in a donut pan.
It will be delicious no matter the shape.
You can serve vegan carrot cake as is or topped with our creamy and zesty vegan cream cheese and lemon frosting; the same one you loved on our vegan cinnamon rolls.
Vegan carrot cake video
Ingredients and Substitutions for Vegan Carrot Cake
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Carrots
For the moistest vegan carrot cake, peel whole carrots and grate at home.
Pre-grated carrots are a good option if you are trying to save a few minutes, but they are often dryer than home-grated carrots and can negatively affect the moisture content of the cake.
You can grate the carrots with the small holes of a box grater or a food processor with a grating disc attachment.
Medium to finely grated carrots are best as they almost melt in the batter and are more pleasant to eat than coarsely grated ones.
Flour
Use all-purpose flour for the best results.
You can also use half-all-purpose and half-whole wheat flour.
The whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor to the cake, but it makes it slightly less moist.
We haven’t tried gluten-free flour, but some of our readers did so successfully and shared their learning in the comment section below.
Spices
We add cinnamon, grated nutmeg, freshly grated ginger, and allspice.
Clove is optional.
Baking powder
It helps the cake rise and makes it lighter and less compact.
Baking soda
A small amount of baking soda is optional, but it improves the carrot cake’s texture, making it even lighter.
There’s no need to add apple cider vinegar.
Salt
A pinch of salt brings out the flavor of the other ingredients, especially the spices.
If you are on a low-sodium diet, omit the salt.
Brown Sugar
We like to use brown cane sugar to add the right amount of moisture and sweetness.
White sugar works well, too.
You can use coconut sugar or date paste if you don’t want regular sugar.
If you do so, remember that the cake will be less sweet, moister, and with a more natural taste.
Non-Dairy Milk
Almond milk is our favorite in carrot cake, but any other plant milk would work, including soy milk, rice milk, hazelnut milk, cashew milk, and oat milk.
Olive oil
We tested this vegan carrot cake with most oils, and it works with all of them.
Our favorites are olive oil (not extra virgin olive oil) and avocado oil.
Substitute sunflower oil, canola oil, or any other vegetable oil for olive oil.
You could replace oil with melted coconut oil or vegan butter, but they make the cake heavier, so we don’t recommend them.
Make it oil-free by substituting applesauce for the oil.
Vanilla extract
Optional, although always welcome. It adds a warm flavor to the carrot cake.
Walnuts
It’s optional, but we recommend adding some chopped or food-processed walnuts.
You can replace walnuts with pecan nuts or any other nut.
Raisins
It’s optional, but add some natural sweetness to the cake and make it delicious.
Note: there is no need for flax eggs in this vegan carrot cake.
Vegan Cream Cheese and Lemon Frosting
The cake is delicious with or without vegan cream cheese frosting, and we often make it without.
However, if you want the most flavorful and indulgent sweet treat, try it with our delicious vegan cream cheese frosting.
It’s made by whisking together:
- vegan butter
- vegan cream cheese
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- lemon zest or lime zest.
Note: different countries have different brands of dairy-free cream cheese. In the US, some good ones are VioLife, Kite Hill, Daya, or store brands like Aldi and Trader Joe’s. In Europe, we use VioLife and Simply V.
Equipment
This cake bakes best in an 8-inch square baking pan (20 x 20 cm).
You’ll get the moistest and tastiest cake with a soft crumb.
It also comes out well in a 9-inch square baking pan (23 x 23), in a 9-inch round cake pan (23 cm), or an 11×7-inch rectangular baking dish (28 x 18 cm).
You can also make it in a muffin, donut, and cupcake pan, reducing the cooking time to 20 to 25 minutes.
How to Make Vegan Carrot Cake
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
1. Grate the carrots
Preheat the oven to 340°F or 170°C.
Butter the sides of your cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Wash and peel the carrots, then grate them with the small holes of a box grater or a food processor with a grating attachment.
Set aside.
Tip: finely grated carrots melt in the batter as the cake cooks, releasing moisture and carrot flavor evenly, making the cake perfectly moist and delicious.
2. Make the cake batter
To a large mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, grated nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Whisk the dry ingredients until well combined.
Now add non-dairy milk (we use almond milk), olive oil, vanilla extract, and grated ginger.
Stir with a spoon or spatula until barely combined (15 seconds).
Don’t over-mix it. The batter should be pretty dense.
Tip: overmixing at this stage will activate the gluten in the flour, making your cake denser and less tender.
We do not recommend using an electric mixer for this recipe.
Fold in grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins.
Tip: chop the walnuts with a knife or pulse them in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
The batter should be pretty thick as the carrots release moisture while baking.
3. Bake the vegan carrot cake
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake in the oven at 340°F or 170C for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
Let the vegan carrot cake cool down in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it onto a wire rack and cool down completely, or for about 2 to 3 hours.
4. Add the frosting
Frosting is optional.
To a bowl, add vegan butter, softened at room temperature, the grated zest of one lemon, and the vanilla extract.
Whisk with a hand mixer until the butter is creamy.
Add the vegan cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer until combined.
Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
Store it in the fridge to set if you don’t apply it to the cake immediately.
Tip: you can add between 1 and 4 cups of powdered sugar based on your taste. We like it with 1 cup of powdered sugar.
When the cake has cooled down, spread the frosting on top, slice it into squares, and enjoy.
Optionally, you can garnish with chopped walnuts, pistachios, or coconut flakes on top.
Variations
Italian carrot and orange cake
Follow our Italian carrot cake recipe and try a surprisingly easy, zesty carrot and orange cake.
This one is extra moist and packed with flavor.
Plus, you can make it without effort by mixing all ingredients in a blender. We love it!
Carrot cake cupcakes or muffins
Transfer the vegan carrot cake batter to a 12-piece muffin pan and bake in a preheated oven at 340°F or 170°C for 20 to 25 minutes.
You can serve them for breakfast as they are or apply frosting for an indulgent snack or dessert.
Carrot cake donuts
Aren’t they cute? You need donut molds, fill them, and bake them at 340°F or 170°C for about 20 minutes.
You can use this vegan carrot cake recipe or our Italian carrot cake recipe for these little ones. They are cute and delicious.
Tips
Oil: We recommend olive or avocado oil because they are healthier than most other oils, but you can substitute any other vegetable oil for olive oil.
Oil-free: Substitute apple sauce in the same amount.
Sugar: You reduce the sugar by half and still get a delicious carrot cake.
Grating the carrots: Make sure the carrots are grated with small or medium holes in a food processor or with a box grater.
Baking time: Depending on your oven, It will take 45 to 55 minutes.
Check at the 45-minute mark by inserting a skewer in the center. If the skewer comes out mostly dry, the cake is ready.
Let it cool down: Carrot cake needs cooling at room temperature for at least 2 to 3 hours before you can apply the frosting and slice it.
The cake will be even tastier the next day as the flavors have time to meld and develop.
Questions
You can substitute milk, dairy-free milk, yogurt, dairy-free yogurt, or applesauce for eggs in carrot cake.
What’s most important is to get the ratio of dry and wet ingredients right.
Follow our recipe to make a delicious vegan carrot cake with simple ingredients.
Vegan cakes rise thanks to baking powder, or in some cases, cream of tartar, a natural alternative to baking powder.
Ensure your baking powder is fresh and hasn’t been sitting in your pantry open for too long.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make Ahead: Vegan carrot cake is an excellent recipe to make ahead as it keeps well for days and freezes well. The cake tastes even better one day after it’s made.
Room temperature: Store the vegan carrot cake without frosting at room temperature under a cake dome or in a food-grade plastic bag for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator: If you apply the frosting, store the cake in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Let the vegan carrot cake cool down completely, transfer it into a freezer-friendly bag, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving it. Freezing without frosting is easiest. You can also cut the cake before freezing it.
More Vegan Cakes
- Easy vanilla cake
- Vegan Apple cake
- Pear cake
- Orange cake
- Vegan lemon cake
- Lemon blueberry pound cake
- Lemon pound cake
Vegan Quick Breads
Breakfast
Vegan Banana Bread
Breakfast
Vegan Zucchini Bread
Breakfast
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Desserts
Lemon blueberry pound cake
Vegan Muffins
- Vegan apple muffins
- Sweet potato muffins
- Zucchini muffins
- Blueberry muffins
- Vegan pumpkin muffins
- Oat flour muffins
- Vegan banana muffins
- Lemon muffins
Breakfast
Vegan Apple Muffins
Desserts
Zucchini Muffins
Breakfast
Vegan Blueberry Muffins
Breakfast
Sweet Potato Muffins
Vegan Carrot Cake
Equipment
- Box grater with small holes or food processor with grating disk attachment.
- 8-Inch square baking pan (20 cm) or 9-Inch square baking pan (23 cm), 9-Inch round cake pan (23 cm), or 11×7 rectangular baking dish (28 x 18 cm).
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon all spice optional
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk we use almond milk
- ⅓ cup olive oil or another vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 2½ cups carrots finely grated
ADD-INS
- ¾ cup walnuts chopped or pulsed in food processor
- ½ cup raisins
FROSTING
- 2 ounces vegan butter diced and softened at room temperature
- ½ lemon the grated zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces vegan cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
GRATE THE CARROTS
- Preheat oven to 340°F or 170°C. Butter the sides of your pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Peel, then grate 2½ cups carrots with a food processor with grating disk attachment or with the small holes of a box grater. Set aside.
MAKE THE CAKE BATTER
- To a large bowl, add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 3 teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon all spice, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ⅛ teaspoon salt.Whisk well.
- To the same bowl, add ¾ cup dairy-free milk, ⅓ cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 inch ginger (peeled and grated), and stir with a spoon/spatula until barely combined. Don't overmix it. Batter should be pretty thick.
- Fold in the grated carrots, ¾ cup walnuts (chopped), and ½ cup raisins.
- The batter should be pretty thick as the carrots release moisture while baking.
BAKE THE VEGAN CARROT CAKE
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.Bake at 340°F or 170°C for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
- Let cool down in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it onto a wire rack and cool down completely, or for about 2 to 3 hours.
FROSTING
- Add 2 ounces vegan butter (softened at room temperature), ½ lemon (the grated zest), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to a bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until creamy.
- Add 4 ounces vegan cream cheese and beat until combined, then add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Apply frosting on top of the carrot cake, cut into squares and enjoy. You can garnish with crushed walnuts.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Followed recipe but used powdered ginger, cake & frosting were so delicious, will definitely make again! Thank you!
Fantastic, Bruno” I’m very happy you enjoyed the cake 💪
Kindest,
Louise
I made it with Hazelnut oil (healthier than Canola) and I used Date sugar.
Thank you
This was the best vegan carrot cake recipe. I made it for my husband’s birthday and everyone loved it alot. I didn’t add ginger coz i didn’t have it but still it was the best. It’s our new favourite cake. Thank you recipe creators 🥕🍰🧁😍🤤😋
Wonderful, Dhruvi!! I’m super happy your family liked the carrot cake.
Thank you so much for your kind message.
All the best,
Louise
Easy and gorgeous. I made it for a friend’s birthday party and everyone loved. I am not a skilled cake maker. But this came out perfectly. In the printed version it would be helpful to mention the walnuts more prominently in the ingredients. Also some advice to people who make this – After you put the grated carrot aside don’t forget about it! I had the cake the oven and was beginning to clear up when I found the bowl of gated carrots still waiting to be added., So got it out of the oven, out of the baking tin, back into the mixing bowl, mixed in the carrots and back into the tin, then back into the oven. And it still worked brilliantly.
Hi Pam,
That’s fantastic- I’m so happy you managed to save the cake, what a dramatic baking session! 😉
Thanks for your tips, Pam, and for taking the time to leave a comment. We highly appreciate it.
All the best, Louise
This recipe is so good! The cake turned out very delicious and it was easy to make it!
Hi Nancy,
I’m so delighted you liked the carrot cake, and that is was easy to make!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, and have a wonderful week ahead.
Kindest,
Louise
So many thanks for this recipe. I am sensitive to eggs and have been unable to eat dairy my entire life. My husband loves to bake but in the conventional way. He finally said that a vegan dessert was “very good”. I can’t thank you all enough for posting recipes that are easy and actually taste great. Thanks so much again.
Hi Mandi-Lee,
I’m so happy that you and your husband enjoyed baking and eating the carrot cake 🙂
Thank YOU for following along, it’s our absolute pleasure to have you here.
Have a wonderful weekend when you get there.
All the best,
Louise
Just made this cake here in Montreal, but with gluten free modifications (used 100gr of Bob’s 1:1 flour, 50gr oat bran, 50gr brown rice flour, and to the wet I added 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and for the frosting I used Earth Own cream cheese) and it was fabulous! Thank you! Hope to see more recipe videos on YouTube xoxo
Hi Victoria! I’m so happy to hear that you liked the carrot cake – especially with the gluten-free changes. Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment!!
Oh, we’re on YT 5x a week now, but under a new name: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4pEAoO0u3xM7HKNdtwliiA
Cheers, Nico
Could I use all gluten free oat flour? The same amount that’s listen? Might this work with zuchinni instead or carrots?
Hi Marisa, thanks for your comment. We haven’t tried making the carrot cake with oat flour, but one reader made it before and liked the result (while stating that it was a more compact cake).
As for zucchini, we haven’t tested this ingredient, please let us know how it turns out for you is you test this. Have a wonderful Monday. Kindest, Louise
Thanks! I don’t see that comment. Do you know how much oat Flour they used ?
Hi Is the cake baked at 170C in a fan oven or a normal oven?
Hi Georgina,
We bake the cake at 170°C normal oven 🙂
*****Hiiii. All the way from Namibia! We loved the cake. But was womdering if i can cut down on the amount of sugar? Will
It effect the bake?
Ps.
I wanna give 5stars but my phone screen just womt let me tap!
Thanks for the message Jamie-Lee 🙂
Yes you can use half the sugar if you wish (that’s 1/2 cup or 100 grams). The cake will be less sweet and less moist.
Maybe start reducing down to 3/4 cup or 150 grams and see if you like that 🙂
Hope this helps.
All the best,
Nico
Hi there!I’m baking my way through your amazingly delicious and easy to follow dessert recipes. I have just made the carrot cake for the first time and am absolutely delighted with how perfectly it turned out. The step by step guide helps enormously and the handy tips are so useful. I’m not a natural baker and have always lacked confidence in this area of culinary skill Now I’m creating perfect apple cakes, lemon tarts, chocolate cakes and incredible custards!
Thank you for this treasure trove of vegan recipes!
Hi Rebecca! Thanks so much for coming back and leaving a comment, that makes us so happy to hear! I’m delighted you liked the carrot cake and the step-by-step guide. It sounds like you’re becoming quite the professional baker with that list of recipes, I’m impressed! Well done, and thanks for your support – it means a lot to us.
Take care, Nico.
Hi there! This recipe looks great! Not too many ingredients either. Questions: could i use olive oil instead? Do you think it would alter the taste in a not-good way? Also, if I were to use a cupcake/muffin pan, what would you recommend for baking time? Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi JP, thanks for commenting. Yes, we tested this with olive oil and it works wonderfully, so I change my previous recommendation where I told you it wouldn’t work with olive oil (apologies about that). As for the baking time, have a look at our carrot cake muffins here with baking times and sugar-free options: https://theplantbasedschool.com/italian-carrot-cake/#variations I hope that helps! Cheers, Nico
Thank you for your reply! Didn’t get a notification that you had replied, and just noticed while checking out this site/page again after a long time! Appreciate it :). The reader who posted a question after mine, and along with your reply, has helped me decide to use applesauce instead of the oil, so I will give that a try. Thanks!
Hi JP, thanks so much for getting back to us. I’m happy to hear you feel like trying the cake. Let us know if you have any more questions and happy baking. Kindest, Louise
This looks incredible! I would like to cut the oil because I am trying to diet. I was wondering if I could replace the oil with applesauce and still retain the moistness in the cake?
Hello Heidi! I’m so happy you feel like making the carrot cake. Yes, you can indeed replace the oil with applesauce – I use a 1:1 ratio. Hope that helps. Cheers, Nico