Vegan carrot cake is a quick and easy one layer cake with simple everyday ingredients.
Vegan or not, this is one of the best carrot cakes you can bake because it has the perfect balance of spices, sweetness, and moisture.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Growing up in Italy, I never had carrot cake. It’s not a thing. But shortly after moving to England as a student, I tried my first slice at my college cafeteria. And you guys, it was love at first bite 🥰.
So I gathered a group of friends, and we went on a quest to find the best carrot cake in the country (UK).
We rented a car and headed north, towards Snowdonia, a breathtaking national park with scenic peaks in Wales.
While the scenery was gorgeous, the weather was not. It was pouring rain for the whole trip, and being soaking wet after a long hike, we were forced to stop at a tiny village called Beddgelert ☔️.
It was there, unexpectedly, in a cozy café called Y Bistro yn yr Hebog that I had the best carrot cake I ever tasted. True story!
With this recipe, I wanted to recreate a similar carrot cake: moist, tender, aromatic, packed with carrots, and sweet but not overly so.
I developed it a few years ago when I was still vegan, so it doesn’t include eggs. Since then I made this recipe over 50 times, and it still is my absolute favorite carrot cake recipe.
You might want to serve it with some vegan cream cheese frosting. And if you are in the mood for more easy baking I can recommend our vegan apple cake, healthy banana bread, or vegan lemon cake.
Let me know what you think because I am really really curious.
Ingredients
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
- Carrots: it’s best to get fresh carrots and grate them at home to get the best carrot cake texture. Pre-grated carrots are often dry and can make your cake dry.
- All-purpose flour (plain flour): substitute half whole-wheat flour for half all-purpose flour. We haven’t tested gluten-free but some of you guys did (see comments) and it worked well.
- Sugar: we recommend white or brown sugar.
- Milk: we use almond milk. Substitute any other milk, including soy, oat, or rice milk.
- Oil: we recommend olive oil. Substitute avocado oil or any other neutral-tasting vegetable oil like canola and sunflower oil. For oil-free, substitute the same amount of apple sauce.
- Spices & Aromas: cinnamon, grated nutmeg, freshly grated ginger, all-spice and vanilla extract. Don’t skimp on the spices!
- Baking powder and soda: try to use both. Baking powder is for rise, baking soda is for tenderness and color.
- Walnuts & Raisins
- Frosting: we make it with vegan butter and cream cheese, powder sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
Important tip on baking pans
This cake bakes best in an 8-inch square baking pan (20 x 20 cm).
You can also use 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
Step 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.
Step 2: Mix the batter.
To a large mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, grated nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until well combined.
Add almond milk, olive oil, vanilla extract, and grated ginger and stir until barely combined (15 seconds). Don’t over-mix it. The batter should be pretty dense.
Chop the walnuts with a knife or pulse them in a food processor, then fold them in the batter with grated carrots and raisins.
The batter should be pretty thick, the carrots will release moisture while baking.
Step 3: Bake.
Pour into the prepared pan. Bake at 340°F or 170C for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly 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, for about 2 to 3 hours.
Step 4: 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 powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Store in the fridge.
Add frosting when cake has cooled down. Garnish with chopped walnuts, pistachios, or coconut flakes and enjoy.
Variations
- Blender cake: here’s a carrot cake where all ingredients are mixed in a blender. It’s called torta camilla.
- Carrot donuts: You need donut molds, fill them, and bake them at 340°F or 170°C for about 20 minutes.
- Carrot muffins or cupcakes: 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.
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 can 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 for perfect melt-in-your mouth texture.
Don’t overmix batter: overmixing makes the cake heavier and less tender.
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.
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.
More Easy Vegan Baking
If you tried this vegan carrot cake recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
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 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 (Optional)
- 2 ounces vegan butter diced and softened at room temperature
- 1 lemon the grated zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces vegan cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340°F or 170°C. Butter sides of your cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper.Grate 2½ cups carrots with the small holes of a box grater or a food processor with a grating attachment. Set aside.
- To a large mixing 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 until well combined.Add ¾ cup almond milk, ⅓ cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 inch ginger (grated) and stir until barely combined (15 seconds).Don’t over-mix it. The batter should be pretty dense.
- Chop ¾ cup walnuts with a knife or pulse them in a food processor, then fold them in the batter with grated carrots and ½ cup raisins.The batter should be pretty thick, the carrots will release moisture while baking.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake at 340°F or 170C for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly dry.Cool down in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it onto a wire rack and cool down completely, for about 2 to 3 hours.
- To a bowl, add 2 ounces vegan butter, softened at room temperature, the grated zest of 1 lemon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk with a hand mixer until the butter is creamy.Add 4 ounces vegan cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Store in the fridge.Add frosting when cake has cooled down. Garnish with chopped walnuts, pistachios, or coconut flakes and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- All-purpose flour: substitute half whole-wheat flour for half all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: you can use white or brown. You can cut the sugar in half without affecting texture.
- Almond milk: substitute any other milk including soy, rice, and oat milk.
- Olive oil: substitute another vegetable oil like avocado, sunflower, or canola oil. For oil-free use the same amount of apple sauce.
- Walnuts: substitute pecans.
- Raisins: substitute chopped dates or cranberries.
- Grate carrots finely for a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Avoid overmixing to keep the cake light.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, checking doneness at 45 minutes with a skewer.
- Let the cake cool for 2-3 hours before frosting. Flavors improve the next day.
- You can also bake batter in a muffin, donut, and cupcake pan, reducing the cooking time to 20 to 25 minutes.
- Vegan carrot cake stays fresh for days and tastes even better after a day.
- Store it without frosting at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- With frosting, refrigerate for 3-4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months, preferably without frosting, and thaw overnight in the fridge. Cutting before freezing makes it easier to serve.
Nutrition
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I plan tomorrow to try the carrot cake. I made the Vegetarian Lasagna recipe and enjoyed it. The no bake lasagna was a disappointment. It was tough, even through I used lots of sauce and soaked the pasta in water before using. The white sauce was excellent and I plan to use it for other recipes as well. The vegetables were still a little undercooked for my taste. I have a background in nutrition and was a professional home economist for several years. Your development and creative approach to Vegan cooking is a gold star for the cooks looking for creative recipes for the Vegan table. Thank you both !!
Also I used vegan butter and almond flour finely grained.
Fantastic, Sally, thanks so much for your valuable feedback. I’m very happy that you made the vegetarian lasagna, and enjoyed it 🎉
Have a wonderful weekend when you get there ❤️
I like it 👌
This
Is
Perfect
I had a craving for a fall snack in June 😂
I used apple sauce instead of oil and my house smelled divine, the flavor was wonderful and it was so soft and fluffy. The frosting really compliments the spices. GREAT tip to use All Spice!!
Wonderful, Marisa – I am very happy you enjoyed the cake and frosting together. Oh, I crave carrot cake on a weekly basis, no judgment!!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment here. Kindest,
Louise
Hi Nico,
I was searching for a way to use the leftovers from my carrot and ginger juice. I found this recipe and made carrot cake donuts. They are delicious – thank you so much!
Hi Nico, thank you for all the wonderful recipes. I really enjoy watching and trying them!
I just want to point out that I tried your Vegan Carrot Cake and decided to double the recipe, when I checked with a toothpick, it came out clear, only to find out after I took it out and let it cool down for 15 mins, that it wasn’t done:(
I had to start all over.
This time I didn’t double the ingredients. It turned out perfect!:)
I realized the baking times are all the same for a single, or double recipe.
I thought you would want to know so you can adjust it. All the best😊
Thanks so much for the feedback, Joanne! We’ll make sure to add these in the notes of the recipe.
Have a wonderful Friday. Kindest, Louise
We are WFPBSOS. What could be a good oil and salt substitute?
Thank you!
Hi Susan,
Thanks for your message. You can omit the salt without problem. For the oil, I’d use apple sauce instead; same quantities.
I hope this helps 🙂
Nico
I made the carrot cake and taste wise it was amazing!!!!
My problem was the almond milk because in my country it’s hard to find!!!
Any substitute I can use cause I love this recipe and wan to try it again but not go through the process of finding almond milk!
Hi Maya,
I’m very happy you enjoyed the cake – and really sorry that you had to go through so much trouble for finding almond milk.
Really any kind of plant milk would work, including soy milk, rice milk, hazelnut milk, cashew milk, and oat milk 🙂
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have other concerns. All the best,
Louise
I made it into cupcakes and it works great!
This recipe tastes absolutely yummy once made. Spot on! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I want to make this for a friend’s birthday. How would it do as cupcakes? I read all the ways you’ve tried it and didn’t see that one. Would be easier to serve for a lady’s lunch. Thank you!
Hi Gail,
– Divide the batter evenly into a 12-piece cupcake pan or muffin pan lined with muffin liners.
– Fill the molds 2/3 full.
– Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F or 170°C for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry.
– Let them cool down on a cooling rack then top with vegan frosting or whipped cream if you like.
I hope this helps,
Have a great day!
Nico