Vegan Carrot Cake
Servings: 16 squares
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 grams) brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons (3 teaspoons) cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) all spice optional
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon (1 pinch) salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup (180 grams) almond milk
- ⅓ cup (70 grams) olive oil or another vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 1 inch (2½ centimeters) ginger grated
- 2½ cups (300 grams) carrots finely grated
ADD-INS
- ¾ cup (90 grams) walnuts chopped or pulsed in food processor
- ½ cup (70 grams) raisins
FROSTING (Optional)
- 2 ounces (60 grams) vegan butter diced and softened at room temperature
- 1 (1 lemon) lemon the grated zest
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 4 ounces (120 grams) vegan cream cheese
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 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.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 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.
