Vegan Gluten Free Carrot cake that is super moist with a tender crumb and topped with a vegan cream cheese frosting! Made in just one bowl and simple to make!
I love a good sweet bread or cake- lemon poppy seed cake and strawberry cake are some of our favorites. This moist and fluffy vegan carrot cake is the perfect and wholesome cake to make when you are looking for a classic cake to enjoy for dessert or even an afternoon treat!
Once you realize just how easy this vegan carrot cake recipe is to make, it will be a weekly staple in your household! It uses just one bowl which means a minimal cleanup! Don’t let the lack of eggs or dairy sway you from making this- Even my non-vegan friends are obsessed with it!
How do you make a vegan carrot cake
The easiest and best carrot cake that requires NO fancy mixers or gadgets. The hardest part is waiting for the carrot loaf to cool!
The Ingredients
- Wholewheat flour– Either wholewheat flour or white wholewheat flour can be used. Use gluten-free flour, for a gluten free version.
- Cinnamon– A necessary spice for any good carrot cake recipe.
- Nutmeg– Gives some warm and nutty flavors to the cake.
- Sugar of choice– Either brown sugar, white sugar, or coconut sugar can be used. I personally love brown sugar for the subtle molasses flavor.
- Milk of choice– Unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk.
- Oil of choice– Use a neutral flavored oil, like avocado oil, vegetable oil, or refined coconut oil.
- Pumpkin puree– Gives the carrot cake a moist texture, without the need for butter. You can also use mashed banana.
- Shredded carrots– Finely shredded carrots. Use 1 full cup or up to 1 1/2 cups, if you’d prefer a stronger carrot flavor.
- Walnuts– Optional, but I love the addition of walnuts in carrot cakes.
- Raisins– Optional too, but highly recommended.
The Instructions
Start by mixing together your dry ingredients, before adding the wet ingredients. Fold through the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Bake in a 9 x 5-inch pan for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost, if desired.
How to make vegan cream cheese frosting
Many vegan cream cheese frostings use cashews, but I wanted to make one that was easier and required minimal prep. Using vegan cream cheese makes it so much easier, and mainstream supermarkets stock plenty of options.
If you want a basic vanilla frosting, simply whisk together powdered sugar with non dairy milk and vanilla extract, until the desired texture is achieved.
To make– 8 ounces vegan cream cheese, 1/2 cup vegan butter, 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until your desired texture is achieved.
Is carrot cake gluten free?
This carrot cake recipe has been tested using a gluten-free flour blend, so can be made gluten-free.
Please take note that I have only tried Bob’s 1:1 gluten free flour– I cannot vouch for other brands.
Vegan Carrot Cake Storage Tips
- To store: Carrot cake can keep at room temperature, for up to 5 days, in a sealed container. If you’d like to keep it longer, store in the refrigerator.
- To freeze: It’s best to freeze the carrot cake either as a whole loaf or in individual portions. Cover in parchment paper and place it in a sealed container, to avoid freezer burns. It will keep well for up to 6 months.
- To thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
- The BEST Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Vanilla Cake
- Easy Vegan Lemon Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Vegan Carrot Cake (GF)
Ingredients
- 2 cups wholewheat flour * See notes
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup sugar of choice
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk Can sub for any milk of choice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil Can sub for canola or vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree ** See notes
- 1-1 1/2 cups shredded carrots Approximately 3 medium carrots
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, spices, baking powder, and sugar, and mix well. Add your milk, oil, and pumpkin puree and mix well. Fold in your carrots, raisins, and walnuts, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Pour the carrot cake batter in the lined pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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How do you think this would go with a liquid sweetener like rice malt..?
Hi there! I haven’t tried that, but you could try and reduce the milk needed and see!
I don’t see walnuts and raisins in the above pictured carrot cake but they are in the recipe??????
The raisins are in the carrot cake and the walnuts are on top of the loaf.
What do you think about using almond flour for this cake
It looks very good would like to make for Passover
Thank you
YUM, I love carrot cake—it’s my dad’s favorite type of cake and it’s one of my Top 3 faves! Yours looks to die for. Would you normally pair yours with a sweet cream cheese frosting? Because this cake actually looks so nice just on its own!
Could you use coconut flour instead? And coconut oil or Olive oil?
I’ve only tried the recipe as written. Feel free to experiment and see!
Have got it in the oven now! Used oat milk and banana as substitutes for the others 🙂
That sounds great- Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Where is the recipe for the icing? I can’t find vegan icing at any store near me.
Hi Chris it is included in the body of the post.
Hi,1cup=? Grams,is same for all ingredients??
No, you’ll need to use a google conversion tool.
This was amazing! I used almond flour (can’t have gluten) and I used almond oil from a nut butter I had. it was so, so good! Have you attempted gluten-free croissants that are keto friendly without the use of coconut flour? I can’t have coconut either. Keto recipes make gluten-free baking taste normal. Btw, if you use psyllium husk in place of anthem gum your food not only has a nice “poof”, but tastes fantastic! Xantham gum is one of the worst things you can use apparently.