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Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

Prep: 11 hr
Cook: 30 min
Total: 11 hr 30 min
Servings: 10

Your traditional, classic carrot cake made in 2-tiers and frosted with a homemade cashew frosting. Beautifully spiced and full of carrots, your family is going to love this!

Author Every Vegan Recipe
by Every Vegan Recipe
Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients & Directions

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients

Yield: 1 Carrot Cake (10 Servings)
Needed Kitchenware: Mixing bowls, blender, refrigerator, vegetable grater, 2 8-inch cake pans, parchment paper, wire rack, oven
Cake
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ginger powder
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cardmom
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup applesauce, unsweetened
  • ¼ cup coconut oil or vegan butter, melted, cooled to room temperature
  • 1½ cup light brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cups finely grated carrots
  • (optional) ½ cup chopped walnuts
Frosting
  • 2 cups cashews, raw and unsalted, soaked in water overnight
  • ½ cup coconut milk, full-fat
  • ¼ cup light amber maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • pinch of salt
Recipe Directions

Directions

Frosting
  • Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.
  • Add the cashews to a high speed blender along with the coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. If you need to thin the frosting out to get it to blend, add additional coconut milk a little at a time until you are able to blend.
  • Move the frosting to a mixing bowl and place into the refridgerator for about 2 hours to firm up being using later.
Cake
  • Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line 2 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt. Set aside.
  • In another mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, coconut oil or vegan butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts, if using.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for 15-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transfering the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Assembly
  • Once the cakes are completely cool, use a serrated knife to level off the tops to the cakes if needed or desired.
  • Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate.
  • Spread a generous amount of frosting on top of the first cake layer and spread it evenly to the edges of the cake but not the sides.
  • Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting and press down gently.
  • Spread another generous layer of frosting on top of the second cake layer and spread evenly.
  • Use the remaining frosting to frost the sides of the cake.
  • Store in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Enjoy!
Notes

Tiers: This makes a 2-tier cake using 2 8-inch pans. You can make this 3 tier by using smaller cake pans, either 4 or 6 inches. You can also multiply the recipe by 2 to make a huge 3-tier cake using 3 8-inch pans, adjust the cooking time accordingly by adding 5 minutes to the baking time.

Substitutions: You can substitute all the oil in the cake with more applesauce. You can make this gluten-free by substituting the flour for all oat flour or your favorite gluten-free blend.

Storage: Store in a refigerator for about 3 days. You can freeze the cake by putting the porion in the freezer for an hour to allow the frosting to set, then wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap and place into the freezer for up to 6 months.

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Recipe nutrition

Nutritional Information

Yield: Carrot Cake
Servings: 10
Information per serving:
Energy: 451.8 kcal
Carbohydrate: 69.1 g
Protein: 7.7 g
Fiber: 2.7 g
Sugar: 40.9 g
Fat: 17.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 6.6 g
Polyunsatured Fat: 2.3 g
Omega-3: 0 g
Omega-6: 2.2 g
Saturated Fat: 6.8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Choline: 22 mg 5% DV
Folate: 20.2 µg 5% DV
A: 191.5 IU 27% DV
B1: 0.2 mg 14% DV
B2: 0 mg 4% DV
B3: 0.9 mg 6% DV
B5: 0.5 mg 9% DV
B6: 0.2 mg 13% DV
B12: 0 mg 0% DV
C: 5.3 mg 7% DV
D: 6 IU 1% DV
E: 0.5 mg 3% DV
K: 11 µg 12% DV
Calcium: 107.8 mg 11% DV
Copper: 0.6 mg 71% DV
Iron: 2.6 mg 14% DV
Magnesium: 90.9 mg 28% DV
Manganese: 0.8 mg 45% DV
Phosphorus: 208 mg 30% DV
Potassium: 356.1 mg 8% DV
Selenium: 14.5 µg 26% DV
Sodium: 409 mg 27% DV
Zinc: 1.8 mg 22% DV

Please note nutritional information varies dependent on agricultural conditions, consistency in manufacturing processes, and honesty in reporting. We cannot accurately report on the amount of harmful chemicals or beneficial plant constituents that might be present in these ingredients. We cannot report on the content of material added during the cooking process. We cannot guarantee if the vitamins present are natural or synthetic. We make no guarantees to the accuracy of this information and continue to suggest purchasing organic, high-quality, fresh ingredients from local, trusted sources. Where possible, we use non-fortified ingredients to calculate the nutrition. We do not include optional ingredients. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and values come regulated from the FDA. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your needs.

Tips, Suggestions, Photos, & More Information

vegan carrot cake ingredients

Vegan carrot cake made with cashew frosting is a delicious and healthy dessert option that is perfect for any occasion. The cake is incredibly fluffy and moist, with a delicate crumb that melts in your mouth. The cashew frosting is rich and creamy, with a sweet and nutty flavor that perfectly complements the subtle sweetness of the cake.

vegan carrot cake using cashew frosting

This recipe uses cashews for the frosting for a homemade delicious option to manufactured vegan cream cheese products - it's also much cheaper!

vegan carrot cake decorated

What's great about this recipe is that it is both easy to make and healthy. The use of applesauce in place of some of the traditional vegan butter or oil not only reduces the amount of fat in the recipe but also adds natural sweetness and moisture to the cake.

carrot cake vegan slice

Additionally, this recipe uses a lot of whole foods, including carrots and cashews, which provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. If you added walnuts, you've increased the nutrition, especially of healthy omega fats!

carrot cake sliced beautifully

When you take a bite of this vegan carrot cake, you are greeted with a burst of sweet, spicy, and nutty flavors that linger on your palate. The frosting is creamy and indulgent, with a subtle nuttiness that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the cake. It is a dessert that is perfect for any occasion, and you can feel good about enjoying it knowing that it is healthy and made with wholesome ingredients.

carrot cake

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