Last Updated on April 27, 2025
A Vegan Carrot Cake that is healthy, vegan, gluten free, and delicious!
This cake is impeccably moist, packed with flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.
Change it up by adding raisins and nuts to the batter and/or crushed nuts to the top of the frosting before serving.
In this recipe I added a dairy free, egg free, and gluten free frosting recipe.
I do recommend a frosting, this adds to the overall flavor of the cake.
The frosting is made with raw cashews, so if you are not a fan of cashews, you can substitute with my Maple Cinnamon Glaze.
Whether you go with the glaze or the frosting, both make a wonderful compliment to the carrot cake!
Ingredients needed for the cake
- Plant Based Milk – I used an unsweetened vanilla almond plant based milk to make a vegan buttermilk.
- Vinegar – The apple cider vinegar is needed to make the vegan buttermilk, by adding it to the plant based milk, but you can substitute it with lemon juice.
- Egg Substitute – I used a powdered egg substitute in the cake.
- Real Maple Syrup – Maple syrup is my sweetener of choice. I love the slight smokey, vanilla caramel flavor of the syrup.
- Banana – A very ripe banana is also used as an egg substitute and adds a little sweetness.
- Oats – Use a quick, old fashioned, or instant oat as the flour, if making your own. You can also find a oat flour at some stores.
- Baking Powder – The baking powder is used as a leavening, making the baked goods lighter and fluffier.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – The vanilla extract adds a slight vanilla flavor as well as enhance the other ingredients in the cake.
- Baking Soda – The leavening agent, baking soda is needed to help the cake rise.
- Ground Cinnamon – Cinnamon adds a warm and slightly sweet flavor, it also compliments the carrots and raisins in the cake.
- Carrots – Carrots add a sweet earthy flavor and a little moisture to the cake.
- Raisins – Raisins are optional. I love adding this sweet dehydrated grape to my cake.
- Nuts – Nuts are optional. I did not add any nuts to my cake. But you can add walnuts or pecans to your cake. You can also crush the nuts and add to the top of the frosted cake.
Ingredients for the frosting – Optional
- Raw Cashews – Using the neutral flavor of the raw cashews will give you a creamy textured frosting.
- Plant Based Milk – I used an unsweetened vanilla almond plant based milk in the frosting.
- Real Maple Syrup – Maple syrup is my sweetener of choice.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – The vanilla extract adds a slight vanilla flavor to the frosting.
- Ground Cinnamon – Cinnamon adds a warm and slightly sweet flavor.
How to make a Vegan Carrot Cake
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Spray a 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the powdered egg substitute to the package directions.
Measure the plant based milk into a measuring cup.
Stir in the apple cider vinegar, and set aside to curdle, this is the vegan buttermilk.
Next, mix together the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Peel and shred the carrots, place into the flour mixture.
Continue by adding the egg substitute, vegan buttermilk, vanilla, maple syrup, and mashed banana.
Combine until there are no lumps, then fold in the raisins and nuts if you are adding any.
Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Place into the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, test the cake with a toothpick to see if the cake is done, if not, place back into the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Once the cake is done, remove from the oven to cool completely before adding a glaze or frosting.
How to make the frosting (optional)
Soak the raw cashews for 4 to 6 hours before making the frosting.
After soaking, drain and rinse, then add the cashews to a high speed blender.
Continue adding the plant based milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Blend on the highest setting until the mixture is creamy smooth.
Pour into a sauce pan and cook on medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes, this will thicken the frosting.
After 5 to 10 minutes, remove from heat, set aside to let the mixture cool.
Once the cake and frosting have completely cooled, spread the frosting over the cake before cutting.
Sprinkle cinnamon and nuts (if using) on the top of the frosting before serving.
Vegan Carrot Cake
Equipment
- 1 High Speed Blender This is only needed if you make your own oat flour at home.
- 1 8 x 8 glass baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Plant Based Milk I like to use a unsweetened vanilla almond milk in my cake. Use your favorite plant based milk.
- 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar This is added to the plant based milk to make a vegan buttermilk.
- Egg Substitute A powdered egg substitute equal to 2 eggs.
- 1/2 Banana
- 1/4 Cup Real Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Carrots
- 2 Cups Oats This can be a quick or regular oat if making your own oat flour. Or you can use a oat flour purchased from the store.
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 Cup Raisins Optional.
Cashew Topping – Optional
- 1 Cup Raw Cashews
- 1 Cup Plant Based Milk I used a unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
- 1/4 Cup Real Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Spray a 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered egg substitute to the package directions.
- Measure the plant based milk into a measuring cup.
- Stir in the apple cider vinegar, and set aside to curdle, this is the vegan buttermilk.
- Next, mix together the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Peel and shred the carrots, place into the flour mixture.
- Continue by adding the egg substitute, vegan buttermilk, vanilla, maple syrup, and mashed banana.
- Combine until there are no lumps, then fold in the raisins and nuts if you are adding any.
- Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Place into the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, test the cake with a toothpick to see if the cake is done, if not, place back into the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Once the cake is done, remove from the oven to cool completely before adding a glaze or frosting.
How to make the frosting (optional)
- Soak the raw cashews for 4 to 6 hours before making the frosting.
- After soaking, drain and rinse, then add the cashews to a high speed blender.
- Continue adding the plant based milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Blend on the highest setting until the mixture is creamy smooth.
- Pour into a sauce pan and cook on medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes, this will thicken the frosting.
- After 5 to 10 minutes, remove from heat, set aside to let the mixture cool.
- Once the cake and frosting have completely cooled, spread the frosting over the cake before cutting.
- Sprinkle cinnamon and nuts (if using) on the top of the frosting before serving.
