The best Vegan Carrot Cake! Perfectly spiced, incredibly moist, topped with creamy vegan cream cheese frosting and simple to make in just 1 bowl!

a bite taken from a big slice of vegan carrot cake with orange flowers in background

Once you realize how easy this vegan carrot cake is to make, you will find yourself making it over and over again! Not only is it 100% vegan, it is simply the best tasting carrot cake, vegan or not. No one will guess it’s free of eggs, milk and butter!

The cake layers are super moist, perfectly sweet and full of texture. It’s an incredible dessert for Easter or any day of the week when a craving strikes.

Just like my Vegan Chocolate Cake and Vegan Funfetti Cake, this carrot cake is made in just 1 bowl. I love easy dessert recipes!

Ingredients you need (with substitutions)

  • All purpose flour – May substitute a gluten free flour mix, if needed. Many have tried this with success!
  • Brown sugar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Baking powder and baking soda
  • Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt
  • Oil – I used canola oil, but you can use grapeseed oil, melted coconut oil or vegan butter. You might be able to substitute more applesauce for oil, but I’m afraid it will come out a bit gummy.
  • Applesauce – Try substituting crushed canned pineapple for a change!
  • Almond milk – Any non-dairy milk works here, such as soy, oat or coconut milk.
  • Vanilla
  • Grated carrots
  • Walnuts, optional – Simply omit for nut free. Or substitute pecans, raisins, etc.
  • Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting or Vegan Vanilla Frosting.
whole cake with swirly frosting and walnuts on the edges

How to make Vegan Carrot Cake

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below. This is simply an overview with photos.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 8-inch cake pans with a little circle of parchment paper, and then spray the pans generously with oil. This will help your cakes come out of the pans with no problems!

Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl.

sugars and flour in a clear bowl

Using a stand mixer or simply a whisk, whisk the ingredients to combine.

dry ingredients being mixed in a bowl

To the bowl with the mixed dry ingredients, pour in the canola oil, applesauce, non-dairy milk, and vanilla. Mix to combine, but be careful not to over mix. If you are using a stand mixer, use the lowest setting and do not over mix, the cake will come out dense and chewy if you do.

oil, applesauce and vanilla being added to dry ingredients in a bowl

Add the shredded carrots and walnuts, if using, and fold them into the batter gently.

Again, do not over mix! I can’t stress this enough. Just mix until combined, and gently.

shredded carrots and walnuts being added to a clear bowl with batter
carrot cake batter in a clear bowl with a spatula

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

two unbaked vegan carrot cakes in round pans

Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 20 minutes before carefully removing them. Let them cool on a cooling rack completely before frosting.

two layer carrot cake on cooling rack, no frosting

Vegan carrot cake frosting

Traditionally, carrot cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting, so I prefer my Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting for this cake. Vanilla Frosting is also a great option. Or you could even make this tart cream cheese-like frosting from my Pumpkin Cake Bars recipe. Or lemon buttercream from my Vegan Lemon Cake recipe.

The only thing with vegan cream cheese frosting is it can be a bit unstable if it gets warm, so make absolutely sure your cakes are cooled completely before frosting, and keep the frosted cake in the refrigerator, just to make sure the top layer of your cake doesn’t slip off!

If you plan on serving this cake outdoors or want to leave it out in a warm room for awhile, I’d go with one of the buttercream frostings so the cake doesn’t slip.

frosting being spread on a cake

Vegan carrot cake cupcakes

This recipe works great for cupcakes! Fill liners 3/4 of the way full and bake cupcakes for about 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean in the middle. Let cool completely, then frost as desired.

Gluten free vegan carrot cake

Substitute a quality gluten free flour mix for the all purpose flour to make this cake gluten free. I prefer King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour.

The outcome will be slightly different, but still really good!

Variations

  • For a 9×13 inch cake, bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is set.
  • Make a triple layer cake by using 3 6-inch pans, baking for a little less time (25-30 minutes.)
  • For a carrot bundt cake, place the batter in a bundt pan and bake for about 60 minutes until done.
piece of vegan carrot cake on a plate with orange flower in background

How to store leftover cake

If you frost it with cream cheese frosting, the cake will need to be kept in the refrigerator. If you use vanilla frosting instead, you could store it on the counter for a few days.

It will keep in the refrigerator for about 1 week, and can also be frozen. Cover any cut parts so it doesn’t dry out.

a fork about to take a bite of orange cake

Want more amazing vegan cake recipes?

piece of orange cake on a plate with walnuts on the frosting
4.90 stars (142 ratings)

1 Bowl Vegan Carrot Cake

The best Vegan Carrot Cake! Perfectly spiced, incredibly moist, topped with creamy vegan cream cheese frosting and simple to make in just 1 bowl!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients 
 

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup applesauce or crushed pineapple
  • 3/4 cup almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
  • 1/2 cup raisins, optional
  • 1 Recipe Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare 2 round 8-inch cake pans by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spraying well with oil.
  • In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and whisk well. 
  • Pour in the canola oil, applesauce, almond milk and vanilla and mix until combined with a large spoon. Now fold in the grated carrots and walnuts. Be very careful not to over mix the batter, or your cake will come out dense and chewy!
  • Pour the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans, then bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops of the cakes are set. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before carefully removing from the pans. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
  • Once cooled completely, frost with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting, or Vegan Vanilla Frosting if preferred. Enjoy! Store leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, covered.

Video

Notes

  1. May substitute a gluten free all purpose flour for gluten free.
  2. For nut free, omit the walnuts.
  3. May substitute soy, coconut or any other non-dairy milk for almond milk.
  4. May use melted coconut oil or another oil in place of the canola.
  5. To make cupcakes instead, fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20-25 minutes until set on top. Pipe frosting on each cupcake.
  6. This cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap well to avoid freezer burn.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 5352IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Read my full disclosure here.

Posted In: , , , , ,

you may also like:

Comments

    1. Yes, it works quite well. Lately I have been enjoying King Arthur Flour gluten free all purpose. Bob’s Red Mill works well, too.

      1. I plan on making this weekend. I’ve made two of your cake recipes and they were a huge hit! When you made it gluten free, did it require more time in the oven? Thank you!

        1. No, I don’t think it did need more time. But ovens can vary, so make sure to check with a toothpick to make sure it’s done in the middle. Enjoy!

  1. OMG!!! This recipe is SOOOOOOO good! It is super moist and the Cream Cheese Frosting adds the right bit of flavor!

  2. Baked it. Its awesome and super moist. Need to see how long it will stay moist if I freeze it.

  3. Can I substitute Duncan Hines Cream Cheese Frosting instead of making my own.  It might be more stable.  I believe that it is vegan too.

    1. You could use mashed banana (though it might taste a bit like banana) or perhaps 2 flax eggs (2 tbs ground flax + 5 tbs water).

  4. Absolutely delicious! I used 1/2 WW and 1/2  AP, reduced the sugar by 1/2 and used olive oil (all I had) and  it came  out  perfect.  This is now my go to recipe for carrot cake. Thank you! 

    1. It could, yes, though I have never tested it. If you were going to make a 4 layer cake, I would probably use my Vegan Vanilla Frosting instead of the cream cheese frosting, because it is sturdier and less likely to slip.

  5. Hi this cake is delicious. I would like to know how many cupcakes would I get out of this batch? Thank you ☺️

  6. This carrot cake is absolutely delicious!  Moist and tender. The cream cheese frosting is spot on. I made cupcakes with the recipe and my kids were thrilled. Definitely a keeper! 

  7. Made this cake along with the cream cheese frosting for my son’s birthday. I copied your picture with the walnut garnish around the edge and it is beautiful ad delicious. Thank you for an easy, quick, and tasty recipe. (My son and daughter-in-love share a birthday and both their desserts came from your site.)

  8. The most Amazing Carrot cake I’ve ever made and tasted!!! I didn’t have apple sauce so I used 1 flax egg but needed to add a bit of extra almond milk as I think my flour was very thirsty. The cake was rich and moist and divine. ?

  9. Hey Nora!!! This cake was a hit! I’m quarantined with my grandparents and they were very skeptical of a  dairy free cake but they were blown away!! So excited to try more recipes!!

  10. Hey Nora! Your blog has been a favorite of mine for a little over a year now and this carrot cake is AMAZING!!! I was wondering if I took the spices and carrots out it, would become a vanilla cake? Would it affect the moisture of the cake? Thanks so much for your recipes again! Couldn’t imagine all those fails!!! 🙂

  11. We LOVE this cake recipe. I subbed organic crushed pineapple for the applesauce and it was brilliant! So moist and the one bowl makes for a very easy clean up. Fantastic recipe. Five stars:)

  12. Hi Nora,

    I tried making a vegan carrot cake using your recipe and it was a big hit! My family loved it so much that I’m going to be making it again within a week of originally trying it out. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.

  13. Great recipe ! I cut the sugar by 25%. If you’re in the UK and are struggling to find apple sauce, use jars/sachets of pure apple purée found in the baby food aisle ! I think it’s important to grate the carrots coarser as shown in the images, as I used a fine grater which imparted too much moisture and made the texture dense.

  14. The texture was more like a pudding rather than a cake for me. Did you squeeze your carrot pulp to get rid of the extra liquid?

  15. Wow! Okay this carrot cake is delicious!!! Seriously impressed. Super moist and the flavor was amazing! Nora, you’ve done it again! Thank you!!

  16. Simply delicious! Moist, luscious, and super flavorful. I made this cake with the cream cheese frosting recipe for my husband’s b-day. This is the only carrot cake recipe I will ever use from now on – vegan or not. I did add raisins and extra walnuts. Thanks, Nora!

  17. Absolutely the best carrot cake that I have had in a long time! We just finished eating it, with your cream cheese frosting (which I did change a little) and my husband wants me to make another one!

      1. Hi Nora, this is an amazing cake, everything is wonderful. Have a problem though, I used Daiya cream cheese cause I can’t find the other suggestions you mentioned. So my frosting is runny and when I place it in the freezer it helps. But the moment it comes out we are back to the same problem. I was wondering, can I freeze the cake with the frosting on it until its ready to serve? Obviously I would take it out half hour before serving.

        1. Yes, unfortunately I have had bad luck with Daiya cream cheese as well, for frostings. Yes, you could freeze it until serving. Just having it in the refrigerator isn’t enough to keep it firm? Also try spreading it on thinner, which helps.

  18. Hey Nora,
    Im a big fan of your recipes! I’m thinking of making this however I live in the UK and this kind of apple sauce isn’t really available here, what would you recommend is the best substitute a blended apple or flax egg?
    Thank you in advance 🙂

    1. Thanks so much! Let’s see. You could probably sub a couple of flax eggs (2 tbs flax + 5 tbs water). Mashed banana or crushed pineapple could work as well. Hope that helps!

  19. This was delicious. I do not own two 8 inch round pan, so I used one 9×13 inch pan and it was great. It took about 5 minutes longer to cook. I also followed the suggestion for slightly less sugar (3/4 cup of each white and brown). I ended up not frosting it because it would have been too sweet for us (also, I was serving it for breakfast!). Flavor is amazing and it was terrifically moist! Thank you for this recipe. It is the first I’ve tried from your site and I am excited about trying more.

  20. I Maße it without frosting and it still tastes great, BUT I only put 250g sugar in it. Otherwise it would be way too sweet.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.