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!

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Comments

  1. Made your carrot cake for my vegan and non-vegan friends who went to the U.S. for grad school. We miss American food and because we are not able to travel internationally during the pandemic. The cake was a great hit! We do not have apple sauce in Taiwan, so I used pineapple. I also cut down both the brown and white sugar by half. I also needed to add 1 tbs of pineapple juice and 1 tbs of soy milk because the batter to dry to even stir.

    happy new year from Taiwan~

    1. Hi Serena. Happy New Year to you in Taiwan! I’m glad you and your friends enjoyed the cake! Thank you for taking the time to share your fun comments!

    1. I would actually replace the applesauce with canned pineapple, about a cup or a little more, for best results. Sounds wonderful!

    1. Do you mean almond flour? No, almond flour is difficult to substitute in cakes and other baked goods, you really have to create a recipe around almond flour to make it work. It doesn’t absorb liquid the same way as other flours, so you will end up with a soupy cake.

  2. Hi Nora! I made this for Christmas and it’s delicious! Of course it is because all your recipes are…do you think this will freeze well? I don’t want to eat the whole thing in a week. I mean I do but it’s not best for my waistline! 

    1. Hi Michelle. I’m really glad you enjoyed the carrot cake! Yes, the cake will freeze well, as do all of my cake recipes! It’s always fun to have some for later!

  3. I baked this carrot cake, in cupcake form, today, and topped them with your vegan cream cheese frosting. Yummy! I think I will add raisins or pineapple next time. This is now my go-to carrot cake recipe.

  4. Made this for my boyfriends birthday and it was hit with everyone, especially the non vegans! Some said they couldn’t tell it was vegan and one said it was their favorite carrot cake EVER (vegan or not). I’ve never made carrot cake before and this was super easy to follow and execute. Subbed pecans for walnuts due to an allergy and topped with vegan cream cheese frosting (using tofutti cream cheese, earth balance, and powdered sugar). Will definitely make again! 

  5. Just to preface…made this for my husband’s birthday (he loves carrot cake), but wanted a vegan versus to accommodate my vegan daughter. Three of four family members do not really care for carrot cake, but we ALL think this is the BEST carrot cake we’ve ever had. So delicious, moist, & not over spiced. The only subs I made were non-dairy creamer for the almond milk (all I had on hand!) & pre-shredded carrots. So so good! Thanks – will make this again!

  6. Hi! 

    I made this cake before it was awesome. I wanted to ask your recommendation for making the cake the day before eating it and icing it the day of. Do you think that would work? Should I leave the cakes out or in the fridge. 

    Thank you!! 

    1. Yes, that is perfectly fine. I would place the cakes in the refrigerator though, perhaps wrapped so they don’t dry out. Thanks, glad you enjoy the carrot cake!

  7. Hi Nora! I love your recipes! 
    Would I be able to use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar or would that affect the recipe too much?

  8. Hi Nora , your recipes are amazing and am looking forward to making this cake. Can I please ask if the recipe would work without the nuts as I am allergic to them? Or what could I replace it with? Thank you again for all these recipes.

  9. I love this carrot cake! I made it for Easter and my mom said it was the best carrot cake she has ever had. I will be making it again for her birthday on Saturday because carrot cake is her favorite of all cakes. Thanks for another great recipe Nora. You are our go to place for all recipes. In Nora we trust!

    1. It can be sweetened or unsweetened, though I usually use unsweetened so I don’t add more sweetness than desired to the cake.

  10. I’ve made this cake in the past and my whole family absolutely LOVED it!!! 
    I do have a question though if you wouldn’t mind, I’m planning on making a cupcakes version of this cake for my sons birthday coming up but I have so much to do the day before and the day of- do you think these cupcakes will hold well in the fridge for two days? Should I maybe hold off on icing until the day of?  Thank you so much! 

    1. Thank you! Yes, the cupcakes will be just fine in the fridge for a few days, if you need longer than that you could even freeze them beforehand. I would ice the day of or the day before for best results!

  11. The best vegan carrot cake receipe!! When I first went vegan the thing my family and boyfriend was most concerned about was that there would be no more carrot cake….however they say this is better than a non-vegan receipe!! It is also super quick and easy to make!

  12. Tried this recipe last night and it was awesome! I was being a bit lazy so I made a bundt cake and partnered it with basic (vegan) vanilla glaze. I baked mine for 60 mins at 350C. I used 1 cup of coconut sugar since I was generous with my icing. Delicious! I love your recipes Nora! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  13. Hi! I absolutely LOVE your chocolate cake recipe, and I am hoping to make this carrot cake for my boyfriend’s birthday. Should I adjust the recipe amount and/or bake time if I only have two 9-inch cake pans, rather than 8-inch as the recipe suggests? Thanks for putting out such awesome vegan dessert recipes 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy the carrot cake as much as the chocolate cake! The bake time won’t be much different, maybe 5 minutes less if anything but it should be fine.

  14. This is the third time making this!!! PURE LOVE. My variations for “making do with the stuff I’ve got”: 

    -instead of 1 cup white sugar & 1 cup brown sugar, I always use ONE CUP COCONUT SUGAR. Seriously, it’s sooo sweet already and this is the PERFECT amount of sweet for me and my friends/family. 

    -I didn’t have apple sauce these past two times, so I just used 1/2 cup ground flax seed and 1/2 cup cashew milk, and like 2 tablespoons mashed bananas. 

    -I used coconut oil instead of canola. Also used cashew milk instead of almond. 

    -I added fresh ground CARDAMOM, about 1 teaspoon. You guys, THIS ELEVATES THE WHOLE GAME. Trust me. 

    -Added 1/2 cup chopped dates 🙂 

    -Cream cheese frosting I sweetened with maple syrup: YUM. Perfect. Natural. Amazing. 

    Thank you so much, Nora! Keep making magic! 

  15. Hello,

    I really want to attempt to make this cake, however, I only have a 9 x13 pan. Do you think this recipe would still work. Also, are there any modifications you would recommend? Thank you!

    1. Sure, that should work fine! You will need to bake the cake a bit longer, perhaps for 40-50 minutes. Check with a toothpick to make sure it comes out mostly clean in the middle. Enjoy!

  16. Hi,

    I’m a fan of your recipes. I trust you especially when you put “best” in the title. It really is the best.

    For this, when you said ground ginger, is it the ginger powder? Or freshly grated ginger?

    Thanks ❤️

    1. Aw thank you so much! I’m talking about ginger powder, not fresh grated ginger. Hope that helps and you enjoy the cake!

      1. I found the ground ginger and tried reducing the nutmeg. but it still works! thank you.

        PS.
        The metric button doesn’t work. I’m not sure if it’s just me, or do you find the same error?

        1. Great! Oh thank you for bringing that to my attention. I am working on getting the metric button fixed right now. It does work on a desktop computer, but it’s having an issue on mobile right now, sorry about that! Should be fixed soon. 🙂

  17. Hi Nora!

    I’m looking forward to making this cake next weekend (your recipes are my favorite 🙂 ) and was wondering if I could bake in 2 deep 6-inch cake pans? Should I just adjust the baking time? Thanks!

    1. You might be able to, but they possibly will come out dense and sinking in the middle, I’m not sure. The cakes will be very thick and deep, so they would likely need to bake for longer.

  18. OMG. WOW. Speechless! This turned out so delicious. I am no baker, but Nora….your vegan recipes…have me baking like a pro. I am super excited to try more of your recipes.

  19. I cannot wait to try, but what is the egg substitute in this recipe?
    And would this recipe work well if I doubled it so I can make 2 layered 10” cake? 
    Thank you!

    1. Applesauce helps replace the eggs here. I’m a little confused, do you want to make two 10 inch layer cakes or just one 10 inch, 2 layers cake? I think if you double the recipe it would be too much batter for 2 layers, even at 10 inches.

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