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This Vegan Carrot Cake is as classic as it gets! It’s soft, fluffy, perfectly spiced, and topped with a thick layer of irresistible vegan cream cheese frosting. No eggs or dairy are needed to recreate this Spring staple!
Once Spring rolls around, it only makes sense to infuse carrot cake into every part of the day. From fluffy Carrot Cake Pancakes at breakfast to Carrot Cake Snack Bars and Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches in the afternoon – and of course, ending with a generous slice of this soft and spiced carrot cake!
This Vegan Carrot Cake is everything you love about a tiered vegan cake. It’s incredibly moist, packed with freshly grated carrots, and layered with a tangy, melt-in-your-mouth vegan cream cheese frosting.
It’s truly the kind of vegan cake you’ll look forward to every year. Perfect for Easter, spring birthdays, or a weekend baking project!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Cake Layers
- Flour: All-purpose flour creates the most tender crumb without being too delicate. We haven’t tested a gluten-free version, so we can’t guarantee a 1:1 gluten-free flour swap will work.
- Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda work together to help the cake rise and brown beautifully around the edges.
- Spices: A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger gives this carrot cake its signature cozy, spiced flavor.
- Soy milk: Thanks to its higher protein content, soy milk helps bind the ingredients together and adds just the right amount of moisture.
- Apple cider vinegar: Reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise.
- Sugar: A mix of granulated cane sugar and brown sugar adds sweetness, moisture, and a hint of molasses.
- Oil: Vegetable oil ensures the cake stays soft and moist even after refrigeration.
- Mix-ins: In addition to grated carrots, feel free to add shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, and/or raisins for additional texture.
For the Frosting
- Vegan cream cheese: The tangy, creamy base of the frosting. We like the brands Kite Hill, Trader Joe’s, or Tofutti.
- Vegan butter: Adds richness and helps the frosting set up when refrigerated.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting without impacting the color or flavor. For the smoothest frosting, sift your powdered sugar before using!
- Vanilla: Adds depth of flavor and warmth that complements the spices in the carrot cake.
Equipment Needed
How to Make Vegan Carrot Cake
- Whisk the wet and dry ingredients together in separate mixing bowls, excluding the grated carrots and optional mix-ins.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined.
- Add the grated carrots and add-ins (if using) and gently fold them together.
- Pour the cake batter into the pan.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pan to cool completely.
- Frost as desired, and enjoy!
How to Make Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the softened vegan cream cheese and softened vegan butter to a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat together until well-combined and fluffy.
- Mix in half of the powdered sugar until combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix again until smooth.
- Refrigerate the frosting for 15 to 30 minutes before frosting.
Prep Ahead Instructions
If you’re preparing this iconic cake for your Easter celebration, use these prep ahead instructions to make day-of prep a breeze.
- Bake the cake layers 24 hours in advance. Bake and cool the cake until room temperature. Cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Freezing option. Bake and cool the cake to room temperature. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and place in the freezer for up to 1 month. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator and thaw for at least 12 hours. Bring the cake to room temperature before frosting.
- You can make the cream cheese frosting up to 3 days in advance. Prepare it as written, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Storage Instructions
Once assembled, this Vegan Carrot Cake will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be stored whole or in individual slices.
More Vegan Cake Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Carrot Cake is as classic as it gets! It’s soft, fluffy, perfectly spiced, and topped with a thick layer of irresistible vegan cream cheese frosting. No eggs or dairy needed to recreate this Spring staple!
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup soy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (157g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups grated carrots (280g)
- ¾ cup optional mix-ins: shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, raisins
Frosting
- 4 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) vegan butter, softened
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a square or round 8” pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg to a large bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, add the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, sugars, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until combined.
- Combine the wet and dry. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined–some clumps are fine. Add the grated carrots and add-ins (if using) and gently fold them together.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. After 15 minutes, remove the cake layers from the pans to cool completely.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting. Add the softened vegan cream cheese and softened vegan butter to a large bowl. The two should be a similar consistency. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter until well-combined and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add half the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix until smooth.
- Chill. Place the frosting in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before frosting the cake.
- Assemble. Be sure the cake is completely cool before frosting. Then frost as desired and enjoy! We like to top ours with additional chopped walnuts.
Notes
- Storage: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can store it whole or in individual slices.
- Make ahead: Bake the cake layers 24 hours in advance. Cool the cake until room temperature. Cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Freezing: Bake and cool the cake to room temperature. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and place in the freezer for up to 1 month. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator and thaw for at least 12 hours. Bring the cake to room temperature before frosting.
- Cream cheese frosting: You can make the cream cheese frosting up to 3 days in advance. Prepare it as written, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
