Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Key Ingredients

• All-purpose flour. To make this cake gluten-free, use gluten-free all-purpose baking flour, like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
• Grated carrots. Grate peeled carrots with a box grater or hand grater.
• Applesauce. Applesauce is used an egg replacement. It also gives the cake a wonderful moist texture.
• Plant-based cream cheese. Use your favorite plain vegan cream cheese. We used So Delicious Dairy Free Creamy Original Cream Cheese.
• Powdered sugar. This is a main ingredient in the vegan cream cheese frosting. If you don’t have powdered sugar, process regular white sugar in a coffee bean grinder until fine.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round nonstick pans with oil or butter. You can also add a circle and/or strips of parchment paper to each pan. This will make the cake super easy to remove.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Mix well.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the applesauce, canola oil, vanilla extract, and non-dairy milk. Whisk well.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, 1/3 at a time, mixing well between each addition.

4. Continue adding the dry ingredients until the batter is completely formed and mostly smooth.

5. Fold in the shredded carrots, taking care to avoid overmixing. Add walnuts and raisins, if you’d like. Start with 1/2 cup of each.

6. Divide the batter between the two round pans, filling each one about 1/4 full. The batter will rise significantly.

7. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together. Add the salt and vanilla extract, then beat until combined.

2. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, or until the frosting is thick and uniform. Taste and add more powdered sugar or vanilla extract, if necessary. If you need to thin the frosting, mix in non-dairy milk, about 1 tablespoon at a time.

1. Carefully remove one cake and place it on a large plate. Spread a thick layer of frosting on top, followed by coconut flakes, chopped walnuts, and/or raisins.

2. Top with the second cake and spread frosting on top, along with toppings of your choice. Repeat along the sides, if you’d like.

3. Top with additional coconut flakes, walnuts, and/or raisins.

Optional: Slice leftover carrots into thin rounds. Trim each piece into a triangle by making two diagonal cuts. Arrange on the cake with fresh thyme or rosemary to create mini carrots.

Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions

• Mix nuts or raisins in the batter. Fold in 1/2 to 1 cup of nuts or raisins into the batter.
• Use pecans. Instead of walnuts, use pecans or a mix of both.
• Top with crystallized pineapple. The sweetness of pineapples works beautifully with carrot cake.
• Always let the cakes cool. Make sure the cakes are fully cooled before adding frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt.
• Use a larger dish. If you want to make a single layer cake, use one large dish, about 9×13 inches.

Can I store leftovers?

You can store leftover carrot cake in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Keep the cake in an air-tight sealed container or cover it in aluminum foil.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, as long as the cake has completely cooled. You can freeze the cake with or without frosting. In either case, chill the entire cake before slicing and wrapping each piece in plastic wrap. Be sure to wrap each slice very tightly to avoid freezer burn. The cake and frosting will last for about 2 months.

Serving Suggestions

• Use homemade applesauce to make this cake or add a spoonful on top .
• For an extra rich cake, add a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top.
• Enjoy with gingersnap cookies during the holiday season.