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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Vegan Carrot Cake

    Published: Apr 20, 2021 · by Nicole · Updated: May 17, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    vegan carrot cake

    This vegan carrot cake is bursting with flavor from fresh carrots and an orange buttercream frosting. It's the perfect springtime dessert, or year round sweet treat.

    vegan carrot cake on a cake stand
    Jump to:
    • Step by Step Directions
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Who doesn’t love carrot cake? I could certainly eat it every day. It’s incredibly delicious with a thick zesty frosting, accompanied by a steaming cup of chai tea.

    So today I’m sharing this vegan carrot cake, which I just can’t get enough of lately. If you need a weekend baking project, I would definitely recommend you give this a try. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

    This vegan carrot cake is:

    • Undetectably plant based
    • Moist
    • Perfectly flavored.
    • Fudgy and indulgent
    • Gluten-free
    • Easy and beginner-friendly

    It’s also super easy to make. Even if you’re not an experienced baker, it’s very difficult to go wrong with this vegan carrot cake recipe.

    slice of vegan carrot cake

    Step by Step Directions

    Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F and lightly grease 3 8-inch cake tins with vegan butter.

    To a large mixing bowl, add the rice flour, buckwheat flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, chickpea flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and ground ginger. Stir together well.

    mixing the cake batter

    To a different bowl, add plant based milk, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and grated carrots, and mix together.

    Add the wet ingredients to the dry together with a flax egg. Mix together until well-combined. The batter should be on the thicker side, but still easy to pour.

    Pour an equal amount of batter into the cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the centre. When the cakes are ready, transfer them to a cooling rack and allow to cool fully either in the fridge or on the counter before adding the frosting.

    mixing the buttercream frosting

    To make the frosting, add the vegan butter, icing sugar, orange juice and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Use a handheld or stand mixer to whisk until very smooth. I would recommend leaving the frosting in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.

    frosting the cake

    Add a thick layer of the frosting to one of the cake sponges, then place the second cake sponge on top. Repeat the process once more, finishing with a layer of frosting on top of the cake.

    vegan carrot cake being served

    Tips & Tricks

    Make sure that the cake layers cool down fully before adding the frosting. I would recommend allowing them to chill in the fridge for best results. If they are too warm - the frosting will melt!

    If you want to, you can add chopped nuts of your choice for garnish, such as walnuts or pecans.

    For a more fluffy texture, reduce the amount of carrots used by half.

    I would recommend weighing the ingredients for the best results. See the recipe card for an automatic conversion to metric amounts of each ingredient.

    To store, wrap the cakes in cling film and keep on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months and allow to thaw normally in the fridge.

    The frosting can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

    Don't waste the carrot tops - they are edible! Check out these creative ways to use carrot tops.

    vegan carrot cake with orange buttercream frosting

    More Vegan Desserts

    If you love this vegan carrot cake, be sure to check out these other delicious vegan desserts:

    • Vegan Lemon Cake
    • Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake
    • Vegan Peanut Butter Cake

    Recipe

    vegan carrot cake

    Vegan Carrot Cake

    This vegan carrot cake is bursting with flavor from fresh carrots and an orange buttercream frosting. It's the perfect springtime dessert, or year round sweet treat.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cooling Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: carrot cake recipe, gluten-free carrot cake, gluten-free vegan carrot cake, vegan carrot cake
    Servings: 16 slices
    Calories: 415kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Equipment

    • Conventional oven
    • 3 8-inch cake tins
    • Mixing bowls x 3

    Ingredients

    For the cake

    • 1 ½ cups rice flour (1 ¾ cups)
    • ½ cup buckwheat flour
    • 2 cups coconut sugar
    • ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 cup chickpea flour
    • 2 tbsp baking powder
    • 1 tbsp xanthan gum
    • ½ tsp ground ginger
    • 3 cups plant based milk
    • ¾ cup olive oil
    • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1 cup grated carrot
    • 6 flax eggs (6 tbsp ground flaxseed soaked in ¾ cup water for 5 minutes)

    For the frosting

    • ½ cup vegan butter room temperature
    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 tbsp orange juice
    • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F and lightly grease 3 8-inch cake tins with vegan butter.
    • To a large mixing bowl, add the rice flour, buckwheat flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, chickpea flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and ground ginger. Stir together well.
    • To a different bowl, add plant based milk, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and grated carrots, and mix together.
    • Add the wet ingredients to the dry together with a flax egg. Mix together until well-combined. The batter should be on the thicker side, but still easy to pour.
    • Pour an equal amount of batter into the cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the centre.
    • When the cakes are ready, transfer them to a cooling rack and allow to cool fully either in the fridge or on the counter before adding the frosting.
    • To make the frosting, add the vegan butter, icing sugar, orange juice and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Use a handheld or stand mixer to whisk until very smooth. I would recommend leaving the frosting in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
    • Add a thick layer of the frosting to one of the cake sponges, then place the second cake sponge on top. Repeat the process once more, finishing with a layer of frosting on top of the cake.

    Notes

    • Make sure that the cake sponges cool down fully before adding the frosting. I would recommend allowing them to chill in the fridge for best results.
    • If you want to, you can add chopped nuts of your choice, such as walnuts or pecans.
    • For a more fluffy texture, reduce the amount of carrots used by half.
    • I would recommend weighing the ingredients for the best results. See the recipe card for an automatic conversion to metric amounts of each ingredient.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 415kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 336mgPotassium: 164mgFiber: 4gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 1612IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 166mgIron: 1mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Vegan Pumpkin Pie
    Vegan Stuffing »

    Dessert Recipes, Easter, Vegan Baking, Vegan Dessert Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes carrots, flax eggs, rice flour

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dana says

      November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

      5 stars
      I made this for Mother's Day 2019 - OMG....sooooo good - the family just raved and then had to figure out who could take what home with them.Thanks for this - was such a hit!!Oh and mom wants me to make it as cupcakes for her next Church gathering!! ;-)Dd

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

        Thank you so much for sharing - you made my day! I'm so glad it came out well. Let me know how those cupcakes go! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Pink Himalayan Salt Valley says

      November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

      5 stars
      Oh this cake looks so beautiful and delicious. Thanks for sharing such a detailed recipe.

      Reply
    3. Stephanie says

      November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

      5 stars
      Okay.. so now I'm officially craving carrot cake. And I love that this is a one bowl recipe. This is on my list to make soon.

      Reply
    4. Choclette says

      November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

      5 stars
      Carrot cake is always a winner and this looks like something I have to try. I've made a few vegan cakes, but never a carrot cake one - not yet anyway!

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

        Thanks - I hope you give it a try!

        Reply
    5. Kays says

      November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe. Cake is absolutely delicious.Made a 0.5 recipe as there’s only the two of us but it worked great and the cream cheese frosting is to die for.

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    6. Anita says

      November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow, the cake looks so good. No one can tell it's vegan and healthy! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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