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    Home » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Vegan Carrot Cake

    Published: Apr 5, 2016 Updated: Sep 11, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Carrot Cake

    This vegan carrot cake is the best ever! It’s moist and rich and topped with a tangy lemon buttercream frosting and crushed walnuts.

    Sliced vegan carrot cake on a white cake stand.

    Carrot cake is pretty awesome! It gives you the feeling that you’re eating something pretty darn healthy. I mean you’re getting your veggies in!

    And when it’s vegan carrot cake, well….. then you can feel pretty saintly about it!

    Okay okay, I’ve said I’m never going to mention guilt and food in the same sentence on this blog, and I’m going to stick to it, but you know, there’s indulgence and then there’s feeling saintly about indulgence, which is not like indulgence at all really.

    So go on, have your vegan carrot cake and eat it too, while feeling saintly about your good choices 🙂

    And you know one of these days I’ll even make a gluten-free version (update: it’s here!) and THEN, well then, you know, you can just about ascend to heaven on a cloud while you eat it.

    Jokes aside, this carrot cake is super good, it has a wholesome hearty vibe, while being moist, rich, and delicious.

    Topped with a tangy lemon buttercream frosting and crushed walnuts, this cake is ideal for any special occasion. Or just for Sunday afternoon tea.

    Sliced carrot cake on a white cake stand.

    How To Make Vegan Carrot Cake

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together.
    Two photo collage showing dry ingredients added to mixing bowl and mixed together.
    • Add light brown sugar and grated carrot to the mixing bowl.
    • Prepare your flax eggs by adding 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal to a bowl with 6 tablespoons of hot water. Let it sit for a minute to become gloopy.
    • Add the flax eggs, oil, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar and chopped walnuts to the mixing bowl.
    • Mix everything together. If it seems like it won’t come together and the mix is too dry then step away from the bowl for a couple of minutes and then come back to it. The carrot will have released more moisture into the batter allowing it to come together into a thick batter.
    Two photo collage showing wet ingredients added to mixing bowl and mixed into a thick batter.
    • Divide the batter evenly between two cake pans (sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with parchment paper along the bottoms).
    • Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
    Two photo collage showing carrot cake before and after baking.
    • Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
    Two photo collage showing cakes cooling on a wire cooling rack and then being frosted on a white cake stand.
    • When the cakes are cool, frost and decorate with crushed walnuts.
    Vegan carrot cake topped with crushed walnuts on a white cake stand.

    The Frosting

    Two things: firstly, I frosted it with a lemon frosting and added apple cider vinegar. This was to try and get a slightly more ‘cheesy’ flavor to it.

    Well, it didn’t really work, it was really good, but I would not say it was in any way ‘cheesy’. It was still really good though, with a perfect amount of tang, so I went with it!

    Secondly, I have since made a fabulous vegan cream cheese frosting using a homemade vegan cream cheese. It is seriously delicious, so if you want to give that a try instead, then go for it. The lemon buttercream frosting recipe from our vegan lemon cake is also a winner if you want to use that instead. 

    Vegan carrot cake topped with walnuts on a white cake stand.

    Chef’s Tips

    Measure your flour correctly. If you have a food scale then measure the flour out on a food scale for total accuracy. If you don’t have a food scale then use the ‘spoon and level’ method to measure your flour. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a knife. Don’t scoop the flour and don’t pack it into your cup.

    Carrots must be freshly grated. If you buy pre-grated carrots then they will have dried out a lot by the time you use them. You need freshly grated carrots so that they are packed with moisture.

    The walnuts. Walnuts are entirely optional but they are really delicious both in the cake itself and sprinkled on top for decoration. Another great option is chopped pecan nuts.

    Be patient mixing the batter. When you’re mixing this batter you may start to wonder if I’ve missed out some important ingredients in the form of liquids! You may start thinking it will never come together! Don’t worry, so long as you used freshly grated carrots, it will definitely come together. Just step away from the bowl for a couple of minutes, the carrots will release more moisture into the batter. When you come back and mix again, it will form into a thick batter.

    Slice of vegan carrot cake on a cake lifter.

    Adapting For Different Cake Pans

    • 7-inch. This cake makes two thick 7-inch cake layers.
    • 8-inch. It also works perfectly for 8-inch cake pans. The layers are slightly thinner, but still perfect, and 8-inch cake pans work great with the recipe exactly as is, no other changes at all. 
    • 6-inch. If you want to make this cake in 6-inch cake pans then I would suggest making it as a 3 layer cake. Baking time will be around 25 minutes.
    • 9×9 sheet cake. You can also make it as a 9×9 square sheet cake. Baking time is 35 minutes.
    • 9×13 sheet cake. It also works as a 9×13 sheet cake though it is a fairly thin cake so 9×9 is preferred. Baking time for 9×13 is 25 minutes.
    Vegan carrot cake with a few slices removed on a white cake stand.

    Vegan Carrot Cake Q&A

    Can you make this cake gluten-free?

    You can make this cake gluten-free by simply switching the regular flour for a gluten-free all purpose flour blend. You can also check out our recipe for vegan gluten free carrot cake. It’s totally divine. 

    Can you make cupcakes?

    Sure! This recipe adapts to 12-18 cupcakes depending on how full you make the cupcake liners. You can also check out our vegan carrot cake cupcakes. 

    Slice of carrot cake on a white plate.

    Storing and Freezing

    Keep the cake covered at room temperature where it will stay good for 3-4 days, or keep it covered in the fridge where it will stay good for up to a week.

    It is also freezer friendly for up to 3 months.

    Slice of vegan carrot cake on a white plate.

    More Vegan Cakes

    1. Vegan Vanilla Cake
    2. Vegan Chocolate Cake
    3. Vegan Red Velvet Cake
    4. Vegan Banana Cake
    5. Vegan Lemon Cake
    6. Vegan Strawberry Cake

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Sliced carrot cake on a white cake stand.

    Vegan Carrot Cake

    This vegan carrot cake is the best ever! It's moist and rich and topped with a tangy lemon buttercream frosting and crushed walnuts.
    4.90 from 547 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 673kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    For the Carrot Cake:

    • 2 cups All Purpose Flour (250g)
    • 1 tsp Baking Powder
    • 1 tsp Baking Soda
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • 2 tsp Cinnamon
    • 1 tsp Nutmeg
    • 1 ½ cups Light Brown Sugar (300g)
    • 2 ⅓ cups Grated Carrot (255g)
    • 2 Flax Eggs (2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed Meal with 6 Tbsp Water)
    • ½ cup Canola Oil (120ml) or Vegetable Oil
    • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
    • 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 1 cup Walnuts (100g) Chopped, Optional

    For the Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

    • 4 cups Powdered Sugar (480g)
    • ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g)
    • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
    • 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 2-3 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

    Decoration:

    • Walnuts Chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 7-inch cake pans or two 8-inch cake pans (see notes*) with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.
    • Sift the all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together.
    • Add the light brown sugar and grated carrot to the mixing bowl.
    • Prepare your flax eggs by adding 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal to a bowl with 6 tablespoons of hot water. Let it sit for a minute to become gloopy.
    • Add the flax eggs, oil, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar and chopped walnuts to the mixing bowl.
    • Mix everything together. If it seems like it won't come together and the mix is too dry then step away from the bowl for a couple of minutes and then come back to it. The carrots will have released more moisture into the batter allowing it to come together into a thick batter.
    • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
    • Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
    • Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
    • While the cakes are cooling, prepare your frosting.
    • Add the powdered sugar, vegan butter, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the bowl of your stand mixer.
    • Start mixing on low speed gradually increasing speed until your frosting is thick and smooth.
    • If your frosting is too thick then add in the extra tablespoon of lemon juice, a drop at a time and only as much as needed to get to a spreadable consistency.
    • Frost the cake and decorate the top with chopped walnuts.

    Video

    Notes

    1. Measure your flour correctly. If you have a food scale then measure the flour out on a food scale for total accuracy. If you don’t have a food scale then use the ‘spoon and level’ method to measure your flour. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a knife. Don’t scoop the flour and don’t pack it into your cup.
    2. Carrots must be freshly grated. If you buy pre-grated carrots then they will have dried out a lot by the time you use them. You need freshly grated carrots so that they are packed with moisture.
    3. The walnuts. Walnuts are entirely optional but they are really delicious both in the cake itself and sprinkled on top for decoration. Another great option is chopped pecan nuts.
    4. Be patient mixing the batter. When you’re mixing this batter you may start to wonder if I’ve missed out some important ingredients in the form of liquids! You may start thinking it will never come together! Don’t worry, so long as you used freshly grated carrots, it will definitely come together. Just step away from the bowl for a couple of minutes, the carrots will release more moisture into the batter. When you come back and mix again, it will form into a thick batter.
    5. Adapting for different size cake pans:
      • 7-inch. This cake makes two thick 7-inch cake layers.
      • 8-inch. It also works perfectly for 8-inch cake pans. The layers are slightly thinner, but still perfect, and 8-inch cake pans work great with the recipe exactly as is, no other changes at all.
      • 6-inch. If you want to make this cake in 6-inch cake pans then I would suggest making it as a 3 layer cake. Baking time will be around 25 minutes.
      • 9×9 sheet cake. You can also make it as a 9×9 square sheet cake. Baking time is 35 minutes.
      • 9×13 sheet cake. It also works as a 9×13 sheet cake though it is a fairly thin cake so 9×9 is preferred. Baking time for 9×13 is 25 minutes.
    6. Gluten-free: You can make this cake gluten-free by simply switching the regular flour for a gluten-free all purpose flour blend.
    7. Cupcakes: This recipe adapts to 12-18 cupcakes depending on how full you make the cupcake liners.
    8. Storing: Keep the cake covered at room temperature where it will stay good for 3-4 days, or keep it covered in the fridge where it will stay good for up to a week.
    9. Freezing: It is also freezer friendly for up to 3 months.
    10. This recipe has been updated with new photos but the recipe itself is unchanged. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 81g | Vitamin A: 5425IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is 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. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. May says

      June 09, 2025 at 2:10 am

      Two questions-

      -how long would I bake the cake in an 8×8 square pan?

      – if I use pre-grated carrots, can I add a liquid to counterbalance the dryness of the carrots (if so, how much of what)?

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        June 26, 2025 at 8:47 am

        Hi May. You can bake the cake in an 8×8 square pan for 35 – 40 minutes. Be sure to check if it’s ready with a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake. For the pre-grated carrots, you can use it as per the recipe and if the batter does not come together after you’ve mixed it, then you can add a bit of non-dairy milk to add some moisture (but add only a little bit at a time).

        Reply
    2. Erika Quinones says

      April 07, 2025 at 9:00 pm

      I loved this recipe!! It was quite easy to put together – especially since I already had most ingredients!! Next time I may add All Spice to gift the cake a spice variety and flavor as well. Otherwise, I highly recommend it!5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        April 09, 2025 at 12:55 pm

        Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Erika! Thanks so much for sharing and for your great review!

        Reply
    3. Raquel Martinez says

      March 18, 2025 at 4:07 am

      I am not a vegan but I always take a carrot cake to Easter dinner and this year it needs to be vegan so I’m trying out different recipes – this was the first. This cake did not taste bad. It was perfectly edible. It just didn’t have the texture, crumb, and richness of a traditional carrot cake. I will try another recipe to see if it comes any closer. As a non vegan, perhaps I’m just going to have to reset my expectations and lower the bar.3 stars

      Reply
      • Romes says

        May 21, 2025 at 1:32 am

        Vegan food does not = subpar versions of food. Please don’t let one disappointing experience dictate how you view plant based options 🙂

        Reply
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    4.90 from 547 votes (173 ratings without comment)

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