Vegan Carrot Cake
This easy vegan carrot cake recipe relies on inexpensive pantry staples for a moist, tender, warmly spiced cake loaded with carrot and walnuts, + your choice of frosting!
Servings: 9 pieces
Calories: 412kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of flax meal
- 5 tablespoons of warm water
- ½ cup of plant based milk
- ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- ⅓ cup of neutral oil
- ½ cup of water
- 2 cups of grated carrots
- ½ cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 pint of store bought vegan cream cheese frosting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prep a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the flaxmeal and water. Mix well and set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mix the plant-based milk and the apple cider. Mix until it starts to thicken. Then add the vanilla, and oil. Mix well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well and add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently mix until just combined (do not overmix).
- Fold in the carrot and mix until all the carrot shreds are well integrated, but do not overmix.
- Add the batter into the baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Insert a knife into the cake, if it comes out clean, it's ready. If not, add 5 more minutes to the baking time or until the knife comes out clean. Be careful not to overcook because it will become dry.
- When ready, allow it to sit on a cooling rack until completely cool before topping with vegan cream cheese.
Notes
- Measure the flour accurately: First, fluff it up in the bag with a fork. Then, use a spoon to transfer it to the measuring cup, leveling it with the back of a knife.
- Grate the carrots finely: Use your grater’s small or medium holes for the most seamless incorporation in the batter.
- Don’t over-mix the batter: Otherwise, you can end up with dense, gummy, sunken bakes. Mix gently – a few tiny lumps are fine.
Nutrition
Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 718mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 4755IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 2mg
