Vegan Carrot Cake

4.88 stars (25 reviews)

This two-layered vegan carrot cake is easy to make, perfectly moist, and has just the right amount of sweetness.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Servings: slices

Brush two 8-inch round cake pans with oil. Dust with flour, then turn the pans upside down and knock out any extra flour.
In a medium bowl sift the dry ingredients.
In a larger bowl mix the oil and sugars together. Then mix in the warm non-dairy milk and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet and gently mix just until the batter comes together. Careful not to over mix!
Gently fold in the carrots and any optional mix-ins.
Evenly divide the batter into the two prepared cake pans.
Bake at 325ºF for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick/tester comes out of the cake center clean. The cakes will also pull away from the sides of the pan when done.
When the cakes are cool to the touch, remove them from the pans and place them on a cooling rack to cool fully.

Beat the cream cheese, coconut cream, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer.
Pour in ½ cup of powdered sugar. Mix on low until completely smooth.
Mix in the remaining ½ cup powdered sugar. Turn the speed up to medium and whip the frosting for 30-60 seconds until smooth.
Store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before frosting the cake. Give the frosting a stir after you remove it from the fridge.
Tip: For a sweeter frosting, add more powdered sugar until you reach your desired level of sweetness.

Add half of the frosting to the bottom layer of the cake. Evenly spread the frosting to the edges of the cake. If the frosting seems “soft” place the cake in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before adding the top layer.
Carefully place the top cake layer onto the frosted bottom layer.
Evenly spread the remaining frosting on the top layer of cake. Using an icing spatula, either smooth out the top frosting or gently whip it up in a circular motion like in the photos above.
Store the finished cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Powdering the sugar is not necessary, but it will create a softer cake. If you are using turbinado or another granulated sugar, I suggest powdering it. To powder the sugar, measure it first, then blend it in a blender until powdered.
The frosting is mildly sweet with only 1 cup of powdered sugar. For a sweeter frosting, add 1-2 cups more powdered sugar. Keep in mind that adding more powdered sugar may also create a thicker frosting. If needed, add a few splashes of liquid from the coconut cream or non-dairy milk.
Cream Cheese - Use your favorite cream cheese for this recipe. If you're uncertain, Tofutti, Violife, and Kite Hill cream cheeses are great.
Coconut cream can be harvested from the top of a chilled can of coconut milk or cream. To chill, place the can in the back of the fridge overnight. The thick stuff on top is the cream. Alternatively, you can use 4 tablespoons of vegan butter if coconut cream is unavailable.

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American