Vegan Carrot Cake
This moist Vegan Carrot Cake is soft, spiced, and loaded with carrots. It’s an easy cake with a luscious dairy-free cream cheese frosting.
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If there’s one dessert we never get tired of, it’s this Vegan Carrot Cake! Soft, perfectly spiced, and bursting with fresh carrot flavor, it’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Whether for birthdays, holidays, or just because, this cake is always a hit—especially with its rich, tangy cream cheese frosting. One bite, and you’ll see why it’s a forever favorite!
Reader Reviews
★★★★★
Allie
This is the BEST carrot cake! I made it for Easter one year, and everyone raved about it! Even the non-vegans love it! It’s so moist and delicious! I never cared for carrot cake before, but now this is my favorite cake!
★★★★★
Pam
I’ve made this vegan carrot cake recipe many times over the past few years…everybody loves this carrot cake. I’ve shared the recipe quite a few times.
Let’s get into more details about this cake’s ingredients, including substitution ideas.
Ingredients & Substitutions
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the classic taste, or swap with whole wheat pastry flour for a healthier twist. For a vegan gluten-free carrot cake, opt for high-quality gluten-free baking flour.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is standard, for a richer flavor, mix it with brown sugar.
- Spices: Blending ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice blend gives this cake its signature warmth.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts add a classic crunch, but pecans work just as well. For a nut-free version, skip them entirely or add raisins, shredded coconut, or sunflower seeds for texture.
- Fat: Vegetable oil (canola, sunflower, or avocado oil) makes this cake extra moist. Prefer a richer flavor? Try melted coconut oil or light olive oil.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar helps activate baking soda for a fluffy cake. Swap with white vinegar or lemon juice if needed.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor—opt for pure vanilla (not imitation) for the best taste.
To toast or not to toast walnuts! Toasting walnuts before baking brings out their natural nuttiness and adds extra crunch. Simply toast them in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or bake at 350°F for 5 minutes.
Short on time? Try this Vegan Carrot Cake Boxed Mix Hack!
Want to switch things up? Try adding crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, or a hint of lemon zest for a fresh twist! Applesauce can also boost moisture while reducing oil—just swap 1/3 cup oil for 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce.
How to Make Vegan Carrot Cake
This vegan carrot cake comes together with surprising ease—no mixer required! I always say that baking is more than just the end result; it’s about the experience, the aroma, and the little moments in between.
There’s something so satisfying about stirring batter by hand, watching those beautiful orange flecks of carrot fold into the mix, and anticipating the warm, spiced scent that fills your kitchen.
Here’s how we make it, step by step:
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: Grab a big mixing bowl (because trust me, you don’t want flour flying everywhere!). Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices until well combined. This ensures even distribution of those warm spices in every bite.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together grated carrots, vegetable oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla. It’ll look a little loose at first, but trust the process—this is where all the moisture and sweetness come in!
- Add the Nuts (if Using): If you love a little crunch, toss in some chopped walnuts or pecans with the flour mixture. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking.
- Bring it All Together: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and gently fold them together. The batter will be thick, rich, and speckled with bright orange carrot ribbons—exactly what you want! Don’t overmix; we want a tender cake, not a tough one.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the batter into a greased cake pan (or cupcake tins if you’re going that route). Pop it into the oven and bake until golden and springy to the touch. Your kitchen will smell incredible right about now!
- Cool Completely: I know it’s tempting to frost the cake right away, but trust me—patience pays off! Let the cake cool completely before adding that dreamy, tangy cream cheese frosting. Otherwise, it’ll melt right off!
- Slice, Serve & Enjoy: Take a moment to admire your work, then slice in and savor every bite of your homemade vegan carrot cake.
One-Bowl Vegan Carrot Cake (Minimal Cleanup!)
Want to keep things extra simple? You can absolutely make this a one-bowl recipe! Here’s how:
- Start with Dry Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Create a well in the middle of the flour.
- Add Wet Ingredients Gradually – Pour in the water, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla (in that order). Stir together the wet ingredients at the top, gradually incorpirating the floixture.
- Fold in Nuts, if using) – Stir in toasted nuts, if desired) until everything is evenly distributed. The batter should be thick and luscious.
- Bake & Enjoy – Pour into your prepared pan(s) and bake as usual!
Pro Tip: Mixing everything in one bowl works best if you don’t overmix the batter—stir just until everything is combined for the most tender cake.
Tips for Success
- Use Freshly Grated Carrots: Pre-shredded store-bought carrots are too dry. Grating them fresh ensures a super moist and flavorful cake.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon flour into your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.
- Oil Over Butter — Vegetable oil adds moisture to cakes without making them greasy.
Want an even more tender cake? Try my Apple-licious Healthy Carrot Cake recipe – it swaps some applesauce for the vegetable oil.
Baking Options
Want to mix things up? Here are some fun variations for different occasions:
- Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins — Same batter, shorter bake time (around 20 minutes). Prefer a dedicated muffin recipe? Try my vegan carrot muffin recipe.
- Vegan Carrot Loaf Cake — Skip the frosting for a snack-worthy carrot bread, or frost it for dessert. Bake in a loaf pan for 40-50 minutes.
- Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes — Pour batter into a muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes. Perfect for portion control (or sharing—if you must!).
- Make Carrot Cake Sheet Cake — Hosting a crowd? Pour the batter into a 9×13-inch pan and bake for around 40 minutes. Try gingersnap crumbles on top for an extra treat!
Storage Tips
How long will carrot cake last? This extra-moist carrot cake stays incredibly fresh! Unfrosted cake layers keep beautifully at room temp for a day or in the fridge for up to a week—perfect for make-ahead prep.
Need longer storage? No worries! This cake freezes like a dream. For expert tips on the best ways to store, freeze, and thaw carrot cake, check out my Carrot Cake Storage Guide.
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New to Vegan Baking?
The idea of making cookies, cakes, or muffins without eggs or dairy can seem like a hill too tall to climb. But with the simple tips in my Guide to Vegan Baking, you’ll be baking like a vegan pro in no time!
Carrot Cake Topping Ideas
Forget basic cream cheese! This carrot cake deserves a topping as special as it is. Go decadent with Vegan Buttercream, keep it light and modern with a Naked Cake, or explore the dreamy, old-fashioned charm of Dairy-Free Ermine Frosting.
Want even more inspiration? My Carrot Cake Toppings Guide has next-level ideas—plus my secret weapon for the BEST Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting!
Frequently-Asked Questions
Is carrot cake vegan?
Most store-bought carrot cakes aren’t vegan because they contain eggs and dairy. But this recipe proves you don’t need either to make a moist, flavorful carrot cake!
How does vegan carrot cake rise without eggs?
It’s all about science! Baking soda + vinegar creates a reaction that gives this cake its light, fluffy texture—no eggs needed.
Easy Vegan Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups walnuts
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 4 tablespoons vegan cream cheese (see note)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- Additional walnuts for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Spray two round cake pans with vegetable spray. You can also place a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the pans and spray the sides with vegetable oil.*
- Place walnuts on a baking pan and toast for 5 minutes. Be careful not to cook too long because they will burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before chopping.
- Combine in a large mixing bowl the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. Stir to combine. Stir half of the walnuts into the flour mixture. Set aside.
- Add the chopped carrots to a food processor and pulse several times to shred the carrots.
- Add the vegetable oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla to the food processor and pulse in quick bursts to combine.
- Pour the carrot mixture in with the flour mixture. Stir to combine, making sure there are no clumps of flour throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
For the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the meantime, prepare the frosting by combining the vegan cream cheese and vegan butter in a mixing bowl. Mix until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. Then add the lemon juice and beat until you get a spreadable consistency. You can add a tablespoon of plant-based milk if it's too thick.
- Ice the top of one of the cakes. Top with additional chopped, toasted walnuts. Place the second cake on top. Cover the top cake and sides with frosting. Garnish with chopped walnuts.
Recommended Equipment
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Video
Notes
Make it Healthier
To make this cake lighter and healthier, try these simple swaps:- Cut sugar by 50% and add raisins for natural sweetness.
- Substitute whole wheat pastry flour (or 50% whole wheat flour) for extra fiber.
- Replace half of the oil with applesauce or an applesauce substitute.
- Use whipped coconut cream instead of frosting for a lighter topping.
- For a gluten-free version, swap in a high-quality gluten-free baking flour.
Baking Options
- Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins — Same batter, but bake for 20 minutes. Or try this dedicated vegan carrot muffin recipe.
- Carrot Cake Loaf: Bake in a loaf pan for 40-50 minutes, and enjoy it either frosted or unfrosted as a snack bread.
- Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes: Divide batter into muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Carrot Cake Sheet Cake: For parties, pour batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Love extra frosting? Try this alternative Vegan Cream Cheese Icing for a thicker topping.
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
More Carrot Desserts
Can’t get enough carrot-flavored treats? Try these irresistible carrot desserts:
This post was originally published in 2017 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2025.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Marly McMillen. I’m the founding editor, author, recipe developer, vegan home chef, and food stylist behind Namely Marly. I’m so grateful to you and every member of my audience for your support and dedication. More about Namely Marly ›
80 Responses to Vegan Carrot Cake
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I’ve made this twice and it’s amazing! It’s become our Easter tradition!
Hi Ali! I’m so glad you like this carrot cake recipe so much you’ve made it a family tradition. That makes me so happy! It’s like Carrot cake and easter go together so nicely! I’m gonna follow in your footsteps this year!
Hi Sarah! I’m so glad you liked this carrot cake! And your friends/family, too!
Hi Carrie. I love the idea of adding whole wheat flour to carrot cake. So glad you liked it!
Hello Marly, Quick question I hope, what size cake pan do you use? We are in Germany and only have an 8 or 10 inch pan at home. I baked it in an 8“ pan and after 51 minutes, it is still wet in the center. Also, I did not put it on air bake, but conventional top/bottom heat.
Smells and tastes delicious though!
Hi Roland! Yes, I use 9-inch pans which means more surface of the batter is exposed to heat. Your 8-inch pan will take longer to bake. If it’s still wet in the middle I would continue baking (checking in 10-minute increments) until a tester comes out mostly clean. You can also use a thermometer to test the center of the cake. The temperature should be 98°C/210°F. I hope this is helpful! Interestingely enough, I have been doing some German lessons on my app. I have a lisp that causes my “s” to sound similar to the germanic s. Someone once asked me if I was originally from Austria. I said, no, I just have a lisp! It’s good to have a sense of humor about yourself!
Also, I’m so glad you like this cake’s aroma. It’s a favorite around here and I often make it for my hubby’s birthday!
I’m so glad you liked this recipe, Marla!
I’m so glad you like it Joanna!
Super easy and amazing. I toss the carrots and all the wet ingredients into a blender and it’s great. Instead of water I use apple or pineapple juice and then reduce the sugar, I like the texture better this way. Thank you for great and simple recipe
So glad you like this recipe, Liz! I love the idea of using pineapple juice. I may add that as a note to the recipe, too!
How much sugar did you reduce it by? I would like to try it this way too. Thanks.
Just in case Liz doesn’t see your note, I thought I’d chime in. You can usually reduce sugar in a cake recipe by 25 to 30% without jeopardizing the texture or flavor too much. So, you can try reducing sugar to 1 1/2 cups.
This recipe came out absolutely perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever had a recipe come out so well. I used the single layer 9×13 pan version. Just amazing.
Hi Jessica. I’m so glad you liked this cake so much! It’s one of our favorites, too!
Best carrot cake I’ve ever made.
I’m so glad to hear you liked this recipe, Diane!
I would like to try this recipe and read the comments and ingredients. Has the protein powder been removed from the recipe?
Yes, the original recipe included protein powder but it was a difficult ingredient for some people to find so the recipe was adapted to make it more accessible for everyone. Besides, I like that the finished recipe has fewer ingredients!
Hi Marley — I made this recipe as two 8″ square cakes and the results were amazing…light and fluffy and not oily or dense. I had tried over and over to veganize my mom’s traditional carrot cake recipe with disappointing results. I’m so glad to add your recipe to my repertoire. Every recipe I’ve made from your site has turned out wonderfully!
Hi Ian, I’m so glad to hear this recipe worked for you and others too! Makes me happy!
I used this with ingredients we had on hand, because I couldn’t find a recipe for a vegan cake mix for pineapple and shredded coconut. Anyways the base was great, really moist!
So glad you liked it Tres! Cooking with things you have on-hand is really different these days. I’m happy it worked!
I am not vegan so when I say this carrot cake is amazing…. this carrot cake is amazing lol! It is moist and flavorful! I used the carrot pulp from juicing instead of shredded. I toasted the walnuts and added vanilla extract to the frosting. The cake tastes much better the next day! You cant tell its vegan!!
Hi Can I make this the day before and then refrigerate until serving?
Hi Barbara! Yes, absolutely. I have done that before with this vegan carrot cake. If you have room in your fridge for the entire cake, that’s great. Otherwise, you can refrigerate the cakes and then frost them the day of serving.
Just made this and it tasted great. But the cake came out firm instead of soft and flakey. Any idea what may have gone wrong? This was my first cake ever:)
Hi MD! So glad you liked the flavor of this vegan carrot cake! Congrats on your first cake! Normally when a cake is too firm it’s a sign it was stirred too much. Or it’s possible the baking soda wasn’t fresh and therefore didn’t cause as much rise in the cake. With this recipe, it’s the combination of baking soda and vinegar that helps create that rise. You should try my Wacky Cake recipe next — it makes a great second cake!
Hello! This recipe sounds delicious. I am vegan, and I will be giving it a try later today. I will let you know how it goes, and I hope to surprise my family.
Hi Jenny! I’m so glad to see your note! Ah, this vegan carrot cake is one of my favorites! I get requests to make it for birthdays, but it’s wonderful this time of year too. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I’ve made this vegan carrot cake recipe many times over the past few years for my vegan family members and friends and it has always been a favorite! Not just for the vegans but everybody loves this carrot cake. I’ve shared the recipe quite a few times
Hi Pam! Thank you so much for your comment. You made my day! I’m glad to see you love this recipe. It’s a favorite of mine too and I love making it for birthdays! Sending you a big ol’ virtual hug!
Hello, I’m trying to make this recipe. I wanted to know do I put 1/3 of almond flour to replace the protein powder, or do use almond flour instead of the all purpose.
Hi Stephanie. If you don’t have protein powder, you can substitute it with an equal amount of almond flour. Hope that helps!
I’ve made this a few times and it’s absolutely amazing! Colleagues couldn’t believe it’s vegan (dunno what they expected!) and asked for the recipe (I shared the link). Thank you!
Hi Leslie! I’m so glad you like this recipe! And your colleagues too! I love having those go-to recipes that surprise the omnivores! 🙂
Hi Marly, do you know how well this cake freezes? Thanks
Hi Anisa! Yes, I make this cake and then slice it into individual slices. Then I freeze those on a tray and transfer to a freezer bag. It’s worked great!