Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
By Joann MacDonald of Woman in Real Life
This easy vegan carrot cake is topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting that’s a dead ringer for the dairy version. Nobody will guess it’s vegan!
Carrot cake causes some debate in our house. Don’t get me wrong - even my two teens love it. Who complains about carrots when they’re hidden in cake? The debate centers on the optional ingredients - raisins and walnuts. Not surprisingly, the kids stand against these seemingly innocent, healthy whole foods. My husband and I, on the other hand, are in favor of bites of delicious, dense carrot cake studded with plump raisins and crunchy walnuts.
Fortunately there are no winners or losers in this debate. You can easily adapt this carrot cake recipe to suit your preferences. If you think carrot cake is all the worse for the addition of raisins and walnuts, just leave ‘em out. (My feelings won’t be hurt.)
One thing we can all agree on is the need for a cream cheese frosting. This gently spiced (with cinnamon and nutmeg) carrot cake contrasts beautifully in taste and texture with the sweet and tangy dairy-free cream cheese frosting. You really can’t have one without the other!
How to make vegan cream cheese frosting
To make dairy-free cream cheese frosting that tastes just like the “real” thing, simply add store-bought vegan cream cheese and vegan hard butter to a large bowl. Beat together briefly with an electric hand mixer. Add powdered confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Voilà! Vegan cream cheese frosting that your family will love.
This vegan cream cheese frosting recipe makes enough frosting for the middle, top and sides of the layered carrot cake. If you prefer to leave the sides of the cake naked, store any leftover frosting in a container in the freezer and use it on cupcakes in the future.
Note for vegans: To avoid using sugar that has been processed with bone char, choose organic powdered confectioners’ sugar or check with the sugar manufacturer to ensure their powdered sugar is vegan-friendly.
Dress your carrot cake for the holidays
Carrot cake is a perfect addition to your holiday dessert table. Just as we put on our best clothes for the holidays, I like to dress up carrot cake for Christmas. It’s as simple as topping the cake with grated carrots, walnut pieces, cinnamon sticks and a few fresh cranberries. You could also use thinly sliced oranges and sprigs of fresh rosemary.
What makes this carrot cake vegan?
This vegan carrot cake recipe is egg-free thanks to the use of easy-to-make flax “eggs.” I have called for unsweetened vanilla almond milk in place of cow’s milk, but you can use whichever non-dairy milk you prefer. While the recipe suggests all-purpose white flour, light spelt flour works nicely too.
Which side are you on?
So, which side are you on in the carrot cake debate? Raisins and walnuts or thank you, but no?
Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
(8 to 10 servings)
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour (or light spelt flour)
¾ cup coconut sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
¼ cup orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup light oil, such as grapeseed or light olive oil
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds whisked together with 6 tablespoons water (let sit for 5 minutes to thicken)
2 cups shredded carrots
2 teaspoons grated ginger
½ cup raisins (optional)
½ cup walnut pieces (optional)
For the frosting:
8 ounces (227 grams) store-bought vegan cream cheese
1/4 cup hard vegan butter (buttery stick)
3 ½ cups organic powdered confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grated carrots, cranberries, walnuts (optional toppings)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil two 8-inch round cake pans or cut parchment paper to fit bottoms of pans.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In another large bowl, stir together almond milk, orange juice, vanilla, oil, flax “eggs,” carrots, ginger, raisins and walnuts.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir together until just mixed.
Pour evenly into prepared pans. Smooth down tops with a spatula.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let cool before turning out of pan onto a wire rack.
To prepare the frosting
Add vegan cream cheese and vegan butter to a large bowl. Beat together with an electric hand mixer until smooth (for 10 seconds or so). Add powdered confectioners’ sugar ¼ cup at a time, beating as you go and pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula. Add vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy (a couple of minutes). Store in the fridge until ready to use.
To assemble cake
Trim rounded top off one layer of cake, if desired. Frost that layer with vegan cream cheese frosting. (Don’t go right to the edge as the weight of the second layer will push down the frosting.) Place the second layer of carrot cake over the first. Smooth on frosting. Decorate with grated carrots, fresh cranberries and walnuts. Serve and enjoy!
