Vegan Carrot Cake
Carrot cake has always been one of my absolute favourite cakes because of the moist texture, tart icing and spiced flavour. I’ve whipped together a vegan carrot cake recipe that not only tastes delicous but is super easy to make with mainly ingredients you likely have in your cupboard.
What you need to make vegan carrot cake
-
sultanas
-
orange
-
plain flour
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light brown sugar
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baking powder
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bicarbonate of soda
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ground cinnamon
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ground mixed spice
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carrots
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dairy-free milk
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sunflower oil
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walnuts, or pecans
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apple cider vinegar
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vanilla extract
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vegan cream cheese
-
vegan butter
-
icing sugar
-
cinnamon
Substitution and Ingredient Notes
Dairy-free milk: I usually just use whatever I have in the fridge, like oat or soy!
Sunflower oil: You can use any neutral oil for this.
Vegan cream cheese: My favourite is the Sainsbury’s Free From cream cheese, as it has a thicker creamier consistency than others I have tried!
Vegan butter/non-dairy margarine: I like to use Stork for baking so always have some in my fridge.
How to make Vegan Carrot Cake
Start by soaking the sultanas in the the orange juice in a bowl for 2-4 hours, or overnight if possible. Alternatively, if short on time, microwave for 1 minute to soften. Then set aside.
Then preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease and line the base and sides of a 12×6 inch loaf tin.
In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is combined and without any lumps.
Then add all the wet ingredients, including the soaked sultanas and any remaining orange juice, and mix until just combined. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts until evenly distributed. Make sure not to overmix.
Next, pour the carrot cake batter into your prepared loaf tin.
Then bake for 70-75 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil during the final 45 minutes of baking.
Once out of the oven, allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, to make the icing, beat together the butter, cinnamon and icing sugar until smooth.
Finally, add the vegan cream cheese and orange zest and gently beat until smooth and just combined. Avoid overmixing, as the icing can become too soft and lose its structure.
Finally, spread the icing over the cooled cake, and decorate with walnut halves or chopped walnuts, or some edible flowers if desired.
Vegan Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 40 g sultanas
- ½ orange (juice of)
- 275 g plain flour
- 175 g light brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ mixed spice
- ½ tsp salt
- 225 g carrots (grated)
- 200 ml dairy free milk (room temperature )
- 100 g sunflower oil
- 75 g walnuts (chopped, could substitute for pecans)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the icing
- 150 g vegan cream cheese (room temperature )
- 50 g vegan butter
- 75 g icing sugar
- cinnamon (pinch of )
- 1 orange (zest of)
Instructions
- Put the orange juice in a bowl with the sultanas and leave to soak for 2–4 hours, or overnight if possible. Alternatively, microwave for 1 minute to soften. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 12x6 inches
- Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is combined and without any lumps.
- Add all the wet ingredients, including the soaked sultanas and any remaining orange juice, and mix until just combined. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
- Pour the carrot cake batter into your prepared loaf tin.
- Bake for about 75 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil during the final 45 minutes of baking.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the Icing
- Beat together the butter, cinnamon and icing sugar until smooth. Add the vegan cream cheese and orange zest and gently beat until smooth and just combined. Avoid overmixing, as the icing can become too soft and lose its structure.
- Spread the icing over the cooled cake and decorate with walnut halves or chopped walnuts, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Want try some more vegan bakes?
- Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Spiced Apple and Cranberry Cake
- Italian Lemon and Raspberry Olive Oil Cake
- How to make the Perfect Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
- Vegan Rock Cakes
Did you make this Vegan Carrot Cake recipe? Please rate and review the recipe below, and leave me a comment! I love to hear your feedback, and if you’re enjoying my recipes. Make sure to take a photo, tag me @MadeleineOlivia and tag it #MadeleineOlivia.
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