Best Vegan Carrot Cake
This vegan carrot cake with silken tofu glaze is a standout dessert thanks to its moist, spiced carrot base paired with a creamy, dairy-free tofu glaze. The combination delivers a rich, flavorful treat that’s both indulgent and healthy, perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without compromising on vegan principles.
Incredibly moist and packed with grated carrots, this secretly healthier version of carrot cake guarantees you will never miss the extra calories.
When I first created this glazed dairy-free carrot cake, my husband couldn’t stop talking about it. He said that absolutely anyone–plant-based or not–who tried it would agree that it’s fabulous. It has become one of my family’s favorite plant-based recipes.
We have more delicious vegan cakes to try like this fabulous vegan lime cake, our dairy-free chocolate fudge cake, and this crazy good sugar-free vegan chocolate cake.
Reasons you will love this vegan dessert
- Healthier Option with No Oil: This vegan carrot cake is made without any added oil, making it a healthier choice that still delivers a rich and moist texture. Enjoy a delicious dessert that aligns with your wellness goals!
- Creamy Silken Tofu Glaze: The cake is topped with a luscious silken tofu glaze, providing a creamy, dairy-free alternative to traditional icing. This tofu glaze adds a smooth, indulgent finish without compromising on vegan values.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a special celebration or a casual dessert, this vegan carrot cake is versatile and appealing to all. Its delicious taste and eye-catching presentation make it a standout choice for any event.
Ingredients needed
This will sound like a lot of ingredients, but I’m betting that many of you will already have most of the items on hand in your plant-based kitchens.
- Carrots- Freshly grated carrots give this cake loads of flavor and fiber.
- Raisins- Dried sweet raisins pair perfectly with carrots in desserts.
- Applesauce- If you don’t have applesauce on hand, it’s really easy make your own applesauce.
- Banana- Mashed banana helps sweeten the cake.
- Spices- Allspice and cinnamon give a warm sweet taste and fragrance.
- Flour- I use a combination of whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. To make it gluten-free, try using this GF guide from Minimalist Baker.
- Baking Powder- Baking soda and baking powder are both used in this recipe.
- Sweetener- My sweetener of choice for this cake is sucanat, but more options could include date sugar or another less refined sweetener.
- Maple syrup- I personally love that maple taste in desserts.
- Vanilla- To give it that warm delicious flavor.
- Plant Milk- My favorite is unsweetened vanilla almond milk or plain almond milk. Any plant milk will work well.
- Vinegar- Apple cider vinegar helps this cake rise.
- Salt- For flavor and to help it rise.
- Nuts- These are optional, but I really like the crunch they add. Walnut pieces are my favorite, and my husband’s is crushed pecans.
Tips & Substitutions
- Gluten-Free- This vegan carrot cake is not gluten-free, but this link to the Minimalist Baker will help adjust it for those who want to give it a try.
- Soy Allergies- For those avoiding soy, you might try using cashews as a substitute for tofu in the glaze.
- Cupcakes- Want to make cupcakes instead of cake? I make cupcakes all the time with this batter. Just use a muffin pan and reduce the cooking time to 20-25 minutes.
How to make vegan carrot cake
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. Next, prepare the pan you plan to use. I use an 8″ silicone baking dish or glass baking dish lined with parchment paper for this recipe, but you could also use 6″-9″ pans without making any adjustments.
STEP #2: In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, sucanat.
STEP #3: In a medium bowl, mash a ripe banana well. Add apple sauce, concentrate, maple syrup, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Whisk together well.
STEP #4: Grate the carrots or use pre-grated ones from the grocery store. Either one will work just fine in this recipe. Sometimes, just buying them already grated makes things easier and quicker.
STEP #5: Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts (if using) to the wet batter and stir together.
STEP #6: Pour the well-blended wet mixture into a large bowl with dry ingredients and whisk together thoroughly.
This will be a thick batter, and that’s the way you will want it. If, however, it seems overly stiff, add a tiny splash of plant milk.
STEP #7: Pour cake batter into an 8″ silicone baking dish or glass baking dish. Place on a baking sheet and put in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted into the middle and come out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and test for doneness. To do this, insert a toothpick into the center point. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Otherwise, place back into the oven and test again in 5-10 minutes.
Once completely cooked, allow it to cool and remove from the pan. While it is cooling it’s time to make the glaze.
STEP #8: The tofu for the glaze should be silken and firm to make it smooth for the glaze. It should also not have been previously frozen.
If you haven’t worked with tofu before, we have a great article on the different kinds of tofu and how to cook with them that should prove helpful.
STEP #9: Drain the tofu completely and place in a blender. Since it is shelf-stable silken tofu, it will be packed in very little water and will not need to be pressed.
Add all other glaze ingredients to the blender or food processor and blend until creamy and smooth.
While the cake is cooking, allow this frosting to chill in the refrigerator.
STEP #10: When the cake has completely cooled, spoon glaze over the top. To make it look even prettier, sprinkle with crushed walnuts and/or a few grated carrots. Serve immediately and enjoy!
*Originally published May 05, 2017.
Storing & freezing
Because this cake is made with fresh ingredients, it should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It is also freezer-friendly for approximately 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
I use an 8″ silicone baking dish or glass baking dish for this recipe, but you could also use 6″-9″ pans without making any adjustments.
Though this cake has sugar as an ingredient, it is loaded with healthy ingredients like whole grain flour, fresh carrots, raisins, bananas, and applesauce. Compared to traditional carrot cake, this recipe is much lower in calories and fat and has zero cholesterol.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Glazed Vegan Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Vegan Carrot Cake
- 1 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup dry sweetener pure cane sugar, maple sugar, etc
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 ripe banana mashed
- 3/4 cup apple sauce
- 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate from frozen
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2-1/2 cups carrots grated
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped, optional
- 1/2 cup raisins
Glaze
- 1/2 block silken tofu (6-7 oz)
- 1.5 tablespoons dry sweetener pure cane sugar, date sugar, etc
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Vegan Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Next, prepare the pan you plan to use. I use an 8" silicone baking dish or glass baking dish lined with parchment paper for this recipe, but you could also use 6"-9" pans without making any adjustments.
- In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients: flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, sucanat or other sugar
- In a medium bowl, mash a ripe banana well. Add apple sauce, concentrate, maple syrup, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Whisk together well.
- Grate the carrots or use pre-grated ones from the grocery store. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts (if using) to the wet batter and stir together.
- Pour the well-blended wet mixture into a large bowl with dry ingredients and whisk together thoroughly.
- Pour cake batter into an 8" silicone baking dish or glass baking dish. Place on a baking sheet and put in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted into the middle and come out clean.
- While this is baking is a good time to make the glaze.
- Remove the cake from the oven and test for doneness. To do this, insert a toothpick into the center point. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done, otherwise place back into the oven and test again in 5-10 minutes.
- Once completely cooked, allow it to cool and remove from the pan.
Glaze
- Drain the tofu completely and place in a blender. Since it is shelf-stable silken tofu, it will be packed in very little water and will not need to be pressed.
- Add all other glaze ingredients to the blender or food processor and blend until creamy smooth. While the cake is cooking, allow this to chill in the refrigerator.
- When the cake has cooled, spoon glaze over the top and serve immediately. To make it look even prettier, sprinkle with crushed walnuts and/or a few grated carrots. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Pan Size- I use an 8" silicone baking dish or glass baking dish for this recipe, but you could also use 6"-9" pans without making any adjustments.
- Gluten-Free- This vegan carrot cake is not gluten-free, but this link to the Minimalist Baker will help adjust it for those who want to give it a try.
- Soy Allergies- For those avoiding soy, you might try using cashews as a substitute for tofu in the glaze.
- Cupcakes- Want to make cupcakes instead of cake? I make cupcakes all the time with this batter. Just use a muffin pan and reduce the cooking time to 20-25 minutes.
- Storage- Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Terri I couldn’t
Find apple juice concentrate at the store. Can you suggest a good substitute please? TIA
The apple juice concentrate is in the freezer section near breakfast foods or frozen fruit usually. You might try adding a little more maple syrup as a sub.
Quick question, are we diluting the apple juice as on the can’s directions or using the concentrate undiluted? Thank you!
Hi Ann- No need to dilute the apple concentration because we want to to be very sweet for this cake recipe.
This brings up such wonderful memories of carrot cakes in my childhood and the carrot cake my cousin made for my wedding. Her recipe had pineapple in it. Any thoughts how I might be able to switch some ingredients out to include crushed pineapple? Thank you for all you do for us!
Sally- Adding a little crushed pineapple sounds delicious for this recipe. You might consider reducing the applesauce down to 1/4 cup and adding in a 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple to see how that works. It sounds yummy to me!