Description
Irresistible Simple Vegan Carrot Cake brings wholesome comfort with its moist layers of spiced goodness. Natural sweetness from carrots and plant-based ingredients create a delightful dessert you’ll savor down to the last crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120 ml) raw macadamia nuts (soaked, drained and rinsed)
- ½ cup (120 ml) raw cashews (soaked, drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups (300 g) carrots (grated)
Sweeteners and Liquid Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) almond milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
Flavor Enhancers and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
Instructions
- Meticulously grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 centimeters) baking pan and warm the oven to 350°F (177°C), ensuring an optimal baking environment.
- Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and sea salt in a spacious mixing bowl, creating a uniform dry ingredient mixture.
- In a separate vessel, vigorously whisk unsweetened applesauce, almond milk, pure vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil until the liquid components form a harmonious blend.
- Carefully introduce the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring with gentle, calculated motions to prevent overmixing and maintain a smooth batter consistency.
- Incorporate freshly grated carrots into the batter, distributing them evenly to ensure a balanced distribution of vegetable texture throughout the cake.
- Carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it uniformly to create an even surface for consistent baking.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, periodically testing the cake’s doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into the center; it should emerge without any wet batter clinging to it.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire cooling rack, which facilitates air circulation and prevents soggy bottom layers.
- For the frosting, combine vegan cream cheese, softened vegan butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt in a high-performance blender or food processor.
- Blend the frosting ingredients until achieving a silky, smooth consistency, adjusting the texture with additional almond milk if necessary to reach the desired spreadability.
- Refrigerate the frosting for 25-30 minutes to firm up slightly, which enhances its spreadability and structural integrity.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, generously and evenly spread the chilled frosting across the top, creating a luxurious vegan dessert ready to be served and enjoyed.
Notes
- Carrots add natural sweetness and moisture, making this cake incredibly soft and delightful.
- Vegan ingredients transform traditional cake into a compassionate, health-conscious dessert everyone can enjoy.
- Blending wet and dry ingredients separately ensures smooth texture and even distribution of flavors.
- Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg create warm, comforting undertones that complement the carrots perfectly.
- Cooling cake completely prevents frosting from melting and helps develop richer, more intense flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 257 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg