Vegan Carrot Cake

Total time2 hr 5 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time35 min

Carrot cake is one of those desserts that feels like a celebration, and this version makes 12 generous slices without a single egg or drop of dairy in sight. The secret to the tender, moist crumb is a combination of flax eggs, unsweetened applesauce, and neutral oil — together they do everything butter and eggs would normally do, and you genuinely cannot tell the difference. Warm cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg run through every bite alongside three full cups of freshly grated carrot and chopped walnuts for a little crunch. The frosting is the real showstopper: vegan cream cheese and vegan butter whipped together with powdered sugar until it's light, tangy, and impossibly creamy — exactly what a proper carrot cake deserves. Apple cider vinegar in the batter reacts with the baking soda to give the layers a beautiful lift, so you end up with two tall, springy rounds that stack beautifully. Whether you're baking for a birthday, a holiday table, or just a weekend project, this cake is the kind of thing that impresses everyone in the room — including the people who weren't expecting to love a plant-based dessert.

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake

2 tbsp ground flaxseed
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flaxseed Meal - 16 Oz Carrington Farms Organic Milled Flax Seed Paks Gluten Free Spectrum Essentials Cold Milled Organic Premium Ground Flaxseed - 24 oz Barlean's Organic Forti-Flax Premium Ground Flaxseed Carrington Farms Flax Seeds Milled Gluten Free Organic (Ground)
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6 tbsp water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
1 cup organic cane sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup plant-based milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
¾ cup chopped walnuts

For the frosting

8 oz vegan cream cheese, softened
¼ cup vegan butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

For serving

¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2
In a small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseed and 6 tbsp water until combined. Set aside for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens to a gel.

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