Vegetarian Vegan Carrot Cake

Total time2 hr 5 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time35 min

This layered carrot cake is warmly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and packed with freshly grated carrots and crunchy walnuts folded through a tender, moist crumb. The batter comes together with a flax-and-water gel standing in for eggs, giving the cake structure without any need for them at all. A cloud of tangy, whipped frosting gets swirled between the layers and swept over the top and sides, finished with a final scatter of chopped walnuts for texture and crunch. Every layer is soft, spiced, and satisfying, with just the right balance of sweetness against that tangy frosting. It's an easy make-ahead dessert for a crowd, and it's a genuinely solid choice for a vegetarian spread — no one will guess how simple it was to put together.

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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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