This is the BEST Vegan Carrot Cake recipe! 3 spiced carrot and walnut sponges, filled with a vanilla cream cheese frosting, coated in dairy-free cream cheese frosting, with hand piped carrots on top. Vegan, No-Egg, No-Dairy and easy to make.
This cake has been made in collaboration with Vitalite. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. (For more information along with affiliated links, check out my disclosure policy.)
BEST Vegan Carrot Cake
I don’t just throw the term ‘best’ around, this is truly the most perfect carrot cake! If you’re looking for an amazing ‘at home’ classic vegan carrot cake, then you’ve come to the right place! Carrot cake is my all time favourite cake flavour, and this cake has jumped to No.1 stop on my go-to cake recipes, it’s absolutely incredible! The sponge is tender, moist and perfectly spiced while the cream cheese frosting is soft, smooth, creamy and slightly tangy. It’s the perfect nostalgic and classic combination that needs no changes! This carrot cake is such a comforting dessert that’s easy to make, packed with sweet carrot flavour that’s perfectly complemented by subtle warm spices and chunky walnuts, this cake is always a hit, especially when it’s layered and coated with vanilla cream cheese frosting. Oh, and can’t forget the decorative mini carrots on the outside of the cake, they’re SO CUTE!
Looking for more carrot cake recipes? Check out my:
- Vegan Carrot Cake Cookies
- Mini No-Bake Carrot Cake Cheesecakes
- Vegan Carrot Cake Cream Horns
- Easy Vegan Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
Why you’ll love this cake
- Cake is.ultra-moist thanks to freshly grated carrots!
- 100% vegan, so everyone can enjoy!
- No-egg, No-Dairy – with simple cruelty free alternatives like dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free milk!
- It truly is the best vegan carrot cake!
- Perfectly spiced, classic carrot cake flavours.
- Three indulgent layers = triple the satisfaction!!
- Thick, tangy vegan cream cheese frosting that balances the sweetness beautifully.
- Stunning presentation with adorable mini piped carrots on top!
- Crunchy chopped walnuts add the perfect contrast to the soft cake and frosting.
- Feels homemade, comforting, and bakery-quality all at once!
- Perfect centrepiece for gatherings, Easter celebrations or birthdays.
- Tastes so good, no one will believe it’s vegan!!!
Layers of a vegan carrot cake
This cake has 3 beautifully spices, creamy and moist layers of sponge and frosting! Below is a overview of the layers. Find the full written recipe and method in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Sponges
The cake begins with three layers of moist carrot and walnut sponge, each one rich with freshly grated carrots, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and small pieces of walnuts for a gentle crunch. The sponges are soft yet sturdy with a light crumb, allowing them to hold their shape while still feeling tender and slightly dense, with a natural sweetness that builds through each layer. SO GOOD!
- Cream cheese frosting
Between each sponge sits a thick layer of vegan cream cheese frosting, smooth, creamy, and slightly tangy. This frosting balances the sweetness of the cake while adding a rich, velvety texture that ties the layers together. It seeps slightly into the sponge, enhancing the moisture and creating a cohesive, indulgent bite from top to bottom.
- Piped carrots
The entire cake is coated in a final layer of the same cream cheese frosting, spread evenly for a clean and soft finish. Around the sides, small piped mini carrots decorate the cake, made from brightly coloured frosting with tiny green tops. These simple but playful details give the cake a charming appearance while reflecting the flavours inside.
Decorating
Ensure the cake layers are fully cool before decorating! Vegan cream cheese frosting is extremely sensitive to heat and warm temperatures, and a warm cake will instantly melt the frosting.
Tip is to make the cakes the day before, wrap in plastic wrap or store in an airtight / sealed container and decorate the day after.
The cream cheese frosting is spread in-between the layers of the cake, crumb coat, final coat and the mini carrot decorations. The same cream cheese frosting is coloured with orange food gel, transferred into a piping bag and piped on the sides and top of the cake, with little leaves added to make the carrots look realistic, also giving them a rustic vibe. You can use rosemary sprigs, mint leaves or actual carrot leaves (which is what i did, just make sure to remove before eating).
Vegan Carrot Cake FAQ
- What size cake tins do you use? This recipe is made for 8” tins. I use 3 loose base / spring form cake tins (measuring 20cm / 8 inch). If you don’t have 3 cake tins, bake the cakes individually, covering the cake batter in the bowl with a damp tea towel. I’ve linked the tins I use here.
- My frosting feels too thin / soft? Cream cheese frosting can be quite soft. You want to ensure that both dairy-free butter and cream cheese is cold before whipping up!
- What vegan butter to use? I used Vitalite Dairy-Free Spread, which is vegan and tastes incredible! It makes for a super silky smooth frosting, paired with cream cheese frosting. It will be a softer frosting, so ensure everything stays chilled.
- Does this carrot cake need to be refrigerated? Yes, especially if it has cream cheese frosting, and the spread which can be soft.
- Can I make this carrot cake gluten-free? Unfortunately I’ve recipe tested this cake using gluten-free flour, and the cake tends to turn out gritty and dense. If you’re looking for gluten-free cake recipes, check out my recipes here.
- Can you freeze the carrot cake? Yes, the sponges freeze well. Wrap un-frosted sponges tightly in clingfilm / plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. Make sure to fully thaw them before frosting!
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram , TikTok and Facebook! Pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Happy baking all!
Print
Vegan Carrot Cake
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 10–12 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The BEST Classic Vegan Carrot Cake, with spiced carrot sponges, smooth cream cheese frosting, decorated with mini carrots and chopped walnuts! Vegan, No-Dairy, No-Eggs!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cake
- 480ml of dairy-free milk (soya milk works best)
- 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
- 420g of self raising flour
- 300g of caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 120ml of sunflower oil
- 200g of carrots (grated)
- 100g of walnuts (roughly chopped)
Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting
- 250g of dairy-free butter (I use Vitalite Daiy-free Spread)
- 180g of dairy-free cream cheese (I use Violife Original Cream Cheese)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste / extract
- 600g of icing sugar
+
- Orange food gel
- Rosemary / carrot leaves (for the mini carrot leaf decoration)
- Roughly chopped walnuts (for decoration)
Instructions
Method (Cake)
- Preheat your oven to 180°C fan and line three 8 inch loose base / push up cake tins with greaseproof paper. If you don’t have 3 cake tins you will have to bake the cakes separately. Just cover the unused batter with a damp tea towel until you’re ready to use it.
- In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan ‘buttermilk’.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Mix well to combine.
- Add the oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
- Fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts. Mix until fully incorporated. Do not over mix or this can result in a dense cake.
- Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake tins. Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
- Pop the cakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes. You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in to the centre of the cake and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.
- Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool slightly before removing them from the tins. Leave the cakes to cool fully on the cooling rack. Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.
Method (frosting)
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and cream cheese, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.
- Sift in the icing sugar and vanilla. Whip on high speed for around 5-8 minutes to incorporate it. If the buttercream is too thick, add some more cream cheese. If it’s too soft, add more icing sugar. You want it smooth, creamy and airy.
- As this is a soft cream cheese due to the spread, place the frosting into the fridge for around 30 minutes to firm up before using.
- Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or cake stand. Dollop or pipe some of the frosting on top and spread out until even using an off-set spatula or pallet knife.
- Place the second cake layer on top. Repeat with another layer of frosting and the third cake on top (refer to video for example).
- Give the entire cake a crumb coat (thin layer of frosting to help lock in any crumbs to prevent them in the final coat, using a cake scraper or pallet knife to get the sides smooth.
- Place the cake into the fridge to set for 40 minutes. You want the frosting to be firm, this will make the final coat and applying the decorations easier.
Method (carrots and final decoration)
- In a small bowl, add some of the frosting and a drop of orange food gel. Mix together then transfer into a piping bag and snip off the tip.
- When the cake feels firm, remove from the fridge, pipe mini carrots all over the cake, on the sides and top.
- Add some sprigs of rosemary or carrot leaves to make the carrots look realistic.
- To add some crunch, roughly chop some walnuts and sprinkle them over the cake, in between the piped carrots.
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
Notes
To store: Store this cake in a sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 3 days of making.
Remove from the fridge and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Un-iced cakes can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 1 – 2 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Cakes and layer cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
