This vegan carrot cake with coconut cream is one of my favorite vegan cakes! It’s super moist, very easy to make, and just perfect for spring! And you need only 10 minutes of active preparation!
Why This Recipe Works
I’ve always loved carrot cake! However, it took me a while to make a version without eggs and milk after I became vegan. This vegan carrot cake with applesauce and quick oats is by far my favorite!
I usually serve this carrot cake with some coconut cream, coconut flakes, and pistachios on top. It’s such a great treat for spring days and Easter. Or of course the whole year round!
It’s super moist, insanely delicious, budget-friendly, and very easy to make. From start to finish you need 50 minutes, but the actual active preparation time is only 10 minutes. It’s a one-bowl recipe and it’s pretty much fool-proof!
I used whole wheat flour to make this cake, so it’s a bit healthier than most cakes and also perfect for kids.
The unsweetened apple sauce serves as the perfect egg replacement in this recipe. It’s a very budget-friendly binder for vegan baked goods and it makes the cake super moist.
You don’t need any fancy ingredients for this recipe. In fact, you should be able to find everything in any regular grocery store.
For the topping you could either use store-bought coconut cream or make homemade vegan whipped cream with canned coconut milk.
What Goes Into This Recipe
- Flour – I used whole wheat flour for this recipe. You could replace it 1:1 with a gluten-free flour blend if you want.
- Quick Oats – don’t replace them with rolled oats as this will change the texture of the cake.
- Brown Sugar – you could also use coconut sugar.
- Apple Sauce – make sure it’s unsweetened.
- Salt – a pinch of salt enhances the flavor in baked goods.
- Spices – I used nutmeg, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.
- Vanilla Extract – natural vanilla extract without any kind of sweetener.
- Almond Milk – use unsweetened almond milk. You could also replace it with soy or oat milk.
How To Make This Recipe
1. Step: Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Peel the carrots.
2. Step: Grate the carrots.
3. Step: Add all ingredients for the vegan carrot cake in a bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon.
4. Step: Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and fill the cake batter into the pan. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 °F.
5. Step: Let the cake cool down completely before adding the coconut cream on top. Sprinkle with the coconut flakes and the pistachios.
Recipe Notes
- For the topping you can either use store-bought coconut cream or make homemade vegan whipped cream with canned coconut milk. It’s super easy to make fluffy vegan coconut whipped cream. All you need is a can of coconut milk that has been stored in the fridge overnight.
- I usually use a store-bought pumpkin spice blend. But you could also make your own.
- I used whole wheat flour for this recipe, but you could also replace it with all-purpose flour if you want.
FAQs:
How Long Does This Carrot Cake Last?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this cake will last up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes, it freezes really well. Let it cool down completely after baking. Then wrap it tightly with aluminium foil or place it in plastic freezer bags.
You could freeze the whole cake or individual slices. To thaw it, simply let it sit on the counter for a few hours.
Can I Make it Gluten-Free?
Yes, you can easily make this recipe gluten-free by replacing the flour 1:1 with a gluten-free flour blend. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill flour blend.
Related Recipes:
- Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
- Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- 28 Drool-Worthy Vegan Cake Recipes
- Vegan Zucchini Bread
- The Best Vegan Apple Cake
- Vegan Birthday Cake
I Love To Hear From You!
I hope you like this vegan carrot cake as much as we do around here.
If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!
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Vegan Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream
Ingredients
For the vegan carrot cake:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup quick oats
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 carrots, grated (about 10 oz)
- 1 cup almond milk
For the topping:
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons coconut flakes
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Add all ingredients for the vegan carrot cake in a bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon.
- Grease a loaf form and fill the cake batter into the form. Bake for 40 minutes. Let the cake cool down completely before adding the coconut cream on top. Sprinkle with the coconut flakes and the pistachios.
Notes
- For the topping you can either use store-bought coconut cream or make homemade vegan whipped cream with canned coconut milk. It's super easy to make fluffy vegan coconut whipped cream. All you need is a can of coconut milk that has been stored in the fridge overnight.
- I usually use a store-bought pumpkin spice blend. But you could also make your own.
- I used whole wheat flour for this recipe, but you could also replace it with all-purpose flour if you want.
- Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this cake will last up to 5 days.
Hi Sina are pistachios optional ?!
Hi Zachary,
Yes, I’d recommend them but they’re optional. The vegan carrot cake will still be great without them. :-)
I totally loved this vegan cake! It was gone so fast ;-) Thanks for sharing
Hi Sina, would this work ok if I substituted soy milk for almond milk.?
Hi Rebecca,
Yes, absolutely! :-)