Moist Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A moist fragrantly spiced vegan carrot cake with carrots, bananas and walnuts. Enveloped in a fluffy lemon cream cheese frosting for a delicious cake.
Servings: 1 8-inch cake
Calories: 430kcal
Ingredients
- 312.5 g (2½ cups) all purpose flour ,sifted
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 220 g (1 cup) ripe banana ,mashed
- 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar
- 200 g (1 cup) white sugar
- 180 mL (¾ cup) plant based milk ,room temperature
- 110 mL (½ cup) canola oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 380 g (3 cups) finely grated carrots ,about 3 med. sized carrots
- 117 g (1 cup) chopped walnuts
- 80 g (½ cup) raisins or dates* ,optional
Lemon "Cream Cheese" Buttercream
- 480 g (4 cups) confectionary sugar ,sifted
- 1½ tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 340 g (1½ cup) vegan unsalted butter ,softened
Instructions
Carrot Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Butter the insides of the pan and sprinkle with a thin layer of flour. Shake off the excess flour by tapping the sides over a trash bin or sink (see notes in the post for a visual).
- In a large mixing bowl, sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Give it a quick whisk to combine. Pour in the mashed banana, sugars, milk, canola oil, and vanilla and stir until a few streaks of flour are left. Add in the carrots, walnuts and raisins if adding and mix until everything is distributed.
- Divide batter evenly among the two cake pans and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted at the center comes out clean. You will also notice the cake releasing from the sides of the pan. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then with a dull knife release the sides of the cake from the pan then lift the cake from the pan. Set aside until completely cool then place in the fridge/freezer or go straight to the next step.
Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
- While waiting for the cakes to cool, make the buttercream. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and vanilla. Set aside.
- Using a mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer, whip the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Pour in the lemon mixture and continue to beat until you get a fluffy creamy frosting. If you find that the butter gets too soft (happens often where I am) place the bowl in the fridge/freezer for a few minutes then whip again.
Assemble the Cake
- On your turntable or cake board, place a smear of buttercream at the center of the cake board to keep your cake from sliding during decorating. Place one cake layer (bottom side down) on the board. Dollop about 1 cup of buttercream over the cake and spread evenly to the edges. Top with the other cake layer (bottom side up) then cover with a thin layer of buttercream (crumb coat). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes then cover all over with frosting.
- To make the the little carrots, separate ⅔ of the leftover buttercream and tint with orange food coloring. Color the other ⅓ with green food color (or matcha for a natural dye). Fill your piping bags and pipe the body of the carrot with a tip #10 all over the cake in a pattern. Next, pipe the leaves with a #349 tip. Serve immediately or refrigerate until set. Enjoy!
Notes
*To make cupcakes, fill cupcake liners until ¾ full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted at the center comes out clean.
*Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or wrap slices in cling wrap and freeze for up to a month. If refrigerating, cover the exposed slices with a piece of bread to keep it from drying it out (I don't usually bother for this cake since it gets eaten so quickly and it stays amazingly moist for days).
Recipe adapted from Nora Cooks