The BEST Gluten-Free Carrot Cake (Vegan Option)

a slice of gluten free carrot cake on a white plate

The BEST Gluten-Free Carrot Cake (Vegan Option)

This gluten free carrot cake is moist, delicious, and easy to make! An egg-free recipe that yields layers of the most tender cake and tangy cream cheese frosting that gives the cake a rich and hearty flavor.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Keyword: egg free dessert, gluten-free cake, vegan option

Servings: servings

Ingredients

2½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar light or dark
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp nutmeg
2½ cups grated carrot freshly grated works best
1 cup applesauce unsweetened
1/2 cup avocado oil or any neutral oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Optional add-ins: 1 cup walnuts, brazil nuts, pecans, and/or raisins plus more for decorating

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese or vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup butter or vegan butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp lemon juice
1½ cups powdered sugar plus more, if needed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper cut into circles.
In a large mixing bowl. combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir together to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together shredded carrots, applesauce, avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.
Pour wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined and a thick batter is formed. Add in chopped nuts or raisins, if using. The mixture may seem a bit dry. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the carrots can release more moisture. Stir together one more time.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes then remove from the pans and transfer to a cooling to rack to cool completely.
Once the cake is cooled, combine cream cheese and butter in large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy, and fluffy.
Add lemon juice and beat on low until mixed in.
With the mixer still on low, gradually add powdered sugar until fully combined. You can add more powdered sugar if you want a firmer texture.
Frost the cake and decorate the top with chopped nuts if desired.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips

Vegan Version: The cake itself is fully vegan. The frosting can easily be made vegan too if you use vegan cream cheese and vegan butter sticks (Earth Balance makes sticks that are easy to bake with).

Mix-Ins: I don't like to add nuts and raisins inside of the carrot cake but feel free to add them in if desired (1 cup total). I used crushed-up walnuts to decorate the cake after frosting.

Storage Tips

Store in the fridge covered for up to a week. Alternatively, store slices in an airtight container so the cake doesn’t dry out.

To freeze, I recommend wrapping each slice in plastic wrap and then storing it in a freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.

Nutrition