A delicious gluten free vegan carrot cake recipe that’s easy to make! This lightly spiced cake is topped with a sweet dairy free cream cheese frosting.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked my readers what kind of cake I should make next. I got a few different suggestions, all of which I’m going to try to create at some point. One of the suggestions was gluten free vegan carrot cake, and since we’re so close to Easter, I decided to make that one first. Plus I just love carrot cake, and I haven’t had it in a very long time.
Carrot cake had to happen, and soon.
spiced zucchini cake with dairy free icing
This gluten free vegan carrot cake is so simple – it’s lightly spiced with cinnamon and ginger, and topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting. Daiya cream cheese works perfectly, but if you aren’t dairy free, just use regular cream cheese.
If you’d like an even simpler option for frosting, you can top this vegan carrot cake with coconut whipped cream.
This recipe is so easy – you don’t even need the mixer – it’s easy to mix this up by hand in just one bowl.
Now, you may be used to some different additions to carrot cake. This carrot cake recipe is nut free, but if you are able to eat nuts, feel free to add some walnuts or pecans to the batter, or you could also sprinkle them on top of the frosting. You could also use some pumpkin seeds for a little crunch.
If you’re someone who likes pineapple in your carrot cake, you can add that as well! Try a 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple that has been drained – and then slowly add your water – you may not need all the water that the recipe calls for.
This recipe works well with spelt flour OR with a gluten free flour blend. When you make a gluten free cake like this, you should use lighter gluten free blend, like King Arthur Multi-Purpose Gluten Free Flour or Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Blend. If those brands don’t work for your diet, you could try my recipe for a gluten free flour blend. Everyone has different comfort levels as far as brands and allergen procedures.
Lighter blends keep the cake from getting too dense. If wheat flour is what works for you, go ahead and use that! It will still turn out just fine. If you use a different flour and the batter seems to thick or dry, go ahead and add a little more water. Some gluten free flours really soak up the water, so you may need more.
This gluten free vegan carrot cake is:
- made with applesauce instead of eggs
- made without nuts – try pumpkin seeds instead if you wish!
- a crowd pleaser
- perfect for Easter or any special occasion
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Gluten Free Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
A delicious gluten free and vegan carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting. This decadent dessert is allergy friendly, so everyone can enjoy it!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend OR white spelt flour if you are not gluten free*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ teaspoon ginger
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup organic canola oil
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water**
For the frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces Daiya brand vegan cream cheese softened
- 4 Tablespoons buttery spread softened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Add the shredded carrots and toss to coat. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Add the sugars, canola oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, and water. Stir well until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-38 minutes (depending on the size of the pan), or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cake cook for about 15 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert over a wire rack to remove. Let the cake cool fully on the wire rack.
- Make the frosting once the cake is fully cooled. In a mixing bowl whip the Daiya cream cheese and the vegan buttery spread. Sift in the powdered sugar. Mix until very smooth and creamy.
- Frost the cooled cake, and refrigerate if not serving immediately. Store leftover cake in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
*I like using my gluten free flour blend for cake recipes. It does not contain xanthan gum, but that has not been a problem for me. My cakes hold together very well.
**You may need to adjust the amount of water based on what flour blend you use. Some gluten free blends require more water. The dough should not be dry or too thick.
What are you making for Easter dessert this year?
Follow The Pretty Bee (Allergy Friendly Eats)’s board SWEET Top 8 Allergen-FREE Recipes. on Pinterest.
Hi there!
I have made this before and it is absolutely delicious! Do you think I could make this a couple days ahead….
If so, how would I store it.
Thanks!
I think you could make the cake two days ahead and just wrap it really really well in plastic wrap, and maybe store in an airtight container. I would make the frosting the day of.
I made this cake as a test for Easter dinner. It was phenomenal the day of baking but after refrigerating overnight, it was very dense. I did make some of my own tweaks based on our family: coconut oil in place of canola and 1 egg I stead of applesauce.
Is it possible to leave the cake at room temp overnight and frost it the next day to ease up on tasks for Easter day?
Yes, that would be fine to leave it out!
This turned out great! Thanks for sharing.
Great recipe. Delicious cake.
Hi Kelly
I made the Vegan carrot cake with
all purpose flour, 1/4 cup applesauce to replace oil and added 1/2 cup crushed pineapple.
It is Delish! Will be making this for family.
Again, another great recipe!
Thank you.
Thanks for sharing! Is there a flour blend you prefer? I’ve never seen vegan cream cheese before.
My flour blend will work well in this recipe: https://theprettybee.com/make-your-own-all-purpose-gluten-free-flour-mix/
Love your recipes Kelly! This carrot cake looks absolutely mouthwatering. ❤️
Can I use all purpose flour instead?
Tried it ! Great recipe, moist and cooked through.
I used orange juice instead of water, added 1 flax egg and gingerbread spices, and normal flour.
The perfect vegan carrot cake.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers from France
So glad you liked it!
Did you still add the sugar since you added orange juice?? I’m sensitive to cane sugar so trying to figure out what to do to substitute.
Thanks!
This cake was a hit! Due to flourflour my batter was a bit heavy/thick, but thanks to the comments, I added a bit more liquid, and success! Thanks. Love making GF yummies that are actually tasty!
This cake is AMAZING! It was a crowd pleaser in a crowd of TOUGH critics. I substituted coconut oil for the canola oil and used palm coconut sugar instead of white sugar. Thank you so much for sharing!
Yay! So glad you liked it, your substitutions sound great!
I wonder if you could sub. the oil for 1/3 cup of applesauce and get the same result? Have you tried?
I haven’t tried that, let me know if you do!
How could I adjust at this to make cupcakes? Thanks!
Just divide the batter into a cupcake pan and watch them carefully – start with about 15 minutes, but it could take up to 20 to bake.
Biggest fail every, I have no idea what I did wrong but it was watery and took forever to cook. I used almond flour.
Straight almond flour is very different from a gluten free flour blend. Almond flour is gluten free, but it won’t act the same way as a gluten free flour blend will.
I’m making this carrot cake for the second time now. It’s absolutely amazing! Thank you. It’s the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. So moist! :)
I couldn’t find Daiya cream cheese so I used Violife vegan cream cheese instead and that works out fine.
Greetings from Iceland. :)
Yay! So glad you love it! Thanks for letting me know!
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it!! I once had a carrot cake with chocolate chips, and I can’t decide if I want to add those or walnuts!
I had a question though– would any vegan cream cheese work? Other than ordering from Amazon, my local stores have others, but not the Daiya brand.
Any brand of cream cheese that you like should work just fine! :)
Can I use maple syrup or honey instead of the sugars for the cake and for the frosting? And coconut oil instead of butter? Thanks
Carrot cake is my favourite dessert! I love how this one is vegan and seems to be much healthier than regular carrot cake! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Hope you love it!
would there be any different cooking instructions for making this as cupcakes?
thanks!
I work on a guest ranch in Montana and have a few lactose intolerant wranglers and they love this cake. They actually have to fight the dairy eaters off to get a piece. Not only does this recipe come together easily it’s very flexible to a little zhusshing. I made the cream cheese frosting with Biscoff Cookie butter, and added a lower layer of melted biscoff butter (drip cake style) – What a hit! Today is my THIRD time making this recipe, so I figured a GREAT review was in order.
Awesome! Thank you so much for letting me know! I really love hearing that this is a hit! And your cookie butter adaptation sounds wonderful!
This recipe meets all of my new medical requirements. However, I usually put crushed pineapple in my carrot cake. Do you have any idea how I might be able to incorporate pineapple into this recipe?
I think you could just try adding it! Just make sure it’s drained well.
I haven’t tried to make gluten free carrot cake yet but can’t wait to give this a whirl. I’m a huge fan of Bob’s Red Mill 1to1 gluten free flour.
I love that flour as well! We don’t use it because of the risk of cross contamination from nuts, but it’s a great flour!
This cake looks so pretty, Kelly! I love the fluffy texture and cream cheese frosting. Definitely such a classic dessert for this time of year!
This looks incredible!