Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me… Happy birthday to me!
Hey, guys. It’s my birthday and I made myself a cake, ’cause that’s how I do.
The wait is over – let’s make cake!
This cake is simple, requiring just 1 bowl to make! Plus, it requires basic ingredients you likely have on hand right now.
The recipe is adapted from my Vegan GF Carrot Apple Muffins, but it needed some tweaking to get that cake-like texture.
I tested this recipe for 3 days straight (oy) until I finally ended up with this perfected version. I served it to friends (non-vegan and non-gluten-free folks) and none of them could tell that it was special-diet friendly. Score!
The base of the cake is coconut oil, applesauce, flax eggs, maple syrup, and almond milk. Organic brown sugar and cane sugar add the perfect amount of sweetness while leaving the cake light and fluffy. And for gluten-free flours, I went with almond flour and my go-to gluten-free blend.
The result is a light, airy, fluffy carrot cake that retains its moisture without being mushy (the ultimate goal). Once cooled, it’s frosting time!
For frostings, I included several options. After taking a vote on Twitter, it seemed many of you wanted to see both a vegan buttercream and a cashew buttercream. But guess what? I provide 6 frosting options below!
For my cake, I went for classic Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting – I couldn’t resist. But really, any of the options would be amazing! Just depends on how creative and healthy you want to be.
I hope you all LOVE this carrot cake! It’s:
Tender
Fluffy
Moist
Perfectly sweet
Carrot-packed
& Insanely delicious
This would make the perfect birthday cake or cake for summer celebrations, wedding showers, cookouts, and beyond! It’s insanely flavorful, rich, moist, and undetectably vegan and gluten-free. Those who are gluten-free will be happy to know there isn’t any oat flour in this cake. I also included nut-free, oil-free, and refined-sugar-free options in the notes.
If you’re into cake (who’s not?), be sure to check out our other cakes: Vegan Birthday Cake, The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes, Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes, Vegan Pumpkin Cake, Vegan Pumpkin Roll, Vegan Apple Gingerbread Cake, and Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake!
If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
- 3 flax eggs (3 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 7 ½ Tbsp water)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted coconut oil* (or sub other neutral oil)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 1 scant cup (~235 g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup (110 g) organic brown sugar* (or sub coconut sugar)
- 1/4 cup (50 g) cane sugar* (or sub coconut sugar)
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 - 1 cup (180-240 ml) plain unsweetened almond milk* (or other non-dairy unsweetened milk)
- 1 1 /2 cups (~165 g) loosely packed grated carrot
- 1 1/2 cups (168 g) almond flour* (I didn’t test with almond meal, but I think it would work)
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) gluten-free flour blend*
- 3/4 cup (87 g) chopped raw walnuts* (if preferred, omit, or sub 1/2 cup (70 g) raisins)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Butter and flour two 8-inch, 1 9x13-inch, or 3 6-inch round pans with coconut oil or vegan cooking spray and dust with gluten-free flour. Shake out excess. Set aside.
- Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl. To flax eggs, add oil and maple syrup and whisk to combine. Next, add applesauce, sugars, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon and whisk to combine.
- Add 3/4 cup (180 ml) almond milk and stir. Add grated carrot and stir. Then add almond flour and gluten-free flour blend and stir. The batter should be thick but pourable. If too thick, add remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) almond milk. If adding walnuts, add at this time and stir.
- Divide evenly among cake pan(s). Bake for 40-50 minutes or until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. When you press on the top, it shouldn’t feel too spongy, so don’t be afraid of over-baking! The gluten-free blend just takes a little longer to bake. Also, note that the size of pan you use will vary baking time.
- Remove from oven and let rest in the pans for 15 minutes. Then carefully run a knife along the edges and gently invert onto cooling racks to let cool completely.
- NOTE: This cake needs to cool completely. It benefits from plenty of airflow, and the flavors develop as the cooling process goes on. If short on time, you can speed the cooling by placing the cakes in the refrigerator or freezer until very cool to the touch.
- Once cooled, you can serve as is or frost! For frosting, you have several options! See options above.
- Store leftovers at room temperature, covered, for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or covered well in the freezer for several weeks. However, it's best when eaten fresh.
- Do note that, if using vegan cream cheese or yogurt in the frosting, the cake should be stored in the refrigerator. From the refrigerator, let set out for 10-15 minutes before serving so it warms a bit and becomes more tender. Let thaw completely from the freezer.
*I used brown and cane sugars because they provided the best texture (fluffy and tender) for the cake. I also tested with coconut sugar, and although it was sweet enough, the texture was more dense. But, if coconut sugar is preferred, it still turns out well!
*If almond/nut-free, sub the almond milk for rice, hemp, or coconut milk. And sub the almond flour for another nut/seed flour (such as hazelnut, sunflower seed, or brazil nut). If you can't tolerate nuts or seeds, try subbing more gluten-free flour blend or oat flour. And omit the walnuts or sub raisins.
*I used my go-to gluten-free flour blend. If subbing your own blend, know that the results may vary.
*Recipe adapted from my Vegan Carrot Apple Muffins.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 12 slices without frosting.
Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Wishing you continued happiness and blessings. 🌻🌻🌻🎉🎉🎉 🎂 🎂 🎂.
Thanks for giving us such good easy recipes.
Happy bday Dana
Happy Birthday Dana, I am glad you do what you love and that we can benefit of your talent ! Always great to follow you and cook your delicious recipes! 🍾🍾🥑🍅🍏🍒🌶.
Happy birthday! SO glad you’re celebrating with carrot cake! My FAVORITE :D
Happy birthday! This cake looks like a delicious way to celebrate.
Gefeliciteerd from Holland! I wish you a very happy birthday. This cake looks amazing! I’m doing your food photography school now and the pictures of this cake are sooo nice! Thanks for sharing.
Happy birthday! Enjoy your day!😊
Thanks for giving us such great recipes can’t wait this one!
Happy happy birthday, Dana! What a gorgeous cake!
Happy birthday!
This looks amazing! Definitely have to try this. Thanks for sharing!
Happy Birthday!! I will definitely be making this cake to celebrate along with you!
Happy Birthday! May all your dreams come true!
I am not a fan of carrot cake, but I think I will give it a last go and bake it your way <3
Happy birthday!! What would be the sub if not using flax eggs? Same amount of regular eggs?
Thank you! You can sub 1 small egg per flax egg!
Happy Birthday! Would it be ok to use white flour, as we don’t need GF? Thank you!
That should work! Let me know how it goes.
I used All-Purpose flour in place of the gluten free flour blend but in addition to the almond flour and it came out great!
Did it work?
Happy Birthday!
I like to put pineapple in my carrot cakes. Can you suggest any modifications I might need to make? I’d like to keep the applesauce.
You might be able to sub some of the walnuts for pineapple. Or, maybe you can sub half the applesauce for pineapple.
It’s your birthday but you’re giving us a wonderful gift. I love carrot cake and your site! Happy birthday!!
Can you use coconut flour instead of the gluten free mix? Or just all almond flour?
Not sure! I wouldn’t recommend coconut flour as it absorbs so much and can be too dense. If you try one of those combos let me know!
How did it go using all almond flour? Thanks!
Happy Birthday!
This just proves what an amazing person you are! All the greats are born in July! The birth of our country, You, Me! And in Utah we set off fireworks for your birthday! You should come check it out! Happy Birthday! And thanks for the gorgeous recipe!
Happy Birthday Dana! The cake looks beautiful 💗🥕
Happy Birthday, Love your site!
Hope you enjoyed a brilliant birthday Dana. I love your recipes – they always work, without fail. Thank you so much.
Happy Birthday! I love carrot cake!
Which frosting option do you recommend?
Thanks!
I went with my classic vegan cream cheese! But all are delicious.
Hey Dana! Happy birthday!! This cake looks awesome. And oh btw we share the same birthday on 7/24
I have my exams going on but will make it this weekend 😊
Hi Dana! I’ve been so excitedly waiting for this recipe ever since your Stories on Instagram!
Question… Do you know if regular ol’ gluten-y flour (AP and/or whole wheat pastry) be used as the flour for this recipe with acceptable results? My body doesn’t tolerate almonds very well, and my husband prefers the taste/texture of gluten-y flours, ha ha.
Thanks! :)
I think so! Let me know how it goes!
Happy bday !!!! and thank you for such awesome recipes.
Happy B-day, can i sued the almond flour for oat flour, or millet flour ?
thank you m
I’m not sure! But if you test it, let me know how it goes!
Happy birthday Dana!
I rarely comment (shame on me) but I love what you do and have already tried some of your recipes and love following your Instastories, also with your funny husband ^_^
This cake seems insane and insanely simple, I’m not completely vegan but I love how your make it be easy. I’m definitely going to make this cake (and come back comment about it!).
And the pictures, love them, as always!…
Cheers from France :-)
So kind. Thanks Maeva!
Happy Birthday to you!!!!!
Have an awesome day!
Beautiful cake and love the color, composition, everything!
Happy Birthday. Leo the Lion, huh. Luv ’em! Nearly as much as your most excellent recipes! Gemini here, so a pretty good match. Nearly married a Leo once. Regret not doing so too. Anyway…Best vegan food ever. Thanks!
Wondering about the difference between almond flour and almond meal?
Usually semantics, to some, almond flour is smoother and without the almond skins (white/ off white/ yellowish) and almond meal is with the skins and can be a bit chunkier (spotted with dark brown dots)
Happy birthday! Have you attempted making a frosting out of the coconut milk yogurt?
Yes, check out my Cashew Buttercream linked above.
Happy Birthday! I used to LOVE carrot cake, but my partner hated it. Then I had to go gluten free. Partner died, and you have concocted this great looking recipe–time to move forward and celebrate your BD!
Hi!! Looks delish!!! Can I use Bob’s red mill gluten free flour??
I’m not sure! But if you try it, let me know how it goes!
Bonne Fête Dana 🌺 🍰
de Montreal, Québec Canada
Brigitte ✨✨
Happy birthday, Dana!
Just bought your cookbook (“Everyday Cooking”) and it’s already one of my favorites.
Enjoy every last bite of that cake…
Stacey
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!
I am wondering if it is possible to make this cake with Organic Coconut Flour?? Or Organic Barley Flour? Thanks!!!
I’m not sure. But if you try it, let me know how it goes!
want to make this tomorrow! looks amazing and carrot cake is my favorite! Would this work with a low gluten flour, like spelt? Along with the almond flour?
I think so! Let me know how that goes if you try it.
Happy Birthday! Your carrot apple muffins are divine, so I cannot wait to try this. Our little guy turns one on Friday – time to bake a cake!
Happy, sweet and healthy birthday to you, my dear! Thank you for all you share with us (-:
Hi–Happy Birthday! This looks amazing. Can I sub three eggs for the flax eggs? Thanks!
It should! I always recommend 1 small egg per 1 flax egg.
WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I’m so making this TODAY!!!! I’ll need to replace the applesauce with something else though (my son is allergic to apple products but is okay with fresh apples. Weird, I know). I’m thinking a grated apple, Vegan butter.
Curious if you tried either while you were creating this recipe?
That should work! Just finely grate or purée.
Yum! Yum! Yum!
We made this tonight, my son (21yrs old) said “it’s f***in’ amazing!”. 😳
What about using jarred carrot baby food instead of applesauce or in addition? My regular carrot cake uses jarred baby food & it adds great flavor & moisture!
Happy Birthday Dana !
Your Birthday Cake, like all of your recipes looks delicious and i will be making a right mess in the kitchen asap.
Best wishes,
Sally.
Did you use gf flour with xanthan gum or no?
Nope, but you can add some if you’d like.
Hi, what would you recommend as a subsitute for applesauce?
Thank you!
Mashed banana or pumpkin puree!
Would it be a 1:1 ratio?
Happy Birthday! What are the garnishes on top? It looks wonderful! I am excited to try this recipe!
Walnuts and flowers.
Happy Birthday Dana! Xoxo 💋🎂
Happy Birthday!! I got so excited by this one that I set to it straight away, even if it meant creating compote from dried apple rings. In fact I got so excited I made a double one :-O , really I am quite horrified with my greediness as well as the pressure the vegetables in the fridge put upon me. (USE ME, USE ME, PLEAEEEESE USE ME NOW!!!!!) My whole life is controlled by the veggies in the fridge, I have dreams about carrots left to shrivel when they could have done wondrous things.
So wishing you a lovely relaxed day, and sending good wishes and thanks from all of us that smile when a new recipe arrives amongst the work emails.
Happy Birthday Dana! This cake looks amazing!!
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour ?
I wouldn’t recommend it. But if you try it, let me know how it goes!
Happy Birthday Dana!!!
Happy Birthday, Dana!
You are an inspiration for healthier and happier eating. Keep it goin’ girl!
Cheers
Nancy
Happy Birthday Dana! It’s my birthday, too! I can NOT wait to make this cake, as the Vegan GF apple carrot muffins are a staple in my house (I always have a stash in the freezer)!! Hope you had a lovely day, and here’s to a year ahead filled with great food , and pleasant surprises!!
Hey Dana! Happy birthday!! This cake looks awesome. And oh btw we share the same birthday on 7/24
I have my exams going on but will make it this weekend 😊
How lovely! Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Do you think I could use gluten free all purpose flour only? Or at least sub it for your mix? I can use almond meal/flour as I have both.
Thank you!!
Happy Birthday :)
Happy birthday Dana!! This blog you have made is amazing!and it is my favorite blog eveer! you inspire me! You made me bealive I can do all the things I want and live a life doing what I love! By combining all my passions. So thank you for being awesome, and you, and just being here to share these delicious recipes to make our life’s yumier and more colorful 😋!P.s made the cake and it was delish!!!and worked just as you said It would! lots of love ❤❤🥕🎂🎁
Thanks Rivy!
Happy Birthday, Dana! Hope you’ve had a great day. Can’t wait to make this beautiful cake!! Thank you for all you do. :-)
Happy Birthday, Dana!! I hope you have a wonderful day :)
Could you sub dates for the walnuts? Thank you. Looks delicious!
I’m not sure but I THINK so. If you try it let me know!
Happy birthday Dana! Love all your recipes :) Going to try this using half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour. I don’t like my cakes too sweet so wondering if I could cut the sugar in half? Thanks a million!
That should work! If you try it let me know how it goes!
Hello Dana,
I live in the south of France and it’s not easy to find apple sauce over here. Can I replace this?
Thanks
Tania
Hi Tania, maybe another fruit purée, such as beet or squash? Or strawberries?
Ok, I’ll try the fruit purree….thanks!!!!!
just stew some apples down to a puree -thats apple sauce!
Happy birthday, Dana!
Lots of love from Italy
What is the maple syrup for since you already use brown sugar in the recipe?
I’m from the UK and I tend to find recipes from across the pond very sweet.
Is the maple sweet purely for sweetness or does it have another function in the making of this cake?
Ta.
It adds another wave of flavor, and also reduces the amount of brown sugar. But feel free to experiment and cut back if you want!
And yet we get the gifts…all year long!
Happy birthday Dana and…thank you.
Mark N.
Happy birthday you Dana. Sorry for the late wish. I wish you all the best. And more strength and knowledge so that you would continue to teach us more on minimalist cook, especially, 100% plant base delicious stuffs.
My birthday is coming soon and I am also going to make this cake. You are invited. xoxo
Happy happy happy birthday, Dana
Happy Birthday
Thank you for all your amazing recipes. Love the simple way you present them.
You are the gift.
Have an amazing Day
Liane
Happy Birthday!! This cake looks so delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
I made this last night and it was DE-LI-CIOUS!! I need to work on the frosting (i chose the vegan cream cheese frosting)… it came out a little runny but still so good. My vegan and non vegan friends just absolutely loved it! Thank you!!
Lovely, thanks for sharing!! xoxo
Happy Birthday, Dana! Your recipes are so creative and fun!!! Have a happy day!
Happy Birthday Dana!
Gelukkige verjaardag from Julie and Stijn in Belgium :)
I hope you have a great birthday :)
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
My husband loves, loves, loves carrots so this is perfect for him :)
While I have a major sweet tooth ( I love you chocolate recipes) my husband likes very particular things. Carrots are one of his favorite foods in the world – when he was growing up he had a lot of stomach problems and carrots were always something he could eat- so his mom called him the carrot king :)
I can’t wait to make this for him :)
Thanks again !
what can i use insted of cane suger and coconut suger?
You can substitute other sweeteners of choice. Just know that if wet, they may thin the batter. And if dry, they may thicken the batter. My primary suggestions would be stevia, more brown sugar, or honey if not vegan.
im vegan. brown suger insted of those is not god?
So bummed. After an hour and twenty in the oven, it’s still gooey – in no way did I achieve light and airy. I’m not a baker so I’m sure I screwed up somewhere, and no idea how to remedy it. :(
Strange! Did you sub any of the ingredients? Also, what size pans did you bake it in?
I am in the same boat :( I subbed flax eggs for regular eggs I used 9inch pans. I used two cups of apple sauce. The recipe stated scant amount, but each cup has 113grams of apple sauce. I was wondering if I should have only used 1 cup?
I used Bob’s mill almond meal/flour (dunno why they call it both) and had a just enough of a Bob’s mill gf flour mixture so not quite the same as yours (it didn’t have coconut flour in it – I see your other comments about not using coconut flour so I thought it would be ok); and I used pecans. I was weighing to the gram. Two eight inch rounds. I grated my own carrots, maybe they were too wet?
I have this in the oven right now and it smells SO GOOD! I am pretty stoked about only having one bowl to wash as well!
Dear Ms. Shultz,
I want to make this cake without sugar (even coconut sugar). What can I sub instead of the maple syrup, brown sugar, and the cane sugar? More almond flour?
I hope you had a lovely birthday.
I made this tonight. Ever since going vegan almost a year ago I had yet to find a good carrot cake until now. Carrot cake is my favorite and I thought I was doomed to never eat it again after going vegan but this recipe changed that for me. I followed the recipe as written except I added vanilla extract to the batter. I used trader joes gluten free flour and trader joes almond flour and it worked perfect! The cake came out super moist and light. I frosted it with the cream cheese frosting mentioned here and it was fantastic! 10/10 would recommend anyone make this. I guarantee no one will guess that it’s gluten free or vegan. Thanks so much for the recipe!!!
Happy Birthday!
This cake was SO freakin GOOD!!
Mine came out really ugly compared to your beautiful photos, but no one cared. Served it to 4 people and everyone raved about it. Also, no one could believe it was vegan and gluten free. I used your cream cheese frosting recipe which was excellent, but I think Tofutti brand probably turns out best. My store didn’t have that today so I got another brand which I had used once in a cheesecake and it didn’t turn out the same as when I used Tofutti the previous times.
Every single recipe I make from your website or your book comes out amazing! I know you test each one until it’s perfect! Thank you so much for all you do!
Happy Birthday Dana!! Leo Season! I am a Virgo-Leo cusp (August 23rd) so I claim this season as well lol
This looks absolutely divine! I am going to try this with spelt flour. I have had good look baking with spelt flour in muffins so I am hoping it works with this recipe as well. I also am going to try this with local carrots at the farmers market I love local produce ;-) I will report back how it turned out.
I have loved the recipes I have tried on your blog. I haven’t, though, tried any with coconut oil. A recently published article in USA Today highlighting the American Heart Association’s advice to not use coconut oil due to its high saturated fat content (which elevates bad cholesterol levels) is enlightening.
I am wondering if extra virgin olive oil could be substituted for coconut oil in your recipes.
Woah! Such an amazing cake. It’s delicious and fluffy and simply perfect. I added 2/3 cup each walnuts and raisins to the batter and I thought it added the right amount of crunchy and sweetness. I also used coconut sugar as the only sugar in the recipe, and it was sweet enough for me. For the frosting I made the tangy cashew cream cheese frosting which paired very nicely with the carrot cake. I already have people asking if I can make it again for them!! So good.
Happy blated birthday! I love carrot cake and your site! I hope you had a great birthday :)
Happy Birthday! Carrot cake or funfetti cake were always my favorite on my birthday too! Over the weekend we had crappy dry gross normal carrot cake from a hotel in vegas and it was so gross. Now I want real carrot cake with wholesome ingredients!
Amazing recipe…as always. I now have friends and family that are buying your cookbook to turn vegan after tasting your delicious recipes. It’s a revolution based on the revelation that Vegan tastes amazing and is truly satisfying!
Do you have a recipe for custard? Or are you planning are making one? Would be amazing for fresh fruit pies.
Nathalie
LOVED this recipe! It was easy and a hit with everybody- especially vegan gluten free eaters!
Thanks, Missy!
We loved this recipe!! The texture was perfect, moist and fluffy, not too dense. Will definitely make again!
Made this approximately an hour after it was posted ha! Wonderful recipe! Turned out perfect and I can’t stop going to the refrigerator and getting more bites. We are not gluten free, so I used half and half mixture of oat flour and whole wheat pastry flour. So moist and the texture is amazing. I used your Vegan buttercream frosting and oh goshhhhh. We can’t get enough! Thanks for always posting practical, delicious recipes that I don’t have to go out and buy weird ingredients for :)
Forgot to rate! 5 stars obvs.
Thanks, Shannon!
just amaze
This cake is delicious, but I am more impressed by the texture than the taste! I find a lot of gluten free recipes will taste good, but disappoints when it comes to texture. This cake is perfectly balanced in flavor, with a lovely moist, yet not too dense crumb. As always I am very happy with the results I have whenever I make one of your recipes Dana. Thank you!
Just made this cake for a potluck at work tomorrow and it turned out so amazing!!! I only have one 8-inch square pan (#college) so I made that amount of cake, and used the rest of the batter for cupcakes. I also added some coconut flakes for even more texture, and used a mix of almond meal and oat flour instead of almond flour (because almonds are hella expensive and again, college student here). For the frosting, I was going to make your cream cheese frosting but needed to accommodate a soy-intolerant friend and the (soy-free) Kite Hill cream cheese was out of stock. So, instead I made your vegan buttercream recipe, and added some lemon juice to give it that tangy flavor. I also added some whipped coconut cream to make it extra fluffy. To me it tastes just like cream cheese frosting; I’m super pleased! Also happy birthday Dana! I use your recipes many times per week and I so appreciate your creativity and dedication!
Happy Birthday!! We share the same bday. : )
First – Happy birthday!! Second – Is there any way I can magically transport this cake to my kitchen right now!?! It looks SO FREAKING GOOD. I cannot wait to try this recipe. And I am obsessed with it being gluten free!!! Thank you SO SO much for sharing this recipe! I may have to literally go and make it right now. I’m only half kidding. lol. But really. Thanks again so much for sharing this one!
xxxo -Amber
Hope you had the best birthday! Your cake is beautiful, and the recipe is great! I have an allergen-friendly blog (freshisreal.com) and would love to try your cake recipe with some modifications. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Dana,
Would it be totally problematic to use honey, date sugar or maple syrup instead of the brown sugar and cane sugar? I know the consistency is totally different but thought I might give it a whirl.
Thank you!
Yaël
Hi! You can substitute other sweeteners of choice. Just know that if wet, they may thin the batter. And if dry, they may thicken the batter. My primary suggestions would be stevia, more brown sugar, or honey if not vegan.
Belated happy birthday Dana, I love carrots; it’s so yummy and delicious, thanks for sharing such a good and easy recipes.
Happy Belated Birthday! I avoided this post because the picture was so gorgeous I knew I’d eat too much of it! Loved reading everyone’s comments. Thanks for giving us another wonderful gift on your birthday :) Hope you had an amazing day.
Thank you SO much for the perfect carrot cake recipe!!!!! I am not vegan nor gluten free but this recipe seriously blew all others out of the park! Its perfectly dense and tastes really luxurious. And SO easy to make – the recipe is not intimidating at all! I made your vegan cream cheese frosting and, again, it tasted better than any other cream cheese frosting I’ve had in my life. My advice to people making that frosting is to be sure to add enough powdered sugar – I didn’t, and the cakes slid around and made somewhat of a gooey mess BUT it didn’t matter because the taste and texture were so perfectly on point. I’m interested in using the recipe for cupcakes, is there anything extra you’d recommend doing? Thanks again for all the awesomeness!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing. For cupcakes just bake slightly less time!
I made this yesterday and used unbleached white flour in place of the gluten free flours that the recipe called for along with. (I used 1:1 ratio white flour to gluten free flour) I also subbed Grapeseed Oil for the coconut oil. For the icing, I made the cream cheese version.
It tastes AMAZING!! And honestly, I’m not a huge fan of carrot cake. My husband and I both noticed that the cake itself was a little more dense/fudgy than a traditional carrot cake texture but we both liked that aspect.
A couple tips would be to use the extra 1/4 cup of almond milk after adding in the flour. I’m not sure if it’s just because I used non-gluten free flour, but the cake batter was very thick and not pourable unless adding that extra bit of milk. For the cream cheese frosting I used “Follow Your Heart” vegan cream cheese, and I was kind of in a rush so I took it straight out of the fridge and used it. (It worked really well!) I highly recommend using a mixer to beat the frosting. I tried whisking it by hand but it wasn’t going well. It took probably 4 mins or so for me to really get a good consistency after the sugar was added in. This frosting was literally the “icing on the cake!” Haha but seriously it tastes incredible!
Hope this review helps! Thank you Dana for creating this recipe and happy belated birthday!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing!
Have you had any experience using aquafaba in cakes as opposed to the flax eggs?
Yes! But in this one, flax is best!
Hi Dana, thank you for all your wonderful recipes and drool worthy pictures. Can i possibly make this only layer as I am not too big on frosting. Should I just halve all the ingredients?
That should work!
Can we use carrot pulp from the juicer instead of grated carrot? Would this mean adding water, & if so, how much? Thank you! :)
Maybe just add a little more almond milk!
Hi! Did you try this recipe for cupcakes? If not, do you think it would work fine?
I didn’t, but I think it would work well! Just bake for slightly less time.
Can I add crushed pineapple to this recipe instead of applesauce?
That should work!
Hope you had a fab birthday. I made this today with items I had on hand. Used ground almonds and plain flour, and included both sultanas and walnuts. Topped it with a trail of icing made with icing sugar and lemon juice. It was very well received. Many thanks.
This was great! Thanks for the recipe. The Cream Cheese frosting was amazing.
ABSOLUTELY the best carrot cake I have ever made! Actually probably the best cake I have ever made. This so so so blew me away (but then again all of Dana’s recipes do!) Will be making his again FOR SURE. Can’t wait! Just perfect!
This was as hit! I made it in two 9″ pans by increasing the recipe by 25%. Doing that math was a bit tricky, but it worked! I think leaving it in the fridge once frosted made it a little denser which was actually tasty. I’ll have to try again in three of the small pans to see if it comes out as fluffy as the photos.
Hey Dana, could I use whole wheat flour instead of gluten free blend? And how much wouldn’t you recommend? Thankyou😊
Hi! You could, either use a bit less flour or use the full amount of almond milk!
Happy birthday, Dana! Wishing you a beautiful celebration! Toasts to an amazing year! <3 And this cake, of course–it looks to die for!
I just made this and it turned out amazing — super delicious! The cake was a little denser than I would have liked (not as fluffy as your pictures) but I think that’s because I substituted your gluten free flour blend with Bob Mill’s gluten free flour blend. I also made the buttercream frosting to go with it and it turned out perfectly!
As I don’t need it to be GF, would all purpose and/or whole wheat flour work well in this recipe? If so, which would you recommend?
Hi! Yes both would work. You could always do 1/2 and 1/2 if you would like! If you are not using the GF blend then add the full amount of almond milk!
I made this cake for my mom’s birthday bc carrot cake is her favourite and not only was it easy, but it tasted amazing! At first I toiled with the idea of subbing the gf flour for regular flour bc my mom is as southern as they come and lives off of white flour and butter. But I went ahead and copied the recipe as is, not telling my mom or kids it was vegan and gf. They all went for a second piece before I told them what was in it. The look on my mom’s face was priceless. She may not convert to the vegan life, but I def opened her eyes to healthy alternatives can still make a delicious cake!!!
Made this topped with the cashew buttercream and although I found the flavour and texture a little off it was still super yummy! I Used coconut sugar and had to make my own flour blend as I had run out of potato starch so will have to make again with the correct ingredients.
Delicious carrot cake recipe. Thankyou :) I didn’t have apple sauce so used banana instead. It ended up being kind of a hybrid – it tasted like a cross between banana cake and carrot cake, which was also yum!
Hi Dana! This is the first cake/pastry I’ve made of yours! The flavor was delicious! I used the regular Cashew Buttercream and was shocked at how satisfying and frosting-like it turned out. My only issue/question was that my my cake didn’t really rise much at all, but it was probably something I did. How much rise did you get?
Hi Suzy! Did you remember to add the baking powder (or is your baking powder expired?) Additionally, over-mixing can affect the amount your cake will rise. The cake should rise quite a bit, so I am sorry it didn’t work for you!
Hi Dana,
belated happy birthday!
Just wanted to let you know I made this and everyone who had it really enjoyed it! I’ve made several other recipes of yours and they have turned out beautiful! You have a wonderful gift of developing recipes, thank you so much for sharing them!
Yes!!! This was amazing! I made it yesterday and after years of not baking (GF baking wasn’t as much fun as baking with gluten), I had a great time with this recipe. Super easy to follow and turned out like a charm.
Thank you!!!
Hi
Id like to make this cake with no oil/butter..
What could be a sub? An applesauce mixture??
Thanks!
Leigh
I made this the other day and it was absolutely delicious! Everyone in the family loved it! I followed the recipe exactly, except for adding some raisins and flaked coconut in addition to the walnuts.
With a husband who has to eat gluten- and dairy-free, and three of us who are vegan by choice, your recipes are an absolute godsend. Thank you, and keep the recipes coming!
such a great recipe, thank you for sharing! tasted even better on day 2 !
Hi, what is the difference between almond meal and almond flour? and can I make almond flour at home or do I have to buy it?
Thank you!
Hi! They are basically the same thing, almond flour is often much more finely ground than almond meal is and has a more uniform consistency. Also Almond meal can be blanched (skins removed) or unblanched, while most products labeled almond flour are blanched. As for making it, all you do is blend almonds in your blender, or you can buy it! Hope this helps!
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup? Thank you,
Kay Lee
Hi! That should work!
I used my kitchen scale and meticulously followed the recipe, used two 8″ pans and took them out when the top looked golden and pulled away from the sides, and a toothpick came out with crumbs, let it cool for a few hours with air flow, yet it was mushy and very disappointing. I wonder what could’ve gone wrong? I also tried the cashew icing and it wasn’t sweet enough to taste like icing (though I was impressed with its appearance and consistency once cooled and whipped!). Combined it was unfortunately a flop of a birthday cake. I’ve enjoyed many of your recipes and have been baking for years, so confusing that it flopped!
I follow primarily for the dairy free aspect so I used half cake flour half All purpose flour and two eggs…this cake was delicious! I Made it to test for my little ones smash cake for his October birthday and it will be perfect! Our whole family loved it! Wonderful recipe!
Hi Dana! I just made this cake but it was too moist :( I baked it for 50 min,
waited about 20 min before taking them out from the pan and it fell out in pieces.
I’m trying to figure out why it didn’t come out right. I followed the instructions meticulously except I only used almond flour since I didn’t have the ingredients for your gf mix, I only used 3/4 cup almond milk, and I added 1/2 cup of raisins. I used less than a cup of the apple sauce as well. I also noticed that the tops of the cakes had caved in and as soon as I touched it, it sunk in. So bummed.
In other news… it was SO freaking good!!! My mom and I ate it with spoons like a cobbler (yum!)
I really want to make this again for a birthday cake but I’m not
sure what I should change. Less milk? Less applesauce? Or maybe I should buy a different gf flour besides the almond?
Any help is appreciated, and THANK YOU for such a delicious recipe!
xo
P.s. Happy belated birthday!!!
I want to make this cake but don’t have the gluten free ingredients at home now. Can I make this using regular gluten flour?
Hi! That will work!
This recipe was amazing, thank you for all your creative-healthy ideas :))
Update from my last post:
I baked this cake again, this time with 1/2 cup apple sauce and 1/2 cup almond milk, and again using only almond flour (3 cups). It was a little less moist but unfortunately still broke when taking out of pans. From this experience I would have to advise not to use only almond flour in this recipe. It simply isn’t firm enough. I’m going out to buy the ingredients for the gf flour asap, I’m certain it will come out perfect then.
I made the cream cheese frosting and that as well as the cake was still super delicious. Thanks again!
How many cupcakes will this recipe make? I just want to make a half a dozen. Also, what can the applesauce be subbed for?
I followed your lead and made this for my birthday too! It was very moist and flavourful. My modifications include using real eggs, all coconut sugar and honey sweetened apple rhubarb butter instead of apple sauce. I only needed the 3/4 cup almond milk. I also put all the batter into one 9 inch pan which was a bit too much (some overflowed) but it turned out great. Frosted with your cashew buttercream icing. So delicious and popular everyone wanted more but there wasn’t anymore! Served 16 poeple. I was thinking of doing muffins next time! Thanks Dana!!
What could you use instead of applesauce!? I see a ton of recipes these days that use it and I’m allergic to apples 😂 Help a girl out!
Hi! Mashed banana or pumpkin puree!
Hi Dana
I am type 1 diabetic and would not want to add the sugar to this recipe. Coconut sugar is still sugar and does have the same effect on blood glucose levels. Do you have an alternative to the sugar to add sweetness?
Thank you
Happy Belated Birthday 💐🎂🎉 I know am very late but hope you had a fabulous day!! Love your recipes ~ thank you for all of them!!
This was DELICIOUS! Brought it to a birthday party of all non-vegans and they went crazy over it. I did add a splash of vanilla extract into the frosting for a better taste and it was PERFECT!
I made this for my twins birthday and it was a hit. I love the cashew butter cream.
Hi – could you tell me a good substitute gf flour for your gluten free flour blend? e.g. gf plain flour, gf self raising flour etc that can be shop bought? I can’t get hold of tapioca flour anywhere but am very keen to try this recipe!
I just made this. It tastes delicious however it falls apart really easily. I followed the recipe as written. Any advice?
My husband made this for me for my birthday and it was out-of-this-world good. Moist, flavorful and delicious. He used the cashew “cream cheese” frosting, which was perfect, because it wasn’t too sweet, and it was a hit with the whole family, none of whom are gluten free or vegan. I just polished off the last piece and I’m seriously considering making another cake tonight!
I made this for my non-gf husband’s birthday and it was a big hit! I haven’t baked much since my autoimmune diagnosis, but this was very encouraging (I used to bake weekly).
I used 3 eggs instead of flax, since I’m not vegan and I do have to avoid flax. The cake rose wonderfully in two 8″ pans. I let the cakes cool in the pans for a good 4 hours (b/c of schedule), and they turned out with a perfect crumb. I added some ginger and black pepper along with the cinnamon.
The cashew “cream cheese” frosting is delightful when paired with this! Thank you!
I made this as a cake and it was A—mazing!!!
Are there any adjustments needed if I want to make cupcakes out of this recipe?
Hi! For cupcakes just bake for slightly less time!
Baked the cake for my husband’s birthday. The cake was a big hit and very delicious. Thank you for your hard work on Gluten Free recipes. I intend to use your recipes in the future. Our family is a real challenge to feed one dish between gluten issues, nut, soy and milk allergies your recipes will restore my sanity. Thank you again.
This was very good! Great texture. I made this and after letting cool in pans 15 minutes I wrapped the still warm cakes with Saran Wrap and put into ziplock and froze. Defrosted two days later with excellent results!
Next time, I will increase the cinnamon to 2 t., increase salt to 1 t., add 3/4 t. ground nutmeg, and add 1-2 t. vanilla. I feel like when gf items get baked, the spices fade into the background.
I made a lemon buttercream: 4 T. Earth Balance stick, room temperature, 1/4 t. salt, zest of one lemon, juice of one lemon (3T.), 1 t. Vanilla, 3 3/4 C. powdered sugar.
Great recipe!
Thank you, Dana! This is perfect for my birthay. Hope you had a great one!
I surprised my husband with this cake for an early birthday celebration over the weekend and it was the BOMB DOT COM!!! Carrot cake is one of his favorites and with us wanting to move to more of a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle, I was determined to find a healthier recipe. This was a hit with the hubby and he was blown away by how good it tasted! And I have family who had it and couldn’t even tell it was vegan. I made the buttercream frosting with it and that was absolutely delicious too! I’ll definitely make this again and again because I couldn’t believe how yummy it was!! Dana, THANK YOU for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
I made this for a friend’s wedding 2 weeks ago and then again last week as it was so delicious! It’s dead easy to make and just the perfect texture and sweetness. It’s just unbelievable that it’s completely vegan.
Girlll you’ve done it again! I made this using your homemade gluten free flour blend and it was SO good. I should have cooked it a little longer, as you suggested, but it was so moist and cake-y and amazing. I made it with your “cream cheese” cashew buttercream. To die for. Will make it again and again and again. Thank you!!!
Made this for my daughters 9th birthday! It was absolutely the best cake I’ve ever had. Followed the recipe exactly. This will be my go to cake! Thank you so much!
Made these into muffins. So great
Greeting from Finland! Made this previously and non-vegans and vegans loved it all the same! Now baking it for Indian- themed birthday so I added some cardamom to the dough and will add some coconut in frosting. Best carrot cake ever although I didn´t make it GF.
Hi, I made this cake and I followed the recipe exactly but it didn’t work for me:( It was completely flat, almost like a pancake, and it was raw inside but burned outside and I had to keep it in the oven 20 minutes more than the recipe calls for. I don’t think it’s the recipe, but I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong! I want to try to make it again…any ideas what might be the problem?
Thank you!
I made this cake, and many of your other recipes they are all so yummy and look so beautiful. I love how you keep the ingredients list simple, short, always healthy, and vegan. This is my favorite place to look for any recipe for any meal love it.
I made this cake for my birthday and I absolutely loved it! It is hard to find a good both vegan and gluten free cake and this one turned out to be a perfect one! Thank you! :)
Just had this cake for my birthday also :D
One word..FANTASTIC!
Carrot cake is my absaloute go to cake and this recipe is just spot on :D
Thanks so much for this ‘sinful’ version :)
Hello,
I would like to make this cake for my daughters first birthday but I would like to use dates as a substitute for cane/coconut sugars. What ratio would you suggest or would you suggest something else?
Hi Joanna! Date puree can substitute 1 cup of sugar in any recipe. Puree 1 cup pitted dates with 1/2 – 1 cup hot water until a thick paste is made. Hope this helps!
Mine came out flat. I baked it for 40 minutes, couldn’t tell if that was enough, a knife came out clean. Tastes great but has a dense, pudding-like texture, not fluffy. We’ll eat it anyway. Hope my guests like it.
Hey Dana!
I love your blog so much, it’s so inspiring to me :)
I’m getting ready to bake my first tiered cake EVER and I want it to be this one!
I had a question about a substitution I was hoping you could help with:
I can’t consume starchy flours like tapioca / white rice / etc.
Is there an alternative I could use for the cup and a half? Oat flour? Or more almond flour?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks so much!
Lou