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!
1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
- 7 ½ Tbsp water (to make flax eggs)
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil* (or sub other neutral oil)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 scant cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup organic brown sugar* (or sub coconut sugar)
- 1/4 cup 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 plain unsweetened almond milk* (or other non-dairy unsweetened milk)
- 1 1 /2 cups loosely packed grated carrot
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour* (I didn’t test with almond meal, but I think it would work)
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend*
- 3/4 cup chopped raw walnuts* (if preferred, omit, or sub 1/2 cup (70 g) raisins)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Butter and flour two 8-inch, 1 9×13-inch, or 3 6-inch round pans with coconut oil or vegan cooking spray and dust with gluten-free flour (adjust number/size of pans if altering batch size). Shake out excess. Set aside.
- Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl by mixing flaxseed meal and water and let rest for 5 minutes. To the 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 lesser amount of almond milk (3/4 cup or 180 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) 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 almond milk 1/4 cup or 60 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). 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.
Video
Notes
*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 light 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. You can also use an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the gluten-free flour in this recipe.
*Recipe adapted from my Vegan Carrot Apple Muffins.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without frosting.
Lori H says
This looks so good for Easter! If I were to make it in a bundt pan, what do you recommend for time/temperature for baking? Thanks
Hi Lori! We haven’t tried making this cake in a bundt pan, but just keep in mind that the cake will need to bake for considerably longer (the cake is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached) Also, resist the urge to pull it out immediately and give it time to rest — a good 10 minutes usually does the trick!
Alexandra Burton says
I used to 8 inch cake pans and the cakes where both pretty flat, did not rise that much. It tastes delicious, but the cakes didnt rise much and looked pretty sad as a layer cake. Did I do something wrong, or is it better to use the smaller cake pans for a fluffier, taller cake?
Thanks so much!
AB
Hi Alexandra! It doesn’t rise a ton but using three smaller (6-inch) pans makes it fluffier and taller and a more beautiful presentation. Hope this helps!
ruthie wilson says
is coconut oil necessary for this cake to work?? Just wondering if i could sub for water or less oil, because i prefer to consume very minimal amounts of oil in my diet!!
this cake looks wonderful!
Hi Ruthie, we do recommend using some type of oil. Whether you want to use coconut oil or another oil, it is pretty key to the recipe. Hope this helps!
Kate says
If you were to add raisins to this, how much would you recommend?
1/2 cup should do!
Alex says
So after following this recipe to a T it’s unbelievably crumbly and not even remotely cake batter. I’ve added twice the required almond milk and the batter is still crazy dry and one big lump of not cake batter. Any thoughts?
Kelli says
Hi! Do I have to make it three layers or can I make it just two layers? Is there any reason why I couldn’t do that? I’m very new to baking, so please advise! Thank you in advance!
Hi Kelli! If you’d prefer making a two-layer cake, you can do that!
Amy says
Wow, this looks incredible!! Definitely going to give it a try! If I were to make cupcakes instead of a full cake, would there be any modifications? Thanks!
Christen says
Hi, I love your recipes! Our family avoids saturated fats, especially coconut oil with its 12g per TBSP. I saw your not on substituting applesauce and how it might affect the texture. How about avocados and/or a mix of avocado and applesauce? Do you have a suggestion on amount to use of avocados alone or a mix with applesauce for better texture? Thanks!
Wren says
Made this cake tonight in 2-9inch pans. Cooked 40 minutes but was hard to tell if it was cooked all the way through. Was not fully cooked when we dived in, would recomend longer time if your on the edge if its cooked enough.
Ely says
Hi! We did this cake gluten free and all of the inside is not cook AT ALL. I was so happy to finaly find a gluten free vegan cake that actually cooks…
Why do you think this happened?
Hi Ely! I am sorry to hear you didn’t have success. Did you change the recipe at all? Also, what did you cook it in (pan type) Let us know and we’ll do our best to help solve this!
Ely says
We used and already made gluten free flour, and we cooked it in 2 pan with heart shapes the right size!
Kim says
Delish! My husbands favorite is carrot cake and he loved it! I followed someone’s suggestion and also subbed the gluten free flour with the same amount of all purpose flour, and it worked just fine. I used the cashew cream cheese version and added 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a little bit of extra maple syrup and vanilla and it came out great! Thanks for the amazing recipe! Will be making again soon!
Rebecca Merritt says
Do you think these would work as cupcakes?
Yes! For cupcakes just bake slightly less time!
Anjali says
Awesome recipe, I used it to make 24 cupcakes and they turned out great! Added raisins and lots of chopped walnuts. Yummy! Thank you for creating it.
Shaz says
What can I substitute the almond flour for?
Hi Shaz! Another nut/seed flour (such as hazelnut, sunflower seed, or brazil nut) will work. If you can’t tolerate nuts or seeds, try subbing more gluten-free flour blend or oat flour. Hope this helps!
Barbara says
I substituted pecan meal for the almond meal. I just ground them up in the coffee grinder for about 8 seconds, and did it until I had the 1/1/2 cups. I can’t have almonds either. I also substituted So Delicious plain coconut milk for the milk. It needed to be cooked a little over 1 hour. It turned out well and was delicious!
Holly says
SO good! I added both walnuts and raisins to this delicious moist cake and it truly hit the spot. My dinner guests were impressed that this was both vegan and gluten free. I highly recommend the vegan cream cheese frosting.
Nora says
Hands down best Carrot Cake I’ve ever made or eaten ! I usually bake with non vegan ingredients, but I have been really trying to cut down on both animal products and gluten . This cake really hit the spot , my family had no idea it was gluten free and vegan .
Modifications I made include using mashed banana and a 1/4 cup more coconut oil in place of the applesauce , since I was completely out . This substitution worked fine for me . I also used almond meal flour instead of almond baking flour and it worked just fine .
Thank you again for this amazing recipe!
Heidy says
Thanks for a great recipe! Made it for my husband’s bday, now my girls are asking me to make it in loaf form (without the icing) so they can enjoy it instead of GF toast for breakfast… :)
Tray says
Great cake recipe.
My vegan buttercream frosting was very thin, what do u suggest?
Hi Tray! May I ask which frosting recipe you followed so I can get a better idea? Thanks!
Tray says
The vegan buttercream in this recipe : 1-BOWL VEGAN FUNFETTI CUPCAKES.
I used “I can’t believe it’s not butter” and soy milk. It cme our runny, now the next day it’s melted into the cake…. now I’ve got extremely wet cake. :)
Bahía says
Hi there! I’m wondering how can I replace the maple syrup (I think that honey is the easy way) and the applesauce in this recipe and others…I’m from Argentina and this two ingredients does not exist here so it would be great to know what can I use instead. Thanks in advanced!
Natalia says
Try using honey or any other liquid sweetener …
you can replace the apple sauce using crushed pineapple (that is what I did). Just blend some pieces or pineapple – it goes well with the carrot cake.
Natalia says
I did reduce the sugar content by using only 1/4 of coconut sugar. I think I could have reduced even more. The cake is really good, I liked the texture –
Added some more spices to it ( cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom).
Bahia says
Thanks si much for your reply Natalia!!
Caroline says
Wow! Absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. Great recipe: I made it for my birthday yesterday: It was scrummy and it tasted even better today.
Jessica Kleinhenz says
Could this work with Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour?
Deena says
Hi Dana,
I looked through the questions and if I missed it and someone already asked then I apologize :-). I would like to make these into GF Vegan carrot cake cupcakes. Should I just follow the recipe as is? Also can I just use the AP GF flour and not use the almond flour at all (substitute the GF for the almond).
Thanks a bunch.
Deena
Hi Deena! Bake the cupcakes at the same temperature called for in the cake recipe, but reduce the baking time by one-third to one-half (cupcakes usually bake for 15-20 minutes). Check doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. Hope this helps!
Deena says
Thanks! It does :-)
Bri says
Super Yummy! Make sure you let it cool fully before eating!! We got excited and tried to eat it 10 minutes after it came out of the oven and it was a little gooey, but once it cools it’s great.
Substitutions I made based on what I had around:
– instead of maple syrup, used 1 big tbsp of molasses
– only had brown sugar (well, raw panela which is what we use here in Colombia) and used about 145 g
– sunflower oil instead of coconut oil
– added 1tsp. of apple cider vinegar
-added some clove, anise seed and cardamom along with the cinnamon
Reccomend!
Sharelle says
I just made 3 of these ….2 for xmas and one for a friend for her birthday!!! I made it the 1st time a month ago and everyone loved it.
Kirsten Ivy says
I substituted mashed banana for applesauce because we didn’t have any applesauce in the house… it made the cake banana-y but it was still very good!
I also used almond meal instead of almond flour, which gave it a bit more chew but it was still a light and airy cake.
A layer of coconut butter in the middle was perfect.
Great recipe! Gonna try it again with applesauce this time!
Thanks for sharing your subs, Kirsten!
Ronnetta says
Love this recipe. I’m planning to make this lovely carrot cake again for a party this weekend. The first time, I used the vegan cream cheese frosting. I made it with vegan butter spread; it was very loose. I have vegan butter sticks this time, and I’m excited to see how the frosting goes! I love all of your recipes and your cookbook. Thank you for existing and sharing your knowledge!
Gia says
I made this cake with regular white flour but everything else remained the same with the exception of adding ground cloves… Ok, so I also got vegan cream cheese and mixed it with a vegan vanilla frosting. It was delicious! I brought to a family gathering and my family of meat and dairy eaters loved it! My mom said she could not believe it was vegan.
Fatima says
I made this cake for my vegan sons 15th birthday…he just loved it and said that it was the best gift I could have give him!! Also everybody at the party was non-vegan and they just loved it!!
Taylor says
This looks great! Planning to make it for my friends birthday, but how would I substitute all purpose flour? We are not gluten free and have plenty of AP flour on hand!
Hi Taylor! Yes, that should work! If doing that, use the full amount of almond milk called for!
Juan-Carlos says
Dana -I baked this carrot cake for my wife’s birthday today. It turned out really really good. Thank you!!
Tamara says
Hi Dana!
I made this cake last night (my first from your site). I used two 9″ cake pans and was concerned that it didn’t have a high rise to it, not like what I used to get from “box mixes”. I didn’t let what appeared to be a problem stop me. I pressed on and I was pleasantly surprised at the end result. While making the cream cheese frosting I kept tasting along the way for sweetness and watching the change in texture as I continued. I added the walnuts and I loved the end result of the cake. My daughter and son in law loved it too.
Thanks! I look forward to trying many more of your posts. I’m sincerely impressed.
Tamara
Shanti Sugaree says
I imagine this recipe would work with regular flour? I don’t care about being gluten free, but I live in Denver and don’t want to mess with the recipe too much because of the elevation. Thanks! I love your site… I get most of my recipes from you!
K8rdat8r says
I made this just now and it’s cooling as we speak… however… my cakes turned out super thin compared to your picture :( I used 2 9×9 pans as that’s what I had on hand and my cakes are maybe 1/2” thick? Maybe 3/4”. Is this normal?
Jassel says
Hi, is there a way I can use cassava, tigernut, coconut, and arrowroot flour (instead of the mentioned flours above)? If so, what are the ideal ratios?
Diana says
Hello, just made this cake and once out of the oven while cooling it sunk a little from the middle. Does this mean it needed more time or is this something normal for this cake? I did the toothpick test and it came out lean and the cakes are a deep golden brown color already. The sides of the cake were already looking a bit over baked. TIA
Leilani says
Hi, do you know if I can make this into cupcakes?
Hi! Yes you can! Just bake slightly less time!
Padmini says
This looks so promising and delicious! Will it work if I cut down the ingredients by half to make a smaller cake?
Hi! Yes you can!
Claire says
Do you have any tips for how to make this at high altitude? I’m in Denver, and the baking is typically a little different here :)
Hi Claire! I would follow this! Hope it helps!
Shannon Rains says
I made this and though it turned out super tasty, the outside of the cake turned out tough whilst the inside remained deliciously moist. I had to use arrowroot flour and oat flour (all I had on hand). Does that explain the difference in consistency?
Thanks!
Hi Shannon! Yes most likely, better luck next time!
Alex says
Can I just use 3 cups all purpose flour?? It would be great if I didnt have to use almond flour/meal to keep it simple.. :(
Hi Alex! Yes, that should work! If doing that, use the full amount of almond milk called for!
Alex says
Thank you so much. I really appreciate the reply! :)
Jenny O says
First time making vegan gluten free cake and I am seriously suprised at how good this turned out! Thank you so much for doing all the hard work and sharing this recipe. I used the Now Gluten Free flour which has similar ingredietns to your blend and I used pecans instead of walnuts and cashew milk instead of almonds as I’m intolerent to almonds. I made the cashew buttercream recipe you suggested and it’s so divine! Only thing is I need to double the cake mix as the cake does not rise as much as conventional cakes and I only managed to get 2 x 1inch layers and for a bigger cake I would need at least 3 layers. Fabulous recipe though. Thank you.
Christianne says
Did you just sub the gf flour 1:1 for almond flour?
Theresa says
I made this three times already. It’s incredible. The last time I doubled the recipe because I already knew how good it is and that people would eat the whole thing!
bahar says
I made this using the exact half of the ingredients and it was a great success! I baked them using a muffin pan and made 12 muffins. I also used thick soya yogurt with maple syrup. Each one is around 200 calorie, packed with a lot of nutritious stuff! Delicious, thank you very much.
Sarah says
What is the best store bought gluten free flour substitute to use for these? Also, can they be made into muffins?
Hi Sarah! We like using this kind! They can be made into muffins, just bake for less time!
Sarah says
Thank you! I did a test run today with mini and regular cupcakes. I thought they were done but ended up being mushy inside. I still cooked for almost the same recommended time as the cakes. Could it be because I used silicone muffin pans? I’m going to try again next week and will cook longer.
Nicky Tjiupek says
Hi Dana, this recipe is amazing! I put a pinch of stevia in place of the brown sugar and cane sugar, with hemp milk and almond meal!! It has a good texture with almond meal and I give my acquaintances and they LOVE it! Thanks so much for publishing the recipe! ❤️❤️❤️
Lou says
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
SIdney says
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.
Joanna says
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!
Joanna says
Thank you so much for your response! I’d also like to ask if I could make 12 cupcakes using this recipe, is that possible and how long would I bake them for and at what temp?
Hi Joanna! It should make 12 cupcakes, and keep the same temperature for baking just bake for slightly less time. You may need to keep an eye on them just to make sure, they will be ready when a toothpick comes out clean!
Julia says
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 :)
Julia says
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! :)
Erika says
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.
Agata says
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!
Päivi says
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.
Adyson Stoeckel says
Made these into muffins. So great
Noelle says
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!
Nora says
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!!!
Britt says
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.
Bethany R says
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!!
Liera Gracee says
Thank you, Dana! This is perfect for my birthay. Hope you had a great one!
Mrs. Chiu says
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!
Janice says
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.
Annette Christopher says
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!
Anne says
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!
Steph says
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!
Kristina says
I just made this. It tastes delicious however it falls apart really easily. I followed the recipe as written. Any advice?
Najaf Raza says
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!
Klara says
I made this for my twins birthday and it was a hit. I love the cashew butter cream.
Brittany Sambogna says
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!
Adriana Perciballi says
Happy Belated Birthday ??? I know am very late but hope you had a fabulous day!! Love your recipes ~ thank you for all of them!!
Louise Lawrence says
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
Shelby says
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!
Erin says
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!!
Nikole says
How many eggs did you use Beautiful One? Thanks!
Erin Davies says
Three! Good luck! Also it did make muffins/cupcakes marvellously.
Nikole says
Thank you, Erin! Much Love!
Jb says
How many cupcakes will this recipe make? I just want to make a half a dozen. Also, what can the applesauce be subbed for?
GBella says
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!
Julia White says
This recipe was amazing, thank you for all your creative-healthy ideas :))
Jenb says
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!
GBella says
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!!!
Stephanie says
Almond flour is very moist so you can’t just sub it 100% for a gluten free flour mix, I would bet that is why the cake fell apart.
Rachel Horn says
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!
Abigail says
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!
Kay says
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup? Thank you,
Kay Lee
Hi! That should work!
Véronique says
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!
morgan says
such a great recipe, thank you for sharing! tasted even better on day 2 !
Laura Boike says
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!
Leigh kennedy says
Hi
Id like to make this cake with no oil/butter..
What could be a sub? An applesauce mixture??
Thanks!
Leigh
Aisling says
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!!!
Ruth Houston says
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!
Suzy says
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!
Jen says
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!
Alice says
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.
Melissa Gut says
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!!!
Catalina says
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!
Cailey MH says
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!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Happy birthday, Dana! Wishing you a beautiful celebration! Toasts to an amazing year! <3 And this cake, of course–it looks to die for!
KMR says
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!
BDL says
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.
Avra Friedman says
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!
Shannan says
This was great! Thanks for the recipe. The Cream Cheese frosting was amazing.
Maggie says
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.
Jennifer olguin says
Can I add crushed pineapple to this recipe instead of applesauce?
That should work!
Kristen says
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.