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.
Mary Ann says
I made this for a friend’s bday and it was a hit!! I used all coconut sugar since all I had was sweetened apple sauce. I thought cane sugar might make it too sweet. I also cheated and used King Arthur’s Gluten Free Baking Flour. It came out so moist and delicious. This is a keeper!! Thank you.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Mary Ann. We are so glad it turned out well! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Juliane says
This cake was amazing! Perfectly sweet and not too heavy. Served it at my mums birthday party and non vegans did not notice it was vegan and everyone loved it. The first carrot cake I could eat more than a slice of without getting sick. I only had one cake pan so i baked all in one and then cut the cake in two 😊 filled and topped it with your delicious tangy cashew cream and fruit. Next time i would only add a little more carrot. Btw I used almond meal instead of almond flour, date syrup and a corn based gf cake flour.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Juliane! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ava says
This is probably one of the best recipes I have made! The cake was so moist and flavourful. I’m vegan, however my non-vegan family also loved it. My younger brother keeps asking me to make it again, so this recipe will definitely be getting more uses. I didn’t have any applesauce, but subbed it for some mashed banana and it worked fine. I also used Italian flour instead of GF, which was also fine. This was a great cake!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Ava! xo
Liz says
Absolutely the best carrot cake I’ve ever had, and everyone I served it to agreed. Incredibly moist and flavorful. I did it as two layers with Minimalist Baker’s vegan cream cheese in between and on top (skipped the sides) and it made it even more tasty.
One thing for me to figure out next time is how to prevent the vegan butter from clumping after icing the cake – maybe I didn’t cream it together well enough.
Can’t recommend this cake enough :)
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Liz! Yes, try creaming more or perhaps let it sit out to soften slightly longer.
Kerry says
I absolutely loved this recipe and so did everyone who tried it at the party! Followed it exactly. Made sure it was well baked. I used two 9 in. Round pans and ended up whipping up a second batch to add a third layer to the cake (saved the 4th one just for my family!) I made the frosting first and refrigerated for several hours for easier spreading. (I used about 3 cups of the powdered sugar. I don’t like things very sweet, and it was perfect. I don’t understand how others said it was too sweet with even one cup. It had a naturally tart flavor.) The frosting was enough for me, even though I doubled the cake recipe. After refrigerating the frosted cake again, I went over the frosting a second time to smooth it out really well. The cake was beautiful and delicious!
So great! Thanks for sharing, Kerry!
Katherine says
I made this for a family member’s birthday. We didn’t have any flax on hand so I substituted 3 eggs instead. I also accidentally added 1/3 cup too much applesauce. It came out so moist and wonderful! From my picky 95 year old grandfather, to my foodie parents, to a (mostly)paleo sibling and spouse, this recipe hit it out of the park.
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Katherine!
Josie says
Hi – Can I sub the applesauce for pureed pineapple chunks (if I discard the juice)? Thank you! I’m so excited to try this recipe! Carrot cake is my all-time fave!!
We haven’t tried that, but we think it would work! Let us know how it goes!
Tun says
Favorite carrot cake recipe! I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour since I didn’t have time to make yours and it turned out beautifully. Easy recipe to follow, so glad I didn’t end up with a sink full of dishes after!
Quyana for sharing :)
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tun!
Kami says
What can you use instead of applesauce? My youngest is sensitive to apples.
Hi Kami, For an applesauce sub, you could try another mashed fruit or veggie purée such as banana or pumpkin. Hope that helps!
Bailey says
What store bought all-purpose gluten free flour can I sub for your DIY? Is there a difference from AP and 1-to-1 gluten free flour? Thanks!
Hi Bailey, there is a difference! We’d suggest 1-1 for best results. Other readers have used Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Baking Flour with success.
Lisa says
I’ve made this just as the recipe is and it’s sooo perfect! I’m making again this weekend and wondering if you’ve tested real eggs in place of flax eggs?
Thank you!!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Lisa! We haven’t tested it that way, but it looks like other readers have done so with success. We’d recommend doing a search in the comments (“ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac) for more info. Hope that helps!
Andrea van Ryzin says
This carrot cake is SO MOIST AND YUMMY!
I subbed monkfruit for some of the sugar and added a bit of vanilla and nutmeg.
Half the recipe yielded 10 cupcakes (350 F for 30 mins) – the cake is so good it didn’t even need frosting! Thank you!!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Andrea!
Yates says
Great result! I used Bob’s Red Mill AP gluten-free flour instead of the mix linked to here. I made cupcakes instead of a sheet cake- this made 18 large-ish cupcakes. I baked on 350 F for 35 minutes
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing!
Deb says
Thanks for this info – about to make it into cupcakes and really appreciate it!! :)
Deb says
Just wanted to add – I think that with the pandemic, people are looking for individual servings so providing recipes with that info will be helpful moving forward! :)
Hi Deb, you can change the serving size to 1 and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly!
Sani says
Just made this cake for my moms 60th Birthday – it came out amazing and was a huge hit with everyone! Thank you for another amazing recipe.
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sani! xo
Tiffy says
Hi there!
I’m excited to make this. Do you think I can make this a day prior to serving? It’s my husband’s birthday tomorrow, and I’d love to save time by making it today, but I don’t want it to be dry. Thanks!
Hi Tiffy, it’s best when fresh, but should be fine to store at room temperature!
Tyrion says
I made this for my birthday yesterday, did the 9x Forgot the applesauce and subbed a whole banana (it was frozen so I blended it with about a Tbs of almond milk. this was my first time baking with gluten free flour. My friends said: “This is delicious, it’s dense and rich in the right way.” “I love that there’s just enough of it (in a slice).” I concur.
It was a short in height (I’m sure there’s a technical term for this) and very dense, almost a brownie consistency but cakey. I used coconut sugar in place of brown and all spice. . I pulsed some raw walnuts in the food processor to add, grated raw ginger into the batter, and added a tsp of vanilla and butter extract. I iced the cake with a store-bought unintentionally vegan “cream cheese” icing because my area does not have vegan cream cheese in stores.
I would highly recommend grating raw fresh ginger into the cake.
Thanks for sharing Tyrion!
Wendy says
I have been craving carrot cake for some time and was so happy to find this recipe for one that I can eat now that I’ve been diagnosed with Celiac. It was delicious and easy to make! Thank you for another wonderful recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Wendy! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Katherine Lambert says
Does anyone know whether I can substitute either all the flour or just the gluten free blend for whole meal flour? No one is gluten free in my family and I don’t want to buy a lot of new ingredients. Thanks.
Hi Katherine, we haven’t tried that, so we’re not sure! Others have had success with all purpose flour though, so maybe try that?
Katherine Lambert says
Do you know if subbing both the flours for oat flour works?
Hi Katherine, we think it would be too dense and wouldn’t recommend it.
Kristen Carpenter says
I made this twice in one week because it was such a hit. I followed the recipe exactly and it was amazing. I highly recommend!!!
I’m making it again for my daughters first birthday, but I’m wondering if I could make these into cupcakes instead of cake. If so what temp would I bake it at and how long?
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Kristen! Cupcakes should work- we would recommend using our carrot muffins recipe as a guide for baking.
JOAN RAMLER says
I made this recipe into cupcakes with the only differences being I eliminated 1/4 c of the cane sugar and I thawed some grated zucchini that I’d frozen in the fall and used it in place of the carrot. I baked them 30 minutes but they were still doughy so baked them a full 45 minutes and they were perfect. My husband loved them.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Joan
Jalaine says
I made this cake for the first time over Easter weekend (yes, that was over a month ago, but my husband and I STILL talk about this cake) and it was AMAZING. My husband is not generally a cake fan, and this has been one of his favorite baked items I’ve ever made. I agree. I left out the walnuts and did not substitute it with anything, I don’t think it needed anything else. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour instead of MB’s blend. It was perfectly moist, held together well, and the combination of flavors and textures were so good. I used brown sugar and coconut sugar, no cane sugar, and used the coconut whipped cream as the “icing” and it blended wonderfully with the cake. Hope to make this every Easter for the rest of my life :)
Whoop! Thanks so much for sharing, Jalaine! xo
bee says
This cake came out great! it was dense but overall excellent. I used almond flour and oat flour combo. I also subbed all the cane sugar and brown sugar for 3/4 cups of coconut sugar. We used the cashew buttercream frosting but i took out the lemon because my kids dont like lemons. I would definitely make again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Bee! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
IJM says
It’s funny, I’ve made so many of your recipes and this is my first comment. I love pretty much everything I’ve made using your recipes, btw. I had an abundance of carrots so what better way to use them than in carrot cake? This cake turned out amazing. I only made a couple of adjustments: I used maple sugar instead of brown sugar and the sweetness was just how I wanted it. I think using brown sugar would have been too sweet for me. I also was just shy of the amount of applesauce so I threw in a super ripe banana. The moisture level in the cake was fab as a result but there was a little too much banana taste for my liking. Maybe half a banana would have been better. I also skipped the walnuts and added golden raisins instead, which I prefer. I made the cashew cream cheese frosting using Croyo coconut yogurt to top it off. I liked it a little tangier so I added more lemon zest and apple cider vinegar. This cake is a hit! Thank you for the great recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing!
Bella says
Hi sorry if it’s been asked already. I’d like to make one cake only and I have an 8 inches square silicone pan or a 9 inches square pan. Do I need to make any adjustments?
Thanks!
Hi Bella, we think you would need to use both pans so it isn’t too thick. It could be a two-layer cake!
Ines says
Why not just use half the amounts of all the ingredients so that it’s enough for one layer instead of making the full recipe that makes two layers? I do that often with all types of recipes.
Rim El-iali says
Do you think I could use a Bundt cake pan?
Hi Rim, we haven’t tried that, but we think it might work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Andrea says
Wow! Blown away by this recipe! I made it exactly as listed, but did use all coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar and cane sugar. It was a bit sweet for me, so I would cut that down to 1/2 cup total coconut sugar next time. BUT, no complaints! It was so moist and the texture was incredible. Even my husband who is such a harsh critic on any GF / Vegan desserts, asked for seconds. (I made cupcakes, baked for about 30 minutes.) I have not had a lot of luck with egg substitutes in recipes, so I was so grateful to stumble upon this recipe and have such a great result. THANK YOU! Excited to try more of your recipes.
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Andrea! xo
Emily says
Best vegan dessert EVER! I subbed regular flour for GF and baked for 40 min in a 9×13. Iced with your vegan cream cheese frosting (only had 2c powdered sugar on hand and I came out great). Perfectly moist and excellent flavor. I’m rolling through your blog and your recipes continue to be winners! Thank you!
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Emily! xo
Jessica Wyatt says
The flavor was good but way too sweet for me (and I like sweets), I may try to remake and add less sugar. And I wish I left it cook linger it was a little too moist in the middle but that’s on me.
Valerie says
This turned out very gummy for me :( I wonder why? Did not use any substitutions…
Sorry to hear that happened, Valerie! We wonder if it needed to be baked longer? Did you use our DIY GF flour blend?
mette madsen says
would it be possible to use white whole wheat flour instead of almond? Any adjustments that should be made?
I’m not gluten-free but this looks yummy and I don’t have an apple for the other carrot treat recipe on the site. Thanks :)
Hi Mette, we haven’t tried it that way, but it might work. Others have had success with all purpose flour. Maybe start with less and add more as needed to achieve the consistency shown in the photo. Let us know how it turns out!
Julia says
Thank you, this is a great recipe! Since I have food restrictions I have not attempted to make a carrot cake (my favourite cake) because other ‘free from’ recipes have not necessarily gone down well with the rest of the family. This one was a hit though. I forgot to add walnuts, but in the end it was good as my kids don’t like them anyway. I did not have maple syrup and decided not to substitute as the cake mix was sweet enough without it.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Julia! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Carol says
I made this yesterday and it was fantastic! I followed your recipe exactly- and used your GF blend recipe, with exception of having to use all brown rice flour instead of the 1/4 cup white flour. I also added about 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and about 3/4 cup of raisins. I also baked in a 9×13 pan and it took about an hour.
After becoming gluten intolerant, I’ve never found any baked goods that have come out successfully- until now. It was always frustrating and such a waste of time and money. I decided I’d give it one more chance after reading all the reviews and it made for a lovely and delicious surprise. Thank you so much for sharing. I’ll be trying more with your GF blend!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Carol! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
ashley delvescovi says
This cake was amazing! My non vegan family loved it! I used organic AP flour instead of GF and I baked in a lg 10×14 pan to make a sheet of it for a trifle style cake, about 30-35 mins PERFECT! Also the cashew buttercream and just added a few dashes of cinnamon to the mix. Thank you, so amazing!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Ashley! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Bettina Nelson says
Love this recipe! I used coconut sugar and a lesser amount and it’s still tastey!
I also used Apples instead of carrots for one batch..it took longer to cook but turned out nice. Wholesome :)
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Bettina! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Hillary says
I just made this cake for a socially distanced mother’s day celebration and it was a hit! One of the best vegan cake recipes I have found by far. I used the “Tangy cashew “cream cheese” frosting recipe,” and it was delicious – tasted unbelievably like cream cheese frosting! We omitted the maple syrup in the frosting recipe since it seemed to be sweet enough with the coconut cream. So good! Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Hillary! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Evie says
Every one of your recipes that I’ve made has been delicious – I can’t wait to try this carrot cake, too. Do you think subbing silken tofu (1/4 cup) for each flax egg would mess up the texture?
Aw, thanks Evie! We haven’t tried that so we aren’t sure if it would work. We would probably suggest only using ~1/3 cup total though. Let us know if you give it a try!
Claudia says
I made this today for a special occasion and it was a hit! I subbed 1 cup of boiled sweet potatoes for the applesauce, and chopped candied ginger for the raisins. For the flour, I used 1/2 almond flour and 1/2 Bob’s Red Mill 1:1. This recipe is a keeper!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Claudia. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Lulu says
I’m allergic to almonds. Which flour could I sub for the almond flour and almond milk? I’m looking to make this for Mother’s day. Can’t wait to try it! :-)
Hi Lulu, any non-dairy milk should be fine. For the almond flour, another nut/seed meal might work or more gluten-free flour blend or oat flour! Let us know how it goes!
Alyssa says
Has anyone subbed agave for maple syrup? Also, could it be made with non-GF flour?
Hi Alyssa, yes, it looks like other readers have! We recommend searching the comments to see what they have tried. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words (such as “all purpose” or “agave”) in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
Angie says
Used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer, used all gf flour except 1/4 cup was coconut flour (can’t have almonds) and it was done in 30 min in a 13×9 pan. It’s a bit dense/gummy but tastes nice, not too sweet, and with the cream cheese frosting it’s so good! I haven’t successfully baked in so long. I’d look forward to trying this again with raisins and maybe more cinnamon. Thanks so much for the quick and simple recipe!
Xylia says
I made this cake a couple years ago for my sisters birthday and it became my favorite cake. Vegan cakes are hard to find in the wild, but this cake is so moist and delicious that we actually regretted frosting it.
It’s my go to cake for every event!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Xylia! xo
Roro says
I used AP flour instead of GF flour, made muffins and baked for 15 minutes as someone suggested below. Topped with the minimalist baker vegan buttercream frosting. This was probably the best thing I have ever baked! The muffins came out so moist and delicious. The frosting is VERY flavorful. Thank for you for posting this amazing recipe!
Whoop! Thanks so much for sharing, Roro! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Tara says
I’ve made all of Minimalist Baker’s wonderful cakes & this is our new favorite! I had to sub banana for the applesauce due to fodmaps, but we couldn’t taste the banana at all–just a delicious carrot cake :)
My suggestion for those who have struggled with the baking time is to use smaller pans. After making larger sizes of many minimalist baker cakes, I finally bought three 6-inch rounds and now they bake up easily & beautifully (and more quickly) every time. I weigh the batter in the pan to get them even. The result is the prettiest & yummiest little 3-tiered cake you’ve ever seen/tasted. There’s plenty of cake for our family of 5 plus leftovers which never last long!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Tara! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Lorena Senra says
This cake is delicious 😋
Bunmi says
This was amazing! I made it for my moms birthday and she loved it, and so did I. She actually insisted I make it again a few days later..It was incredibly easy. The cake was moist, delicious and I can’t wait to make it again.
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Siva says
Hi. What can I omit with Almond flour and maple syrup? I don’t have them .
Thanks
Perhaps almond meal and honey?
Greg says
The taste is awesome. My family and neighbors enjoyed it…I did adapt it a little and would like your take on how to adjust so the consistency is better. My wife has problems with regular flours, refined sugars and some oils. I am learning how to adapt with only coconut, almond or Casava flours. I used only almond and used monk fruit sweetener instead. The consistency was thick and I added some extra flour to thicken more. I cooked it for 50 min and it was still soupy. I ended up cooking it for another 20 min and dropped to 325 for 15 more before it was firm enough to be done. It was dense but tasted great. Any ideas on how to adjust?
Whoop! Thanks for sharing your experience! This will depend on the flours you use, which is sounds like you used ones we haven’t tested with. Not sure what to recommend there!
Greg says
Thank you for the response. I did only use almond flour as the replacement for the flour blend. I do not know the chemistry behind that versus the other flours you used. In your experience, is there a way to adjust using just almond? Or something else? For flour, I only have coconut or casava options if all almond does not work.
I did share the cake with the neighbors and they loved the taste so well done! I have pointed them to your sight for more.
Thanks for sharing, Greg! We’d recommend checking out this guide for info on various GF flours. Hope that helps!
Ines says
Coconut flour is a lighter weight flour whereas almond flour is heavy, so substituting some coconut flour would probably help decrease the denseness of the cake. I use a little of it (1/4 – 1/2 cup) in some recipes I make and the texture comes out light and fluffy. I think cassava flour density is between coconut and almond, so maybe you could sub some of that for some of the almond flour too.
Jennifer says
What are the adjustments if I only want to make one 6-inch round? What is an appropriate substitute for Apple sauce?
We would recommend making a 1/3 size batch. For an applesauce sub, you could try another mashed fruit or veggie purée such as banana or pumpkin. Hope that helps!
Ariana Tarkington says
Made it twice and it never cooked thoroughly. So sad I wasted all those ingredients maybe I just don’t have the touch. I used Bob’s 1 to 1 flour so maybe that was it. It cooked fine on the outside but the middle was soggy.
Hi Ariana, sorry to hear that! Some readers have reported success with Bob’s and a couple haven’t. It sounds like it could have used additional baking.
Kelly Davis says
This turned out perfectly. I didn’t have cane sugar, so used regular white granulated sugar. I also added 2 cups of carrots because 1.5 just didn’t seem like enough. This cake was very moist and a little crispy around the edges. Just perfect. I also added a small handful of semi-sweet dairy free chocolate chunks. My friend who is vegan said this was the best carrot cake she ever had. What a Compliment!
For the cream cheese, I used the recipe from Minimalist Baker’s Raw Vegan carrot cake recipe. This was a huge hit and I can’t wait to make it again. You’d never know it’s gluten free and vegan.
Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Kelly! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Nicole Madsen says
I made this cake for my baby’s first birthdayI used all purpose gluten free flour instead of the blend and subbed 1 cup date purée for the maple syrup and sugars. I didn’t add any raisins or walnuts. It definitely turned out dense instead of light and airy… but it was still great! Haha it was NOT smashable! It sure looked beautiful, and I made the cashew coconut icing cream to go with it.
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing, Nicole!
Maria says
I would love to make this cake for my bf’s birthday coming up but we’re not GF. Would it be okay to use 3 cups of AP flour?
And instead of oil, could I use vegan butter?
So excited to try this!!!
Hi Monica, We haven’t tried using all purpose, but some other readers have. We probably wouldn’t recommend vegan butter in this recipe though- oil tends to work better in cakes because it makes them fluffier. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words (such as “all purpose” or “regular flour”) in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
Emily says
First of all, all of your recipes are wonderful including this one! I did not have cake pans so I made these into cupcakes at 350 for 15-16 minutes and they came out great. I subbed 3 real eggs for flax eggs, coconut sugar instead of cane sugar/brown sugar, and Bob’s Red Mill all purpose baking flour in place of your GF blend. I used the vegan cream cheese frosting and they came out wonderful!
How great! Thanks for sharing, Emily!
Carly McKenna says
My partner made this cake for my birthday a couple of years ago (having never baked a cake before) and it turned out brilliantly. After giving it a go myself, I can confirm this is a favourite. I used all purpose flour instead of the gluten free flour blend and almond meal instead of almond flour. Turned out perfectly! I opted for the vegan cashew buttercream (cream cheese) frosting, but the vegan cream cheese frosting is also a winner, especially if you’re short on time. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
So sweet! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Carly! Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
This cake made a quarantined easter not so awful. My 8-year-old did everything herself and was super proud. It was delicious. We also did the cashew buttercream – it didn’t turn out the way it looked in the pics, but was still pretty darn good on the cake. Definitely will make both again.
Aw, we love it, Amy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ally K says
Wow. Ya just make this cake. It’s amazing. Only “problem” is the two of us finished it in less than two days??! The vegan buttercream was perfect on it! Thank you Dana YET AGAIN for another amazing creation.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ally! xo
Linda Plumley Morris says
This is the first carrot cake I’ve made in over two years…since i realized i needed to go completely vegan and gluten-free. My husband and I loved it as much as my old tried and true favorite recipe. Nobody would guess this one is vegan and gluten-free, since it is moist and light. I used your gluten-free flour blend and almond flour, and coconut sugar and sucanat instead of regular sugar. We didn’t even need the frosting. It’s that good! Thank you for sharing!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Linda! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Giselle says
Amazing!! I wish I could rate it higher!
Aw, thanks Giselle! xo
Marina says
I make the Apple Carrot Muffins all the time- this recipe is extremely similar, and I have been really craving carrot cake, so I went for it. It did not disappoint! Paired with MB’s cashew buttercream frosting, this cake was a dream.
SO lovely! Thanks for sharing, Marina!
Giselle says
Hi Dana,
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made this for my birthday and it was delicious :)
Even my husband and son ate it and really enjoyed it, even though the only cake they ever eat is usually chocolate!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Giselle. We are so glad everyone enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Claire says
This cake is hands down one of the best gf and vegan cakes I’ve ever had! You’d have no idea it was vegan or gf! I served it to my family (who have no special diets) and was worried it might be dry and crumbley, but it is so moist and has the perfect amount of sweetness. I topped the frosting with some coconut flakes and I might have eaten 3 slices for breakfast.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Claire! Thanks for sharing!
Emma says
This recipe is AMAZING! My boyfriend said it was the best carrot cake he’s ever had, and he is a true critic (normally hates “healthy” baked goods). Made it with all purpose flour + almond flour and it turned out great!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Emma!
Da says
Chiming in with rave reviews of this fantastic recipe! I made this for our Easter dinner (at LAST! as it’d been on my to-do for ages) and the boys devoured it! Amazing as it was after last night’s dinner, giving it a nibble from the fridge this morning, as it was even *better.*
A few adjustments: As I’m to avoid coconut products and try to tap back on oil where I can, I used Earth Balance with 1 Tbs. of walnut oil to equal the 1/3 c., and I used a springform ring pan. (This did not change the cook time.) I also added a heaping tsp. of ginger and 1/2 tsp. of cardamom, as I like this kind of cake to be kind of spicy. I topped it with the amazing Cashew Buttercream (which I also subbed out the coconut oil with Earth Balance).
I am SO GLAD I finally made this beautiful cake! Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! xo
Kristina says
So I made this tonight and I baked it for 50 minutes and then inserted a toothpick which came out clean but the stick was moist to the touch. I felt the tops of the cakes and they felt pretty spongelike so I put them back in the oven for an additional 20-25 minutes. I set them out to cool for 15 min and when I cut a slice of the cake I realized it was wet/gooey inside even though the outer layer seemed browned and cooked. What did I do wrong? Halp! (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Flour and half cup of oat flour)
Hi Kristina, we wonder if it could be the blend of flours used. Oat flour is more dense/spongelike. We’d recommend trying with almond flour and our DIY gluten-free blend next time for best results.
Zora says
I made this for Easter and it was delicious. It was so moist, even in high altitude. My whole family loved it and I will definitely be making it again! I made the vegan cream cheese frosting with it and it was good.
Em says
Hi Zora, did you make adjustments for altitude & what altitude are you? Thanks!
Jen says
I’ve made this several times. One of my families’ favorite cakes! So moist and flavorful!
Jen says
Hi, I wanted to try this recipe. Has anyone tried using dates to sweeten it instead?
Hi Jen, we haven’t tried this recipe with dates, but maybe purée 1 cup pitted dates with 1/2 – 1 cup hot water until a thick paste is made. Sub that in place of the sugar. Let us know how it goes!
Becca says
Wondering what you could replace applesauce with? This looks so tasty!
Hi Becca, You could make homemade if you have apples: https://minimalistbaker.com/3-ingredient-applesauce-no-sugar-added/. Or sub another fruit puree such as banana, stone fruit, or sweet potato?
Felicia Raiti-Motherway says
I made this carrot cake 4 times and it is the best!!! Happy Easter to all of you…it’s baking in my oven today!
Felicia
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Felicia. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Ariana Tarkington says
Hi,
What is the best maple syrup brand to use for this cake? I recently bought 365 Grade A maple syrup but it’s dark not amber do you think that will make a difference. TIA.
Hi Ariana, we prefer amber for a more mild flavor. And we typically buy Trader Joe’s, but any should work!
Laura says
Will this work with normal plain flour? Or self raising flour? I also have spelt flour in the cupboard… (vegan and coconut free but not gluten free). Thanks!
Hi Laura, We haven’t tried it, but some other readers have. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words (such as “all purpose” or “regular flour”) in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
Karine says
Very disappointed with the cake and the frosting (cashew base). The taste is not what I expected. It took more than an hour to bake. I would not do it again…
Hi Karine, so sorry to hear that was your experience! So many others have enjoyed this recipe, so were not quite sure what happened. Did you make any modifications?
Heidi says
Looks like a great recipe. Would I use 3 eggs instead of flax eggs? I don’t need it to be vegan and am intolerant to flax.
Hi Heidi, we haven’t tried it that way, but other readers have used 3 chicken eggs with success. Let us know how it goes!
Doreen says
Going to make this tomorrow for Easter with what I have, so I’ll be substituting the apple sauce with blended overripe banana, and I’ll be using plain flour, I assume this will work?! ??
Hi Doreen, we haven’t tried those modifications. Let us know how it turns out!
Erica says
Couldn’t see any comments about this- would this work ok in muffin tins? I don’t have a cake pan. But I would think it would be ok since some of the other comments were about it being only too soggy if the pan was too big. :)
Hi Erica, it should work! We would recommend using our carrot muffins recipe as a guide for baking. Let us know how it goes!
Julie B. says
Wow! This cake took me a little longer to make than I expected, but the results are out of this world. I chose to make the vegan cream cheese frosting and my husband had no clue that it was made from cashews.
I did modify the cream cheese recipe by adding A Lot more apple cider vinegar, the current measurements produced a bland taste. Had to also add more maple syrup. If I could post a pic I would because it turned out beautiful. 3 tier with frosting and lemon zest shavings on top which I also included in the frosting.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Julie. Thanks for sharing!
Margaret says
Wow!!! This cake is amazing and you’ll never know it gf or vegan. Followed method exactly as is and it turned out perfectly! Could not recommend more!!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Margaret! xo
Phoebe says
I’m super excited to make this and I have all the ingredients. But the smallest cake pan size I have are two 9 inch pans. Can I use the two 9 inch pans instead of the two 8 inch pans?
Hi Phoebe, that should work! It will just be slightly thinner.
Skyler says
Could I add crushed pineapple somewhere ? In place of milk maybe?
Hi Skyler, that might work. Or maybe in place of some/all of the applesauce? Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Ariana Tarkington says
Do you think it will come out ok if I use bobs 1 to 1 flour??
Hi Ariana, we haven’t tried it and aren’t sure. Let us know if you give it a try!
Tara says
I’m trying it now with Bobs 1 to 11 and coconut flour. It was really really dry. So I added more almond milk and a little more applesauce. It’s not going well! Middle is soggy and it’s been baking for over an hour. Not sure what I’m going to do now!
I turned the oven down to 325 and put tinfoil on top of the tins. We’ll see what happens!
Hi Tara, coconut flour tends to be very absorbent, so that’s likely the issue. You might find this guide helpful for next time: https://minimalistbaker.com/guide-to-gluten-free-flours/
Jasmine says
Can i just sub more oil for the applesauce? I can’t eat apples or bananas
We haven’t tried that, but it might work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Lauren St.Jane says
I use bobs one to one flour with almond flour and each time it comes out perfect! I also use Lankos monk fruit with erithritoil instead of sugar- better for the blood sugar.
Sherri N. says
This cake tastes really good. The only suggestion I have is to not bake it unless you have two equal size baking dishes (better if you use 3, like pictured) becasue otherwise it may come out too soggy. Still tastes amazing with or without the frosting. I would also use a little less sugar (I used all coconut sugar) in the cake, especially if you make the frosting. :)
Lindsey Maddox says
I googled what I could sub for the potato starch and tapioca flour for the blend. I’m going to use cornstarch in place of the potato starch and either more rice flour or arrowroot for the tapioca flour. How does that sound instead of the spelt flour? Those were the only 2 ingredients I do not have. I’m going to make it with my nephew who I’ve been “quarantined ” with and thought it would be a great cooking class for a 6 year old! I went ahead and rated this since I’ve been making this cake for several years since I stumbled upon you after trying to go vegan. This by far is the most amazing healthy cake I’ve ever eaten. I love all your recipes. I’ll let you know how “cooking class ” goes tomorrow.
Hi Lindsey, We aren’t sure how those modifications will turn out as we haven’t tried it, but might work! Let us know how it goes!
Kristen Jones says
Do not make this if you’re in quarantine and only live with one other person-you will eat it all!! Seriously, SO GOOD!!! I only had a little almond flour left so I had to sub for coconut flour, it turned out perfect. I made it with your cream cheese frosting recipe. I’ll be making this again!!!
haha, thanks for sharing, Kristen!!
Kruti says
This cake turned out delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kruti. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Madison says
Do you think I could make this into a loaf, almost similar to a banana bread? I want to make a smaller version. Thanks!
Hi Madison, you’d need a pretty large loaf pan and it may have trouble cooking through to the center – maybe divide it into two? And adjust baking time accordingly – it should be pretty similar in two pans, but much longer in 1 pan.
lindsey maddox says
I have made this cake many, many times and we love it! I do not have all the items to make the the flour blend. Can I use spelt flour instead?
I think that should work! Let us know how it goes!
Nicole Madsen says
I’d like to make this cake for my baby for her 1st bday, but to sub dates for the sugar. I read online that 1 cup of sugar is equivalent to 1 cup of dates. How should I do it? I was thinking of chopping them up really small and then letting them soak in the 1 cup of plant milk to soften….then adding it into the food processor. I know that the cake may not turn out the same. Any suggestions would be soooo appreciated!!! Thank you!
Hi Nicole, we haven’t tried this recipe with dates, but maybe puree 1 cup pitted dates with 1/2 – 1 cup hot water until a thick paste is made. Sub that in place of the sugar. Let us know how it goes!
Julie B. says
I would steep the dried dates in boiling water for half hour and the. Blend.
Aliya Jackson says
I’ve recently discovered you and I’m so very happy I did. Carrot ? cake has always intimidated me, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this recipe is to follow. The cake turned out moist and delicious. I made aquafaba whipped topping but the family did not like it. Next time – your tangy cashew frosting! Thank you so much!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Rebecca says
I’ve made this several times! I’m actually making it again right now! :) It’s a favorite of my friends and families when I’ve brought the cake to share. I love the layered look of the cake and I usually use the coconut frosting option. Fantastic recipe that was introduced to me by my future sister in law! We are fans!!
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!
Lauren says
I don’t have a cake pan. Can I use a loaf pan instead? Think this would be two loaves? What kind of baking adjustments would you recommend? Cheers :)
Hi Lauren, we think it could have trouble cooking through to the center in a loaf pan. But maybe if you spread it out into 2-3 pans? Let us know if you try it!
ArpT says
Your vegan cake recipes look delicious. What size are the cake pans? Do you use a specific brand? Thanks.
We used 6 inch cake pans for this recipe. Hope that helps!
Suzanne says
The recipe was so easy to follow and all the tips really helped. The cake was moist and so delicious!! Thank you for helping to make my daughter’s birthday extra special with this cake! She said it was the best vegan cake she’s ever had.??
Aw, love that! Thanks for sharing, Suzanne! xo
TheTurbanedMama says
I made this cake last night it came out so moist probably the best vegan cake I’ve ever baked thank you for the recipe. One happy husband !
Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Vilma Moran says
Question; can I use carrot pulp from my cold pressed juicer ?
Hmm, we haven’t tried that, but it should work! Let us know if you give it a try.
Karesha Morant Johnson says
I made this , absolutely amazing. I had to bake an extra 15 minutes but my cake was super moist. I used some of the batter to make cupcakes. It was gone in 2 days ! Thank you
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
SO says
Can you use organic flour to make this recipe? I need a vegan recipe but they aren’t gluten sensitive.
Hi there, We haven’t tried it, but some other readers have. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words (such as “all purpose” or “regular flour”) in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
sophie says
so yum!!!!!
very easy to make, turned out amazing!!!
i used coconut yogurt instead of apple sauce
added 1tsp nutmeg, 1tsp ginger (so yum with a lil spice)
used almond meal instead of almond flour.
was the best gf cake i’d made in a while!!!
used the coocnut whipped cream recipe for the icing, walnuts to decorate!
a hit with all my house mates! thank you !
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sophie. We are so glad everyone enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Elena Levy says
Turned out great! Follower all MB Advice on timing and patience. Made a few changes: coconut sugar for all sugar, gf 1:1 flour instead of Almond flour and added canned crushed pineapple! It’s a flatter cake and made two which is the perfect amount for my family. So yummy, moist, not too sugary and carroty!! Yummy!
Maria says
This cake is a masterpiece. It is up there with beef bourguignon, handmade tortellini or something very exquisite that can only be made with love in your own home.
I had not attempted to veganize carrot cake on my own because my favorite recipe had 10 eggs…whaaa?
I made this as directed with the exception subbed brown sugar for cane, walnuts 1/2 cup, raisins 1/2 cup.
(2) 8 inch layer baked for 40 min.
This was the most exceptional cake I have baked for at least a decade. Even as a seasoned vegan/gluten free baker I tend to avoid recipies that have multiple flours because it seems tedious. Trust me- this is the exception and worth the effort. I tend to be a cook that uses recipies as a guide, but follow directions on this one. I noted the lack of vanilla- but trusted the process, the end result would have been overwhelmed with the addition.
So for the frosting- Vanilla! I used the listed vegan buttercream on the post. The stores were out of everything so I relied on Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks. Ok in a pinch, but better out there…these are salty.
ALL of my kids ate multiple servings. There was nothing left. That is a win.
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Maria! Thank you so much for the incredible review! xo!
Karla says
Anyone has any recommendations on what to use instead of maple syrup? Can I just use more sugar?
Hi Karla, that might work! Or you could try agave or honey (if not vegan). Let us know how it goes!
Meredith says
Girl, you are my hero. I’m making this for my own birthday cake (houseful of boys, I don’t trust any of them to make my cake) and I had zero applesauce. I almost started to fret until I saw that you, of course, have a recipe for applesauce. I think it’s going to be a very happy birthday. :)
Happy birthday! Enjoy! xo
Alexandrine Bernard says
Making a cake under lockdown for my bf but no apple sauce to be found anywhere. Any replacement or can it be done without?
Thank you
You could make homemade if you have apples: https://minimalistbaker.com/3-ingredient-applesauce-no-sugar-added/. Or sub another fruit puree such as banana, stone fruit, or sweet potato?
Meredith says
I made Dana’s applesauce (I also couldn’t find any in the store) and the cakes came out DELICIOUS!!!
https://minimalistbaker.com/3-ingredient-applesauce-no-sugar-added/
LOVELY! Thanks for sharing, Meredith!
Caity says
I LOVE THIS CAKE!
My friend Charley made this for my birthday, and my friends and I now request her to make it for every birthday. I finally made it myself, and ended up making another one less than a week later because my partner and I ate the whole thing.
I follow my friend’s alterations which are:
include walnuts (I do 1/2 cup)
add 3/4 cup sultanas
add 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Thank you Dana !!! Have never made one of your recipes that I didn’t love :)
Caity says
Just to add – I use 3 normal eggs instead of flax eggs also
Aw, thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Caity! We are so glad you enjoy it! xo
Camille says
Do you think this recipe would work if I used a cupcake pan instead? I want to make it as cupcakes, and I’m not sure if I would need to adjust anything? Thanks!
Hi Camille, Cupcakes should work- we would recommend using our carrot muffins recipe as a guide for baking. Let us know how it goes!
Mariela Lunshof says
This was easy to make and got a huge amount of compliments
Sofia says
I just made this for my birthday. It looked very beautiful but, unfortunately, tasted a bit bland. I’ve tried many vegan carrot cake recipes and was disappointed. It felt dense, not fluffy.
Interesting! This cake is definitely on the denser side, but it is still fluffy in our experience. As for flavor, did you make any modifications?
Lea says
I made this yesterday and used regular AP flour. It was one of the first vegan cakes I tried and wow, this recipe turned out so good! Thank you!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Lea!
Karin says
Hi,
So excited to try this. Can I substitute aquafaba for the flax meal?
Thanks!
Hi Karin, We would recommend a chia egg over aquafaba in this recipe. Let us know if you give it a try!
Taylor says
Cake is really tasty, I used 1 1/2 cups oat flour instead of the GF flour and it worked well. My only criticism is that it only made 1 8×8 cake pan plus a small individual pie round ( I had two 8×8’s out and probably could have fit the entire batter into one, but I wanted to bring one to work and have one for my partner and I, so that’s why I chose to put a bit into the small pie dish). I followed the recipe to a tee and I see no one else commenting about the batter size, so I don’t what went wrong.
Anyways, v tasty!
Great! Thanks for sharing! Sounds like if you wanted a larger cake that multiplying the by 1.5 would be about right!
Lorka says
I’m So excited to try this. Could I use crushed pineapple instead of apple sauce?
Thank you!
That might work! Let us know if you try it!