Description
Homemade Vegan Carrot Cake delivers classic comfort with plant-based ingredients and wholesome spices. Delightful layers promise sweet satisfaction for wellness-minded dessert enthusiasts and health-conscious bakers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (300 g) carrots (grated)
- ½ cup (120 ml) raw macadamia nuts (soaked, drained and rinsed)
- ½ cup (120 ml) raw cashews (soaked, drained and rinsed)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) almond milk
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) coconut oil
- 2 tsps (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), creating an ideal baking environment for the vegan carrot cake.
- Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a mixing bowl, ensuring an even distribution of dry components.
- Wet Mixture: Whisk applesauce, almond milk, vanilla extract, sugar, and vegetable oil in a separate bowl until the ingredients form a cohesive liquid base.
- Batter Formation: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring with deliberate strokes to maintain a smooth, lump-free batter consistency.
- Carrot Integration: Fold freshly grated carrots into the batter, ensuring an even dispersion of vegetable texture throughout the cake mixture.
- Baking Process: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly, and bake for 35-40 minutes. Verify doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should come out clean.
- Cooling Stage: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack, allowing for proper air circulation and optimal texture development.
- Frosting Preparation: Blend vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a food processor until achieving a silky, smooth consistency.
- Frosting Refinement: Chill the frosting for 25-30 minutes to enhance spreadability and structural integrity.
- Final Assembly: Once the cake has cooled, generously spread the chilled frosting across the top, creating a decadent vegan dessert ready to be served and savored.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir batter gently to maintain a tender, light cake texture and avoid developing tough gluten strands.
- Check Cake Doneness: Use the toothpick test to ensure the cake is fully baked, inserting it into the center and looking for a clean release without wet batter.
- Cooling Technique: Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack to prevent condensation and maintain the perfect texture before frosting.
- Frosting Consistency: Refrigerate frosting briefly to achieve the ideal spreadable texture that’s not too soft or too firm.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 192
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg