Hands down the best carrot cake ever!
Many people have told me this — including plenty who aren’t even vegan. This recipe consistently gets rave reviews, and it’s easy to see why.
One recent message said:
“Thanks to your fabulous carrot cake recipe, I tested 6 and yours was the best ❤”
Whether you’re vegan or not, this is the best carrot cake recipe you’ll find
Try it for yourself — it’s simple to mix by hand and requires no electric mixer. The batter comes together quickly and bakes into moist, tender layers.
So delicious it often needs no icing
Sometimes I bake this batter in a large loaf pan and enjoy it as a simple quick bread. It holds up beautifully and tastes fantastic on its own.
This website may contain links as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, which means when you click a link and make a purchase through my website I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you
Notes for Success:
These measurements make two thick 7″ cake layers, my preferred size for layer cakes. The same batter will also fill a 6-cup bundt pan or make about 24 cupcakes. If you choose cupcakes, note they will bake flat-topped rather than domed.
The original cream cheese icing can be fragile when using vegan cream cheese; mixing by hand is gentler than electric beaters. I’ve updated some of my recipes with a sturdier cream cheese icing option, but the original is included below if you prefer it.
This cake is shelf-stable without refrigeration when served plain, since the main cake recipe contains no vegan cream cheese.
WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
The Best Vegan Carrot Cake Ever
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Vegetable Oil (177ml)
- 2¼ cups All Purpose Flour (280g)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder (4g)
- 1½ teaspoons Baking Soda (4g)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ cup Brown Sugar (105g)
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (50g)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (5ml)
- 2 cups Shredded Carrots (250g)
- 2 teaspoons Orange Zest
- 2 Tbsp Orange Juice
- ¾ cup Crushed Pineapple, drained
- ½ cup Unsweetened Coconut (toast lightly)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 7″ cake pans (or prepare one 8″x8″ pan).
- Lightly toast the coconut on a sheet pan for 5–10 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
- In a large bowl, combine both sugars with the salt, oil, vanilla extract, orange juice, and zest.
- Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon) into the bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Fold in the shredded carrots, drained pineapple, and toasted coconut until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for approximately 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes completely before spreading the cream cheese icing. Assemble as desired.
Notes
Be sure to read the Notes for Success above the recipe.
Storage: Store at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days.
Let us know how it was!
The Original Cream Cheese Icing (optional)
Original Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
- Vegan Cream Cheese — 2 tubs (2 cups / 454g)
- Vegan Butter — 1 stick (½ cup / 112g), softened
- Confectioners’ Sugar — 2 cups (240g), sifted
- Vanilla Extract — 1 teaspoon
- Optional: 1 cup Vegan Buttercream (if you want a firmer icing)
Instructions
- Smooth the vegan cream cheese and softened vegan butter by hand using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and mix evenly until combined.
- Stir in vanilla extract and, if desired, fold in up to 1 cup of vegan buttercream to firm the texture.
- Mix by hand until smooth and spreadable. Chill briefly if the icing needs to firm up before assembling the cake.
Let us know how it was!