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Three Layer Carrot Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting, close up of the inside of the cake, with flowers on the bottom left side.
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Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Cake

Meet your new favorite cake in town: Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Cake! This easy vegan cake is made in 1 bowl, with just 15 minutes to mix up the batter. It's topped with a delicious refined sugar-free & vegan cream cheese frosting!
Course Cakes
Cuisine American
Keyword almond flour, carrot cake, carrots, easy cake, gluten free, oat flour, one bowl, refined sugar-free, vegan cake
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings 12 slices
Author Bakerita | Rachel Conners

Ingredients

For the cake

For the frosting

Instructions

For the cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line your cake pans with parchment paper if necessary and grease well with coconut oil or avocado oil.
  • In a measuring cup, mix together the dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
    1 cup (8 oz) unsweetened almond milk, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, coconut sugar, almond milk mixture, nut butter, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
    ½ cup (122g) unsweetened applesauce, ⅔ cup coconut sugar, ⅓ cup (85g) creamy almond butter, ⅓ cup (67g) refined coconut oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Add oat flour, almond flour, flax meal, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until combined. Fold in the shredded carrots and nuts.
    1½ cup (144g) gluten-free oat flour, 1½ cup (144g) blanched almond flour, 3 tablespoons flax meal, 1¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon sea salt, 1 cup shredded carrots, ⅔ cup chopped pecans
  • Divide between two 8" cake pans, or three 6" cake pans (see Notes for other options). Bake for 18 to 22 minutes for the 6" pans, or between 24-28 minutes for the 8" pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. The cakes should spring back when pressed lightly with a fingertip. They will be pretty flat.
  • Once done, let cool completely on a wire rack before assembling and frosting (directions below).
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for one day, or store the cake in the refrigerator for up to a week.

For the frosting

  • In a high-powered blender, combine the soaked and rinsed cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. 
    2 cups raw cashews, ½ cup full-fat coconut milk, ⅓ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Blend for 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary, until completely smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust sweetness levels to taste, if desired. 
  • Refrigerate until the frosting is firm, about 2 hours, and then whip until fluffy with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer.

To assemble

  • Reserve about 1½ cups frosting for the top & sides of the cake.
  • Place one cooled cake layer on a cake stand (or whatever you’d like to serve it on). Top with half of the remaining frosting.
  • Top with the other (or second layer) of cake. Add the rest of the frosting. If you have three layers, place the third on top and top with the reserved frosting, covering the top and sides of the cake. Garnish as desired. 
  • Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • For a Bundt cake, bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed.
  • For a 9×13 inch cake, bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed.
  • To make cupcakes, fill each liner up ⅔ full and bake for about 17 to 20 minutes.
  • If you don't need this cake to be gluten-free, replace the oat flour and almond flour with 3 cups of all-purpose flour.
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