Delicious Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe

Introduction

This vegan carrot cake recipe, made with almond flour and plentiful in carrots, raisins, and walnuts, makes a cake of wonderful texture. Vegan butter and cream cheese, together with rice flour, create a creamy and zesty topping. It’s really important to refrigerate this topping so it firms up and it’s easy to spread.

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups superfine almond flour
• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup flaxseed meal
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups grated carrot
• ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ cup packed golden raisins
• ¼ cup toasted chopped pecans, plus more for garnish (see Tip)

Frosting

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 5 tablespoons white rice flour
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegan butter, softened (see Tip)
• ½ cup vegan cream cheese, softened (see Tip)
• ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Direction:

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by coating it with cooking spray and lay parchment paper at the bottom of the pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until all the ingredients are well mixed and no clumps of sugar are present. Now add 1 cup of almond milk, apple puree, flaxseed meal, orange peel, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix well. Then add carrots, coconut, raisins, and walnuts, and mix.

Split the batters equally into the prepared pan and level them with a small offset spatula. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean when inserted into the center and the sides of the cake are slightly removed from the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes; then turn it out of the pan and onto a wire rack, right side up, then flip to cool completely, place the bottom side of the parchment paper, let cool for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

FROSTING:

While the cake is cooling, combine in a small saucepan the almond milk, rice flour, and salt; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens like a paste, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a small wide bowl; let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Place butter in a large bowl; beat lightly until smooth with hand mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bowl. Now, with the addition of cream cheese; beat light and smooth for 30 seconds to 1 minute on medium speed. Then add confectioners sugar and vanilla; beat on medium high for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl. Cooled now Add the rice flour mixture; mix well on medium high for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover the frosting and place in the fridge to chill, 1 to 1.5 hours or up to 12 hours.

To assemble a cake:

Place a cake layer on a serving plate, remove parchment paper; Spread 1 cup of frosting over it, spreading to the edges with the help of an offset spatula. Then, drop the remaining cake layer on top; remove the parchment paper. Lastly, spread the remaining frosting to the top and sides and swirl. Garnish with walnuts, if desired.

In an airtight container, refrigerate frosting for up to 12 hours. Refrigerate the assembled cake for up to 1 hour.

Equipment:

two 9-inch round cake pans; Parchment Paper

Tips:

For best flavor, toast the nuts first. For toasted nuts, cook in small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.

For best results, bring the butter and cream cheese to room temperature before mixing.

FAQs