Homemade plant-based carrot cake topped with a creamy cashew icing. This cake is super easy to make. It’s moist, full of carrots and isn’t overly sweet. Made with whole wheat flour and contains no oil or refined sugar! WFPB suitable.
Carrot cake is the perfect spring dessert and this plant-based recipe is no exception. It’s moist, delectable and perfectly spiced with ceylon cinnamon and nutmeg. (Read more about what kind of cinnamon to is healthiest use here.) The cashew cream icing is a play on traditional cream cheese icing, but made with no dairy and only 3 ingredients! It’s healthy and simple, much like the carrot cake itself.
This cake recipe is made using whole wheat flour, which is incredibly nutrient dense and far less processed than all-purpose flour. It also is made with no oil and no refined sugar, making it a delicious and really healthy guilt-free dessert. A must-make plant-based recipe for Easter dessert.
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Notes for Making Carrot Cake
• This recipe uses all whole wheat flour, therefore, the texture of this cake will be different than cake that has been made with only all-purpose flour. Baking with whole wheat flour and no oil typically results in a denser end product. This also means that the cake may turn out smaller than a traditional recipe. However, using only whole wheat flour gives the cake greater nutritional value as well as being a less processed and overall healthier alternative to all-purpose flour.
• It is important that you do not over-stir the batter. Doing so will cause the cake to become dense and sink. This is because it breaks up the bubbles in the batter that work to make the cake light and fluffy.
• The cashew cream icing is not very firm and is more liquidy. Therefore, it may be harder to ice the cake if it is too runny. If this is the case, add more cashews and blend. Allow it to cool in the fridge before putting it on the cake as this will help it thicken. This is the same icing I use on this pumpkin loaf cake.
If you try this plant-based carrot cake recipe, or any other recipes, make sure to to use #pureandplantbased and tag us @pureandplantbased on Instagram or Facebook!
Plant-Based Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 240 grams whole wheat flour (2 cups)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbs cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 medium, ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple sauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbs peanut butter
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 2 1/2 cups shredded carrot
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Cashew Cream Icing
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 4 oz dates
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover a cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
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In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
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Using a stand or handheld mixer, add the ripe bananas to the bowl. Mix on medium until the bananas are smooth.
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In the mixing bowl add apple juice, apple sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, almond extract and peanut butter. Mix on low until everything is well combined.
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Taking your dry ingredients, slowly add them to your wet mixture. It is best to hand stir these together as it is important not to over stir the cake batter.
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Fold in carrots.
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Transfer the batter to the cake pan. I used two 6 inch cake pans. A loaf pan will work as well.
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Bake for around 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Make sure to check on the cake in order to prevent over-baking it as this will cause the cake to sink.
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Allow cake to cool completely before icing it.
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Add a layer of icing to the top of one of the cakes, then stack the other on top.
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Pour icing on top of cake and smooth out using a cake spatula.
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Add chopped pecans to the top.
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Serve!
Cashew Cream Icing
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Add all ingredients to a Vitamix or high power blender. Add just enough water to barely cover ingredients, you don't want too much liquid. Roughly 3/4 cup depending on your blender. It is always best to add not enough than too much. Let soak until cake is finished cooking.
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Once the cake is finished baking, blend on high until smooth and creamy scraping the sides as you go.
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Let chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
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This sound wonderful. Do you think it would work without the peanut butter. Maybe substitute applesauce?
Hi Marion!
You could definitely try apple sauce as a substitute, it may just change the texture a bit. Hope you enjoy!
– Alexis
This recipe is a keeper. Moist, flavorful and great texture. So amazed with no refined sugar or oils. The only change I made was to add drained crushed pineapple from a carrot cake recipe found years ago in Cooking Light. Oh and more cinnamon. Thank you so much.
Hi Carey!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Adding crushed pineapple sounds amazing, definitely going to try that out myself!
– Alexis
Would oat flour work? And also is there anything I can sub for the apple juice? Can’t wait to male this
Hi Aliya!
I’ve never tried this recipe with oat flour, but I think it would work as a substitute. It may result in a slightly different texture, but should be just as delicious! You can sub the apple juice with any plant-based milk. It’s just works to make the cake a bit sweeter. Hope you enjoy!
– Alexis
Thanks:)
I was looking at pudding options for a wfpb diet. I came across this and thought it was worth a bash. I used a date paste instead of maple syrup, added some cloves and raisins.
It turned out so much better than I expected. It was delicious The sponge was moist and dense like carrot cake usually is. The cake had a soft crumb.
I will definitely make again.
Thank you!
Hi Taryn!
I am so glad to hear you liked the recipe! Definitely going to try adding raisins next time, sounds delicious!
– Alexis