Moist Vegan Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Frosting

Carrot cake has long been a cozy, crowd-pleasing classic, but this moist vegan carrot cake with cashew cream frosting might just be the best version yet. It’s incredibly tender, loaded with shredded carrots, warm spices, and just the right touch of natural sweetness. What makes this cake a true standout isn’t just that it’s vegan—it’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, eggless, and topped with a silky-smooth cashew frosting that’s good enough to eat by the spoonful. Whether you’re looking for a vegan gluten free carrot cake for a special celebration or just craving a moist slice with your coffee, this one’s a must-bake.

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Moist Vegan Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Frosting

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10 Slices

Equipment

• Mixing bowls You’ll need at least two—one for dry and one for wet ingredients.
• Box grater or food processor For shredding the carrots. A box grater works great, but if you have a processor, use it for speed.
• Loaf pan or cake pan A standard 9x5-inch loaf pan is ideal if you’re going for a vegan carrot cake loaf recipe, but you can also use an 8-inch round cake pan.
• Blender or food processor For the cashew frosting. A high-speed blender gives the creamiest results.
• Rubber spatula Helps to fold in ingredients and scrape every last bit of frosting.
• Wire Rack For cooling the cake evenly without making the bottom soggy.

Ingredients

  

For the Cake

• 1 ½ cups finely grated carrots about 3 medium carrots
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana about 2 large bananas
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce or an extra banana
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup light brown sugar or coconut sugar
• ½ cup neutral oil like avocado or grapeseed
• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• ¾ cup oat flour
• ¼ cup arrowroot starch or cornstarch
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp allspice optional
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
• ½ cup raisins or chopped dates optional
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to activate baking soda

For the Cashew Cream Frosting

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews soaked in water for at least 4 hours or boiled for 15 minutes
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp coconut cream
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2 –4 tbsp water as needed for blending

Instructions

 

Prep Your Cashews

1. If you haven’t soaked your cashews yet, boil them in water for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Preheat and Prep

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your loaf or cake pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Mix the Wet Ingredients

1. In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, applesauce, maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Stir in the shredded carrots.

Combine Dry Ingredients

1. In another bowl, sift together the almond flour, oat flour, arrowroot starch, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and salt.

Mix the Batter

1. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Fold in nuts and dried fruit if using.

Bake

1. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Frosting

1. Add soaked cashews, maple syrup, coconut cream, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and a couple tablespoons of water into a high-speed blender. Blend until very smooth and creamy, adding water a little at a time to reach your desired consistency.

Frost the Cake

1. Once the cake is completely cool, spread the cashew cream frosting generously on top. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or shredded coconut for an extra flourish.

Pairings

This cake plays well with both bold and light accompaniments. For a comforting treat, pair a slice with a chai latte or spiced herbal tea—its cinnamon and nutmeg flavors will enhance the cake's warm notes. If you’re serving it for brunch or a celebratory occasion, go with a glass of sparkling cider or even a vanilla oat milk latte.

Looking to go lighter? Serve it with fresh fruit like sliced pears or berries on the side. It also makes an unexpectedly great dessert after savory vegan meals like lentil loaf, roasted veggie bowls, or spicy tofu stir-fries.

FAQs

1. What kind of flour works best for a gluten free carrot cake?

Almond flour and oat flour make an excellent combination for a gluten free carrot cake. They give a tender crumb while staying hearty. You can also sub in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but the texture may be slightly different.

2. Can I turn this recipe into carrot cake cupcakes?

Absolutely. Just divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. You’ll get about 12 carrot cake cupcakes with the same moist texture and sweet spice.

3. Can I make this an eggless carrot cake without using banana?

Yes! You can swap the banana for more applesauce or use a vegan yogurt. Keep in mind that banana adds sweetness and moisture, so your final texture may vary slightly.

4. Is this a paleo carrot cake?

It’s close! If you swap the oat flour for coconut flour or extra almond flour and omit the brown sugar, it aligns with paleo guidelines. Just make sure your maple syrup and other ingredients are compliant.

5. Can I make a raw carrot cake version?

While this recipe is baked, you can adapt it into a raw carrot cake by using dates, shredded carrots, nuts, and coconut blended into a dense base, then chilling it with a raw cashew frosting. Perfect for hot days or no-bake cravings!