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Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

★★★★★ 4.8 from 20 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 9 pieces 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: american

Description

Vegan gluten-free carrot cake with tangy cashew yogurt frosting on top for the perfect creamy complement to this healthier cake. Simple and SO yummy!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (250g) unsweetened applesauce*
  • 2/3 cup (110g) coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120g) nondairy milk**
  • 1/3 cup (50g) tapioca starch***
  • 2 1/2 cup (300g) oat flour****
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cup (180g) grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts ((or pecans))

Cashew Yogurt Frosting

  • 1 cup (120g) raw cashews (soaked overnight)
  • 1/3 cup (75g) nondairy yogurt
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. To a mixing bowl, add the applesauce, coconut sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and milk. Whisk to combine.
  3. Add the tapioca starch, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Stir to combine.
  4. Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts.
  5. Transfer to a baking pan (I used a 9×9″ square pan, but round is fine too) that has been lightly sprayed with oil or lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake for approximately 30 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
  8. Drain the cashews. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth and very creamy. If it gets stuck at a higher speed, reduce the speed to low and let it blend for a while (30-60 seconds).
  9. Spread onto the cooled cake and ideally refrigerate until the frosting is set (at least 2 hours). Or you can eat it immediately, but the frosting will be quite soft.
  10. Slice and enjoy! Keep leftovers in the refrigerator.

Notes

*You can substitute with non-dairy yogurt or pumpkin puree, but the applesauce adds extra natural sweetness so I recommend it. **I used light canned coconut milk. You can use almond milk or other types of nondairy milk from a carton, but the cake won’t be as moist. ***You can substitute with arrowroot or corn starch. ****For a grain-free option, try this recipe instead.

Keywords: baking, cake, dessert, gluten-free, oat flour, vegan

Find it online: https://feastingonfruit.com/vegan-gluten-free-carrot-cake/