The season of bounty in our community patch has finally reached its zenith, stirring up a whirlwind of inspiration and culinary fantasies featuring fresh, home-cultivated veggies. This succulent, zesty carrot confection crowned with vegan cream cheese frosting is one of my latest and most cherished inventions.
It’s truly a symphony of perfection. With a delightful texture, robust flavors, and a hint of spice that doesn’t overpower, it’s topped off with a cream cheese frosting that harmonizes with the cake flawlessly.
This recipe is a splendid bridge between the seasons, merging the crisp tastes of summer’s bounty with the comforting, warm spice blends of fall.
For this recipe, I opted for gluten-free flour, but you can easily substitute it with your regular white all-purpose flour. And, in the spirit of full disclosure, I confess that the carrots used in the cake featured in these photos were store-bought.
I simply couldn’t resist the temptation of our garden-fresh carrots and they didn’t quite make it home. The cake’s existence was even more fleeting. We congregated for a twilight feast in the park and the cake vanished in an instant.
Vegan Spiced Carrot Cake Gluten Free Recipe
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 45 mins | Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 1 cake
Ingredients
Carrot cake:
- 3 Tbsp ground flax seeds
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ⅔ cup margarine
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated carrots
- ⅔ cup apple sauce
Cream cheese icing:
- ¾ cup macadamia nuts (soaked)
- ½ cup plant-based cream (I used soy)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175˚C.
- For the cake, mix 3 Tbsp ground flax seeds and 6 Tbsp water in a glass or bowl and set it aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the white and light brown sugar and margarine.
- Then add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, the ground flax seeds mixture, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
- Grate carrots (the number of carrots varies depending on their size) and add 2 cups of grated carrots and ⅔ cup apple sauce to the cake batter. Mix again and pour/scrape the batter into a greased cake pan.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- For the cream cheese icing, soak the macadamia nuts overnight or boil them for 10 minutes.
- Add the nuts, cream, vanilla extract, lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth and creamy.
- Let the cake cool completely, then add the icing. Enjoy!
Indulge in the delightful flavors of this Vegan Spiced Carrot Cake. The combination of aromatic spices, moist grated carrots, and the creamy richness of the plant-based cream cheese icing creates a truly decadent treat.
This gluten-free cake is not only delicious but also a perfect choice for those with dietary restrictions. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply craving a sweet indulgence, this carrot cake is sure to impress.
Serve it with a cup of hot tea or your favorite plant-based milk for a delightful experience.
Try Our Favorite Vegan Snacks To Keep You Fueled This Week!
Next time, why not try out my Vegan German Apple Crumble Pie?