Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
This vegan and gluten-free carrot cake is simple to make in one bowl, offering an incredibly moist, fluffy, and flavorful treat. It's packed with fresh carrot, lightly sweetened with maple syrup and sugars, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon. This cake is so delicious, most people won't even realize it's diet-friendly! Perfect for any celebration, it can be served as is or topped with your favorite vegan frosting. Options for nut-free, oil-free, and refined-sugar-free variations are available in the notes.
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Grease and flour two 8-inch, one 9x13-inch, or three 6-inch round pans with [coconut oil spray (id:fc20097c-5cec-43c7-8c90-d2b9d222de7e)] and dust with [gluten free flour (id:58f64093-ae94-4107-a617-ae2962aaaaab)]. Shake out excess. Set aside.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, prepare flax eggs by mixing flaxseed meal (id:830ce632-fe5f-4c39-8d59-10c078dbe8ca) (3 tbsp) and water (id:a891e176-e227-4c8d-9a42-a71d1c86b976) (7.5 tbsp) and let rest for 5 minutes. To the flax eggs, add melted coconut oil (id:414358c5-adb4-4a93-bb32-15630985f891) (0.33 cup) and maple syrup (id:01543423-cbb9-4376-abb6-12b1126dd8de) (0.25 cup) and whisk to combine. Next, add unsweetened applesauce (id:5997b191-fd9f-4248-9916-827e6fa83520) (1 cup), organic brown sugar (id:0aba778f-6dad-486b-b6e9-7ce00d193dc5) (0.5 cup), cane sugar (id:e945799c-c209-402a-a4f8-a8fdc5ab9548) (0.25 cup), sea salt (id:c295a19a-38c7-41da-b216-70b149d4b5ee) (0.75 tsp), baking soda (id:2f58282c-c118-49b2-ab1e-0e9411aaaaa3) (1.5 tsp), baking powder (id:2f75a025-6655-4fd1-8975-bfeeb3c9faae) (1.5 tsp), and ground cinnamon (id:a2ec326b-a9bc-4f52-8a8a-4c7164ad2e08) (1 tsp) and whisk to combine.
- 3
Add plain unsweetened almond milk (id:3de41790-d96e-455f-9e81-b9030e964c20) (0.75 cup) and stir. Add loosely packed grated carrot (id:e2a3acd1-d8db-4beb-972b-85f1c72e0715) (1.5 cups) and stir. Then add almond flour (id:f70125cf-dec8-4fcc-a905-08406c6d10d0) (1.5 cups) and gluten free flour (id:58f64093-ae94-4107-a617-ae2962aaaaab) (1.5 cups) and stir. The batter should be thick but pourable. If too thick, add remaining plain unsweetened almond milk (id:3de41790-d96e-455f-9e81-b9030e964c20) (0.25 cup). If adding chopped raw walnuts (id:56cfb5e0-fe56-4bba-b461-1d3188d4d625) (0.75 cup), add at this time and stir.
- 4
Divide evenly among cake pan(s). Bake for 40-50 minutes or until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. When you press on the top, it shouldn’t feel too spongy, so don’t be afraid of over-baking! The [gluten free flour (id:58f64093-ae94-4107-a617-ae2962aaaaab)] blend just takes a little longer to bake. Also, note that the size of pan you use will vary baking time.
- 5
Remove from oven and let rest in the pans for 15 minutes. Then carefully run a [knife (to_garnish)] along the edges and gently invert onto cooling racks to let cool completely.
- 6
NOTE: This cake needs to cool completely. It benefits from plenty of airflow, and the flavors develop as the cooling process goes on. If short on time, you can speed the cooling by placing the cakes in the refrigerator or freezer until very cool to the touch.
- 7
Once cooled, you can serve as is or frost! For frosting, you have several options! See options above.
- 8
Store leftovers at room temperature, covered, for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or covered well in the freezer for several weeks. However, it’s best when eaten fresh.
- 9
Do note that, if using [vegan cream cheese (id:5f793a68-f323-4b0a-9746-3ffb396f7b7a)] or [coconut yogurt (id:cd1e64ed-d26e-4f5b-bad3-bb1b401372ea)] in the frosting, the cake should be stored in the refrigerator. From the refrigerator, let set out for 10-15 minutes before serving so it warms a bit and becomes more tender. Let thaw completely from the freezer.
Nutrition Facts
Per portion