This vegan carrot cake made with aquafaba is hands down my best cake recipe. It's moist and fragrant with spices, and is ridiculously easy to make, coming together in just one bowl. It's the kind of cake that is super adaptable too, make it in layers, use it as the base for a wedding cake (I did), or make as a single tray bake cake. Best of all, it's dairy and egg free.
Everyone loves a good, moist & spicy carrot cake. The sort with a dense yet somehow fluffy crumb that works just as well on its own or can be jazzed up with vegan cream cheese frosting.
This egg-free carrot cake made with aquafaba has become my template for other cakes that I like to sneak vegetables into as well. You absolutely need to try this Lemon and Zucchini Sheet Cake: perfect for making when you get a glut of courgettes/zucchini.
And if you want something very unusual looking (but very delicious) my Cardamom & Spinach Cake is spectacular, but easy to make, just like this carrot cake is.
Jump to:
🥕Ingredients
- Aquafaba I was recently intrigued by a fairly recent discovery in the vegan world that Aquafaba (a fancy word for the water that you drain off a tin of chickpeas) is a very good egg replacer. It turns out that the nifty chickpea leaches out proteins that are similar to egg white into the water it's cooked in. This gives the chickpea cooking water a slightly viscous texture, that has really similar properties to egg whites. It can be whipped into meringues, added as an egg replacer in cakes and used to make Vegan Mayo. There's a whole rabbit hole of wonders to discover with this completely natural wonder ingredient that I had previously just rinsed down the sink!
- Carrots: freshly grated carrots. I like a coarser grate, but you can grate them finely.
- Soft Brown Sugar: I like how soft brown sugar creates a caramelised effect. You can substitute white sugar. *NB: In most countries sugar is vegan, HOWEVER in the USA it might be refined with bone char. Check your sources if you live in the USA.
- Plain/AP Flour: You can also use wholemeal or spelt flour.
- Neutral Oil: I prefer to use sunflower oil in cakes, but you can use a light olive oil, groundnut oil, melted coconut oil or rapeseed oil if you prefer. Using oil keeps this cake dairy free, but also ensures that it has a light, fluffy and moist crumb.
- Optional Nuts or Pumpkin seeds: Choose walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds for a subtle nutty crunch.
- Baking Powder: this raises the cake and helps make it fluffy. Be sure to use baking POWDER and not baking soda. (
- Spices: Cinnamon, All Spice and Ground Ginger are my go-tos. But you could use mixed spice or even pumpkin pie spice mix.
👩🍳Instructions
- Grate the carrots. Weigh out or measure in a cup the amount once grated (should be about 2 medium carrots)
2. Drain the chickpeas and reserve the liquid (aquafaba). Use the chickpeas for another recipe. This recipe needs the liquid from one standard 400g/15oz tin/can of chickpeas.
3. Whisk together the oil, aquafaba (chickpea water) sugar and spices until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and glossy.
4. Gently fold in the flour and baking powder and stir to ensure there are no lumps.
5. Add in the carrots and stir. Add the nuts or seeds now if using.
6. Pour the carrot cake batter into a greased and lined tin and bake. (see the section below for baking times according to the baking tin type you are using)
HINT: Use the chickpeas to make a yummy Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing & Roasted Chickpeas or to make some hummus.
⌛Baking Times
This carrot cake can be made in various size baking tins: Each needs a slightly different baking time and may vary according to your oven. Test with a skewer or piece of spaghetti. If it comes out nearly clean, it's ready.
- Single layer 23cm/ 9" tin: 35-40 minutes
- Double Layer: 2 x 20cm/8 inch tins: 25-30 minutes Be sure to divide the cake batter evenly between them (I like to use my scales).. Switch the cakes around on the shelf halfway through baking so they bake evenly.
- Single Layer Sheet Cake: 32cm x 22cm / 13 x 8 inch: 25-30 minutes
- Cupcakes/Muffins: 12 tin muffin tin: 20-25 minutes
For all the cakes: Remove from the oven when still ever so slightly damp in the middle and leave to cool in the tin. Once completely cooled you can choose to frost the cake, or just eat as it is.
🍋Substitutions and Variations
This delicious carrot cake is already dairy free and egg free! To make it even more friendly for allergies or sensitivities, you can substitute the following:
- Sugars: You can use other types of sugars if you wish. Coconut Sugar, Plain white sugar both work.
- Gluten Free: Your favourite gluten-free flour can be used in place of plain flour.
- Other Flours: Wholewheat flour or spelt flour will give this cake a bit more heft but can be used. Keep an eye on the baking times, it might need a little longer.
- Leave out the nuts and seeds if you wish. They provide texture but are not totally necessary.
- Frosted: I have made this recipe to be unfrosted, as it is delicious as it is, but I do suggest trying it with my favourite Dairy Free Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting to really top it off.
🥣Equipment
A mixing bowl and a suitable baking tin are key to this recipe. You'll also need to grate the carrots.
🥫Storage
This egg free carrot cake recipe keeps for up to 6 days in an airtight container. You can freeze the unfrosted cake.
❓FAQ
This vegan carrot cake recipe is made with grated carrots, aquafaba (chickpea water which replaces eggs), flour, baking powder, light brown sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice and a neutral oil. You can also choose to add nuts or use gluten-free flour.
This vegan carrot cake recipe is slightly healthier than regular cake as it contains carrots and nuts. We still consider this recipe a treat, however.
It depends on the recipe. If you choose a recipe (like this one is) without eggs or dairy, then yes vegans can eat carrot cake.
Love Baking?
Why not take a look at some of these other vegan baking recipes?
Want to try other recipes with Aquafaba?
I use aquafaba in many of my baking recipes, take a look at these:
📖 Recipe
Best Vegan Carrot Cake with Aquafaba: Egg Free
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
For the cake
- 150 ml (⅗ cups) sunflower oil ((or other neutral oil such as light olive oil))
- 220 ml (15 tablespoon) Aquafaba (Roughly equivelant to the water in 1 x 400g/16oz can of chickpeas.)
- 225 g (1 cups) light brown sugar
- 200 g (2 ½ cups) carrots (, coarsly grated)
- 300 g (2 ½ cups) plain flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 75 g (½ cups) pumpkin seeds (, roughly chopped (optional. Or use walnuts or pecans))
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/fan 160℃C/gas 4/ 356℉
- Grease one 23cm round sandwich tin and line the base of the cake tin with baking parchment. (or choose from the other options in the notes and adjust baking times)
- Whisk the oil, aquafaba, spices and sugar until the mixture is well combined, lighter, and noticeably thickened.150 ml sunflower oil, 220 ml Aquafaba, 225 g light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon all spice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- Stir in the flour, baking powder and gently stir until there are no lumps and you have a smooth batter.300 g plain flour, 3 teaspoon baking powder
- Gently fold the carrot into the cake batter, and add the nuts or pumpkin seeds if using.200 g carrots, 75 g pumpkin seeds
- Spread the cake batter out into the prepared tin.
- Pop in the oven and bake for 35-40 mins. (OR check the baking times in the notes if using a different tin and adjust)
- Test with a skewer to see if it is cooked through. If it comes out nearly clean, it's ready to take out of the oven. If it comes out a little gooey, leave the cake in for another 5 min.
- Cool the cake in it's tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a cake rack.
- Let it cool completely before frosting or icing the cake.
Notes
- Single layer 23cm/ 9" tin: 35-40 minutes
- Double Layer: 2 x 20cm/8 inch tins: 25-30 minutes Be sure to divide the cake batter evenly between them (I like to use my scales).. Switch the cakes around on the shelf half way through baking so they bake evenly.
- Single Layer Sheet Cake: 32cm x 22cm / 13 x 8 inch: 25 - 30 minutes
- Cupcakes/Muffins: 12 tin muffin tin: 20-25 minutes
Nutrition
Tina says
Before I try this, are you sure you mean 15 tablespoons of aqua faba? That's a heck of a lot!
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Yes, that's correct. It's essentially the equivalent to the juice of one tin of chickpeas. I make this recipe often (and have used it to base some others from) and this binds perfectly while being the right level of fluffy and moist.
Kiki says
Excellent recipe.
The cake was moist and delicious
.
FYI 15 tablespoons of aquafaba is roughly 1 cup.I doubled the recipe, except the sugar, added 1 cup of raisins in addition to the walnuts, and made a two layer frosted cake.
I will definitely make this again and again.
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Oh I'm so glad you liked it. And thanks for the tip about the aquafaba.. I'll put that into the notes/amend the recipe.
Love the idea of extra raisins in it too!
Massive Carol says
I've never felt strongly enough about a recipe to rate. Best cake I've ever eaten. Easy to make. I used white castor no problem and did not chop the pumpkin seeds
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I'm so happy you like this recipe! (and that this is your first ever rating!!) Thank you SO much for stopping by to let us know. It's made us SO happy!
Heather says
Really nice recipe to introduce egg-free bf to carrot cake, did take longer to bake for me - around 50 minutes or so
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I'm so pleased you like the cake. And I'll pop in the notes that it might take longer for some people for the cake to bake! It can really depend on how juicy the carrots were!
Stefanie says
Really happy that I found this recipe! I made carrot cake cupcakes for a vegan high tea party. Used spelled flour to make it gluten free and it was delicious!
Thanks for sharing this recipe, very happy!
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I'm so glad you like this recipe! Carrot Cake Cupcakes sound delicious!
Julia Fleming says
I am no expert I rarely bake cakes.
This cake has turned out amazing, so moist and yummy !
I used coconut oil, I had no Allspice I used bananas additionally as didn't have enough carrots, used Italian Wheat flour and a small dash of vanilla essence, I used cashews as the optional nuts.
Result : Very Pleasing !!
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I'm so happy you liked this cake! It's one of our faves too.
Katka says
Thank you very much for the recipe! My first cake with aquafaba and it turned out as huge success! Thank you!
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I'm so glad you liked the recipe and the cake! It's one of our favourites too.
Emily says
I halved the recipe and made it into 6 muffins - amazing! I used 1.5 x the pumpkin seeds by accident and added some sultanas. They were great as a breakfast muffin and stayed moist for several days.
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Oh, what a yummy idea! Love a breakfast muffin!
Angie says
Made this last week with a couple of tweeks (changed spices & added walnuts and sultanas instead of sunflower seeds then frosted with a Tofutti better than cream cheese mixture). It was delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipe. This was the first time I'd made carrot cake (my favourite!) since becoming vegan 5 years ago.
louise says
Hi Angie! That sounds delicious..The Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese frosting sounds delish (sadly unavailable in the UK I think..). Carrot cake is my fave- I'm so pleased you liked the recipe x
Grace says
Can I use xylitol in this recipe in place of muscovado sugar?
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I haven't tried it with xylitol. I would think it would work, however the muscovado sugar gives an extra depth of flavour so you might want to add some extra cinnamon or spice to compensate.
Jamie says
This turned out pretty well for me with a very good texture (although slightly grainy but I suspect that is due to the gluten free flour I used). Here’s what I found:
• I had to cook it for more like 55 minutes (I lost count) but there is a chance I used a bit too much aquafaba
• I’ll probably put a little less sugar in next time
• People who don’t like a lot of ginger might want to halve the amount. Some mixed spice might be nice as a substitute.
Nico Rossetti le Strange says
Wow, what a very small world this is, Louise; you don't actually know me but I've been friends with The Gardener for years. And yes, I realise that makes me sound like a stalker!
I saw this recipe on one of the vegan groups on Pinterest, clicked through for the lowdown, saw your profile pic, and thought, "Wow, that really looks like T's kitchen"!! And then saw your name!
I've just signed up for your mailing list. 🙂
louise says
Oh Wow! The Gardener has told me about you.. I must check out your recipes too. It is such a small world! (also- I'm beyond pleased that my pinterest boards are doing the rounds! All that hard work!) x
louise says
OH! Maybe, I put extra in because the Mary Berry recipe called for self raising flour which I didn't have to hand and it was such a damp mix that I thought extra leavener might be needed. I'll try with a little less next time.. I'm a bit new to baking so that's a great tip.. x
shaheen says
Aquafaba is an amazing thing, I've made vegan macarons with it a while back and am still experimenting with other recipes. I love carrot cake, so I know i want a BIG slice of this.
louise says
Let me know if you make it! I'm definitely bitten with the baking bug now I have aquafaba to experiment with!