What is carrot cake icing made of?

With only four ingredients — butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar — the best cream cheese frosting recipe is one that gets the proportions just right. This recipe keeps things pleasantly tangy by using one part butter to two parts cream cheese, which helps balance the sweetness.

Why not use butter in carrot cake?

Carrot cake is oil-based, rather than butter-based. This keeps it moist and helps it last for days. Unfortunately, it also means you lose the leavening power that creaming butter and sugar would bring . (Creaming, or beating together the two ingredients on high speed, aerates the butter.)

How long does carrot cake last without frosting?

Room Temperature: Carrot cake, without any cream cheese frosting, can last at room temperature for about 2 to 3 days .

Why is my carrot cake too moist?

Why is my carrot cake too moist? Keep the extra nuts and, god forbid, coconut out of things, and definitely don't add pineapple —it'll make the batter too moist. Carrot cake is oil-based, rather than butter-based.

What can I use instead of cream cheese for icing?

Cream Cheese Substitutes: Sour Cream. Sour cream replicates cream cheese's taste but isn't quite as caloric, making it a good choice for a lower-calorie substitute. ... Greek Yogurt. ... Neufchâtel. ... Mascarpone. ... Silken Tofu. ... Cottage Cheese. ... Hummus. ... Quark. More items... Oct 18, 2023

What brand of cream cheese is best for frosting?

As far as brand, like I mentioned before, only use Philadelphia full fat cream cheese when possible. Other brands of cream cheese don't have that perfect balance of gums in the ingredients, so they won't allow the frosting to thicken and hold its shape like Philadelphia does.

Is vegetable oil better than butter for carrot cake?

Vegetable oil: Instead of butter, oil makes for a more moist cake . You can split the amount with butter for texture, but the cake may be a bit drier. Grated carrot: It's not carrot cake without fresh carrots. Use your box grater or the grating attachment on your food processor to break down the carrots.

Why does my carrot cake not taste like carrot?

The key to getting an intense carrot flavor in my cake is using two types of carrots: a caramelized carrot puree and finely shredded carrots . Roasted and pureed carrots make this cake intensely carrot flavored. Carrots are a natural source of sugar, and roasting them at a high temperature caramelizes the sugars within.

What is a substitute for butter in carrots?

There are plenty of ways to vary glazed carrots. If you want them to be low in saturated fat, substitute vegetable oil for the butter and add only a small amount. Instead of white sugar, use brown sugar or honey.

What is cream cheese frosting made of?

Cream cheese : Of course, you'll need cream cheese! Butter: You'll also need a stick of softened butter. Vanilla: Vanilla extract enhances the flavor. Confectioners' sugar: Confectioners' sugar easily dissolves into the cream cheese frosting.

What is cake icing made of?

Icing is a pastry topping made with confectioners' sugar (or powdered sugar) mixed with a liquid, such as milk or cream, lemon juice, or liqueur . Food coloring is added to make colorful, decorative icing, which can be used to decorate frosted cakes.

What is frosting made out of?

Icing, or frosting, is a sweet, often creamy glaze made of sugar with a liquid, such as water or milk, that is often enriched with ingredients like butter, egg whites, cream cheese, or flavorings .

Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - With The BEST Vegan Frosting! (2024)

This homemade vegan carrot cake recipe is soft, moist, and irresistibly delicious, with thick vegan cream cheese frosting in each and every unbelievable bite!

Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - With The BEST Vegan Frosting! (1)

The best vegan carrot cake

One Bowl

Dairy Free

Egg Free

Oil Free Option

If you’re looking for a truly show stopping vegan Easter dessert that’s easy to make and guaranteed to wow both vegans and omnivores, this is absolutely the recipe you should choose – because it comes out perfectly every single time.

Also try the popular Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - With The BEST Vegan Frosting! (3)

This simple vegan cake recipe calls for just a few basic ingredients.

Sweet and flavorful, it will become your go-to carrot cake recipe for years to come.

Don’t be surprised if this cake starts showing up in your dreams.

The classic taste will remind you of a traditional carrot cake you’d find at an upscale restaurant or bakery. And yet it is secretly healthy at the same time, with no dairy and no eggs required.

The recipe is also packed with a full cup of shredded carrot, making it ultra moist and soft, without all the extra fat.

If desired, you can add raisins, pineapple, or crushed walnuts to the batter. You will want to make the recipe not just for Easter, but for birthday parties, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas too.

Readers also love these Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - With The BEST Vegan Frosting! (4)

How to make vegan carrot cake

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and line an eight inch round or square pan with parchment paper.

If you are doubling the recipe for a double layer carrot cake, prepare two pans instead of one. A doubled recipe will also fit into one 9×13 pan.

To make the carrot cake from scratch, whisk together the first five ingredients, and let the mixture sit for at least 10 minutes, or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Stir all remaining ingredients into the liquid to form a cake batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth down with a spatula or spoon.

Bake on the oven center rack for thirty minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean.

Plant based carrot cake ingredients

The vegan carrot cake recipe calls for shredded carrot, applesauce or pineapple, optional oil, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, flour, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking soda, sugar, and a pinch of salt.

Spelt, oat, white all purpose, and some brands of gluten free flour will work. We have not tested the recipe with whole wheat flour, pastry flour, coconut flour, or almond flour. If you want a low carb and sugar free carrot cake, try the keto carrot cake option mentioned in the recipe below.

Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - With The BEST Vegan Frosting! (6)

Out of applesauce? You can substitute an equal amount of mashed banana for a fun flavor variation. Crushed pineapple is also a wonderful choice.

The recipe is spiced with one and a half teaspoons of ground cinnamon. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg, cloves, and powdered ginger for a carrot spice cake.

Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - With The BEST Vegan Frosting! (7)

Carrot cake frosting options

Let’s be real. One of the best parts of carrot cake is the frosting!

My favorite way to serve the dairy free carrot cake is with the homemade vegan cream cheese frosting recipe directly under the photo below.

But it is also great topped with homemade or store bought vegan vanilla frosting, Coconut Butter, or even with Coconut Whipped Cream.

To save time, you can take a shortcut and use packaged frosting. Oddly enough, both Duncan Hines Creamy Home Style Cream Cheese Frosting and Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Cream Cheese Flavored Frosting are accidentally vegan. I’m not saying they are healthy frosting options, but if you are in a hurry, they can work in a pinch.

Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - With The BEST Vegan Frosting! (8)

Vegan cream cheese frosting

Beat room temperature 8 oz cream cheese (such as Tofutti or Miyokos) or homemade Vegan Cream Cheese with 4 oz butter spread (such as Melt or Earth Balance) or coconut butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.

Add a little nondairy milk of choice as needed. For reference, this recipe yields about 2 cups of frosting, and I used about 1/2 cup of frosting on each of the layers of the carrot cake in the pictures.

Leftover frosting? Make these Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Above, watch the vegan carrot cake recipe video

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