Vegan Carrot Cake Loaf

This super moist vegan carrot cake loaf is the best! Tender, fluffy and deliciously spiced! It’s so easy to make from scratch with wholesome, healthier ingredients. The perfect healthy treat for Easter, Mother’s Day or any day of the week!

Carrot loaf topped with cream cheese frosting.

This Vegan Carrot Cake is a must make this spring, especially for any Easter brunch celebrations you may be hosting! It’s supremely moist, wonderfully spiced and tastes indulgent. The best part is — it’s made with simple ingredients, is completely eggless and it can also easily be made gluten free.

Ingredients Needed

Not only is this vegan carrot cake recipe delicious and easy to make, but you probably have most of the ingredients needed to make it in your kitchen. Here's what you'll need:

  • Grated carrots: This recipe uses 1 cup of grated carrots. We prefer the texture of finely grating the carrots by hand, but you can use a food processor.
  • Milk: Any milk works for extra moisture. We like to use almond milk or oat milk in this recipe.
  • Vegan butter: To keep this recipe vegan, be sure to use melted plant-based butter.
  • Sugar: Use cane or coconut sugar to perfectly sweeten the cake.
  • Maple syrup: Adds a little extra sweetness and delicious maple flavor.
  • Apple cider vinegar: Makes the bread light and fluffy.
  • Flavor makers: Vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, cloves and salt give this a wonderful warm, cozy flavor.
  • Flour: We're using a blend of all-purpose flour and oat flour for a lovely soft texture. If gluten-free, we recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
  • Cream cheese frosting: The vegan cream cheese frosting is a simple mix of vegan cream cheese, vegan butter and powdered sugar. It's optional, but really adds something special to the loaf.

How to Make this Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and finely grate 1 cup of carrots.

Grated carrots in a large bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the carrots, oat or almond milk, melted butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. Add in the baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Adding milk, spices and grated carrots to a large mixing bowl.

Finally, mix in the oat flour and the all purpose flour.

Stirring flour into wet ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour the batter into a 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden.

Pour the cake batter into a loaf pan.

While the loaf is baking, use an electric hand mixer to mix the vegan cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. Set aside. Allow the loaf to cool and spread it with vegan cream cheese icing! Enjoy!

Carrot cake spread with cream cheese frosting.

Expert Tips

  • Carrots: We do not recommend using pre-shredded carrots from the store. They are much too dry and do not provide the amount of moisture we want in this cake.
  • Measure the flour correctly: Too much flour can cause baked goods to be overly crumbly and dry. When measuring out the flour, start by whisking the flour, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level off the top with a straight edge.
  • Avoid over-mixing batter: When adding the flour to the wet batter, gently stir it with a large spoon or spatula and mix just until moistened. It's best not to use a whisk. Over-mixing the batter can produce a tough loaf of bread that sinks in the center.
  • Watch bake time: Many oven vary on temperature, so be sure to check this after about 40 to 45 minutes. It is done baking when a skewer, butter knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is vegan carrot cake loaf healthy?

Whether or not something is healthy is different for everyone, but the ingredients in this loaf are mostly wholesome and simple. In addition, according to Healthline, carrots are filled with vitamins and minerals including: beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. 

How do I make moist carrot cake?

This carrot loaf is plenty moist because of the 1 cup freshly grated carrots, milk and butter. To keep leftovers moist, be sure to wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container.

Can I add mix-ins?

If you like your carrot cake recipe with raisins, chopped walnuts, or pecans, gently fold ½ cup into the cake batter.

Storage Recommendations

Wrap any leftover vegan carrot cake in plastic wrap and store on the counter for about 2 days or in the fridge for about 1 week. Any longer than that and you can freeze it in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to about 3 months.

Slice of vegan carrot cake on a white plate.

More Vegan Cake Recipes

Super Moist Vegan Carrot Cake

Vegan Carrot Cake Loaf

Jillian Glenn
This moist vegan carrot cake loaf is perfection! The recipe is easy, uses healthier ingredients, and is topped with vegan cream cheese frosting.
4.67 from 9 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 slices
Calories 310 kcal

Ingredients
  

Vegan Carrot Cake Loaf Ingredients

  • 1 cup finely grated carrots
  • 1 cup oat or almond milk regular milk also works if not vegan
  • ½ cup melted vegan butter regular butter also works if not vegan
  • ¾ cup cane or coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup regular or gluten free all purpose flour If gluten-free, I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
  • 1 ¼ cup oat flour

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 oz vegan cream cheese regular cream cheese also works if not vegan
  • 2 tablespoon softened vegan butter regular butter also works if not vegan
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

How To Make Vegan Carrot Cake Loaf

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the carrots, oat or almond milk, melted butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. Add in the baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Finally, mix in the oat flour and the all purpose flour. Pour the batter into a 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden.
  • While the loaf is baking, use an electric hand mixer to mix the vegan cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. Set aside.
  • Allow the loaf to cool and spread it with vegan cream cheese icing! Enjoy!

Notes

Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and store on the counter for about 2 days or in the fridge for about 1 week. Any longer than that and you can freeze it in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to about 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 413mgPotassium: 122mgFiber: 3gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 2571IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 1mg
Keyword carrot cake, carrot loaf, vegan carrot cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.

About Jillian Glenn

Comments

  1. Malak says

    Hello, I’ve been wanting to make this but where I live we don’t have coconut sugar or vegan butter... do you have suitable alternatives?

    • Jillian Glenn says

      Hi Malak, any sugar will work as a swap for the coconut sugar and you can substitute oil for the vegan butter.

  2. Angela Hansen says

    Hello Jillian!

    We are moving out of the country in a few months, so I going throught ingredients and we finished our maple syrup.

    Can I use extra sugar or dilute some sugar to have the same amount as for Maple syrup?
    Thanks for your recipes,

    Angela Hansen.

    • Jillian says

      Hi there, I'm thinking this recipe should turn out great with some extra sugar rather than maple! If you notice that the batter is overly thick, you can always add a splash more non dairy milk.

  3. Mindy says

    What brand cream cheese do you use? I haven’t had much luck finding one that tastes good that is dairy free yet

    • Jillian says

      I love wither Miyokos or Kite Hill!

  4. Charlene says

    Would like to make this into a birthday cake. Can I use a pan different than a loaf and double the recipe?

    • Jillian Glenn says

      Hi Charlene, you definitely can. Feel free to use a round or square pan and bake on 350 for about 30 minutes. You can double the recipe to create two layers.

  5. Minni says

    Hi, can I substitute almond flour for the oat flour along with the Measure for Measure GF flour? Also, what is the purpose of the ACV in this recipe?

    • Jillian Glenn says

      The ACV gives this sweet and spicy cake a bite. Just a way to enhance the flavor! Almond flour is not a substitute for oat flour as it is much more dense and absorbs far less water.

4.67 from 9 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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