Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me… Happy birthday to me!
Hey, guys. It’s my birthday and I made myself a cake, ’cause that’s how I do.
The wait is over – let’s make cake!
This cake is simple, requiring just 1 bowl to make! Plus, it requires basic ingredients you likely have on hand right now.
The recipe is adapted from my Vegan GF Carrot Apple Muffins, but it needed some tweaking to get that cake-like texture.
I tested this recipe for 3 days straight (oy) until I finally ended up with this perfected version. I served it to friends (non-vegan and non-gluten-free folks) and none of them could tell that it was special-diet friendly. Score!
The base of the cake is coconut oil, applesauce, flax eggs, maple syrup, and almond milk. Organic brown sugar and cane sugar add the perfect amount of sweetness while leaving the cake light and fluffy. And for gluten-free flours, I went with almond flour and my go-to gluten-free blend.
The result is a light, airy, fluffy carrot cake that retains its moisture without being mushy (the ultimate goal). Once cooled, it’s frosting time!
For frostings, I included several options. After taking a vote on Twitter, it seemed many of you wanted to see both a vegan buttercream and a cashew buttercream. But guess what? I provide 6 frosting options below!
For my cake, I went for classic Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting – I couldn’t resist. But really, any of the options would be amazing! Just depends on how creative and healthy you want to be.
I hope you all LOVE this carrot cake! It’s:
Tender
Fluffy
Moist
Perfectly sweet
Carrot-packed
& Insanely delicious
This would make the perfect birthday cake or cake for summer celebrations, wedding showers, cookouts, and beyond! It’s insanely flavorful, rich, moist, and undetectably vegan and gluten-free. Those who are gluten-free will be happy to know there isn’t any oat flour in this cake. I also included nut-free, oil-free, and refined-sugar-free options in the notes.
If you’re into cake (who’s not?), be sure to check out our other cakes: Vegan Birthday Cake, The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes, Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes, Vegan Pumpkin Cake, Vegan Pumpkin Roll, Vegan Apple Gingerbread Cake, and Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake!
If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
- 7 ½ Tbsp water (to make flax eggs)
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil* (or sub other neutral oil)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 scant cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup organic brown sugar* (or sub coconut sugar)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar* (or sub coconut sugar)
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 – 1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk* (or other non-dairy unsweetened milk)
- 1 ½ cups loosely packed grated carrot
- 1 ½ cups almond flour* (I didn’t test with almond meal, but I think it would work)
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend*
- 3/4 cup chopped raw walnuts* (if preferred, omit, or sub 1/2 cup (70 g) raisins)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Butter and flour two 8-inch, 1 9×13-inch, or 3 6-inch round pans with coconut oil or vegan cooking spray and dust with gluten-free flour (adjust number/size of pans if altering batch size). Shake out excess. Set aside.
- Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl by mixing flaxseed meal and water and let rest for 5 minutes. To the flax eggs, add oil and maple syrup and whisk to combine. Next, add applesauce, sugars, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon and whisk to combine.
- Add lesser amount of almond milk (3/4 cup or 180 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and stir. Add grated carrot and stir. Then add almond flour and gluten-free flour blend and stir. The batter should be thick but pourable. If too thick, add remaining almond milk 1/4 cup or 60 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). If adding walnuts, add at this time and stir.
- 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 blend just takes a little longer to bake. Also, note that the size of pan you use will vary baking time.
- Remove from oven and let rest in the pans for 15 minutes. Then carefully run a knife along the edges and gently invert onto cooling racks to let cool completely.
- 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.
- Once cooled, you can serve as is or frost! For frosting, you have several options! See options above.
- 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.
- Do note that, if using vegan cream cheese or yogurt 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.
Video
Notes
*I used brown and cane sugars because they provided the best texture (fluffy and tender) for the cake. I also tested with coconut sugar, and although it was sweet enough, the texture was more dense. But, if coconut sugar is preferred, it still turns out well!
*If almond/nut-free, sub the almond milk for rice, hemp, or light coconut milk. And sub the almond flour for another nut/seed flour (such as hazelnut, sunflower seed, or brazil nut). If you can’t tolerate nuts or seeds, try subbing more gluten-free flour blend or oat flour. And omit the walnuts or sub raisins.
*I used my go-to gluten-free flour blend. If subbing your own blend, know that the results may vary. You can also use an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the gluten-free flour in this recipe.
*Recipe adapted from my Vegan Carrot Apple Muffins.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without frosting.
Paula Gustafson says
LOVE this recipe. SO MUCH! I’ve made it many times over the years. BUT there is a glitch in the system — when I changed the serving size to 18 (to make 1 1/2 batches) the recipe stated 3 cups of carrots — should have been 2 1/4. So BEWARE if you are adjusting the serving size — it will give you the wrong amount of carrots.
a note — in my family’s opinion, it is best the day after baking or even 2-3 days after baking. It keeps getting better! This makes it a perfect make-ahead birthday cake! (we do wrap it and keep it refigerated) It also travels very well on planes. THANK YOU for creating this recipe!
We’re so glad you love this recipe, Paula! Thank you for sharing your experience and for letting us know about the error! It looks like there was an extra space in the 1/2 measurement, causing it to miscalculate. We’ve removed it and the issue should now be resolved!
Cristi says
Hi! if i wanted to make this cake vegan -but not gluten free-, how much wheat flour should I use to replace the almond and GF flour blend in this recipe? or… do you have a vegan but not gluten free recipe in your book??
Thank you so much in advance, I LOVE your recipes <3 -Cristi
Hi Cristi! Thanks so much for the support! To make this cake not gluten-free we would recommend keeping the almond flour for best results, but you could use AP flour to replace the GF flour blend. We’d suggest using slightly less because it’s a little more absorbent. If you want to try replacing both flours, keep in mind that all purpose flour is significantly more absorbent than almond flour so you’ll need much less of it. Hope that helps!
Naomi K says
This is the best carrot cake we’ve had, gluten eaters could not tell this didn’t have wheat. I added raisins and used eggs because I could. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
Whoop! We’re so glad it was a hit with all eaters. Thank you for the lovely review, Naomi! xo
Adriana Lopez says
hi! how many real eggs would you use to sub the flax?
Hi Adriana, You could replace the flaxseed meal + water with 3 eggs – we haven’t tested with this modification, but other readers have reported it works!
Marie says
How many cupcakes would this make?
Hi Marie, we’d estimate about 24 cupcakes and we’d suggest baking ~30-35 minutes and using a toothpick to check for doneness. Hope that helps!
Andie says
Hi! Unfortunately, I can’t tolerate brown rice. Do you have any suggestions on what kind of flour/flour blend to use instead for this recipe? Thanks so much!
Hi Andie, that’s tricky – we don’t have a great 1-1 substitute for brown rice flour. You could experiment with a blend of buckwheat, sorghum, oat, quinoa, and cassava flours. If using some cassava flour, keep in mind it’s quite a bit more absorbent, so only use a little. Our guide to gluten-free flours might also be helpful. Hope that helps!
Athena says
Hello, could I just use all almond flour?
We think it might be too crumbly, but you could try! Just keep in mind it isn’t as absorbent so you’d need a lot more of it. Hope that helps!
Lindsay Sappington says
How long would you bake these to make cupcakes?
Hi Lindsay, We’d suggest baking ~30-35 minutes and using a toothpick to check for doneness. Hope that helps!
Lindsay Sappington says
Thank you! I’ve made this cake for several years now and we love it! My son has requested it as cupcakes now so I appreciate your help!
We’re so glad to hear it! xoxo
Grace says
This recipe was perfect, I made it for a birthday party Everyone raved how good it was and could not believe it was GF. I did not have any almond milk, I used organic 1% milk with great results. Thank you for your recipes, they are always a success.
Whoop! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing, Grace! xo
Chika says
Could I use normal AP flour instead of the gluten-free flour blend and almond flour?
Hi Chika, we would recommend keeping the almond flour for best results, but you could use AP flour to replace the GF flour blend. We’d suggest using slightly less because it’s a little more absorbent. If you want to try replacing both flours, keep in mind that all purpose flour is significantly more absorbent than almond flour so you’ll need much less of it. Hope that helps!
April says
Best homemade gluten free cake I’ve ever had. This cake…. Mic drop
Whoop! We’re so glad you love it, April. Thank you for leaving a review! xo
Diane says
Another winner!!! This cake is absolutely delicious. I used to make a carrot cake that had crushed pineapple added to it which was so good! Do you think this would work in your recipe? Thanks for all that you do!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Diane! Thank you for the lovely review! We do think pineapple would work well in place of some or all of the applesauce. Other readers have reported success if you want to do a search in the comments to see what they tried! xo
Justine says
Instant favorite!!! I made this for Easter dessert for my GF and dairy/egg free family members because someone else was bringing regular carrot cake. My mom had some of each and said this was better! I am not GF, but my husband, son, and daughter are (with daughter also having dairy and egg allergies). They are unanimous in LOVING this cake and I just chowed down my third piece. It is absolutely undetectably GF!!! I would serve this to anyone at any time. It is so good!!!
I followed the recipe exactly using the MB Best GF 1:1 Flour Blend. I did sub raisins for the walnuts. I was afraid I overcooked it, but it was perfect. We used the MB Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting, which was also delicious, but honestly I think the cake could stand on its own without any frosting. It is simply so moist and delectable. This will definitely be my go-to cake from now on! Thank you!!!
Amazing! We’re so glad it was such a hit, Justine. Thank you for sharing your experience! xoxo
Mara S says
Can you make cupcakes out of this recipe?
Hi Mara, yes! We’d suggest baking ~30-35 minutes and using a toothpick to check for doneness. Hope that helps!
Alexis Casey says
Hi! Can I use one egg to sub for one flax egg?
Hi Alexis, we haven’t tested it that way, but other readers have reported it works!
Charlene says
Made this for my husbands birthday-its his favorite cake. We went GF/DF awhile ago for health reasons and also try to cut down on processed sugar. I pretty much live on this site now-its made the transition so easy! Was afraid we wouldn’t be able to enjoy our favorites (like carrot cake) but OMG I think this one is even better than traditional recipes! Turned out perfect, and insanely delicious even with a few substitutions due to what I had. Used the coconut sugar option and subbed date sugar for the cane sugar. Used half applesauce and half crushed pineapple because I didnt have enough applesauce. Received rave reviews! Thank you for all you do MB!
We’re so glad our recipes have been helpful, Charlene. Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review! xoxo
DONNA S says
Love this recipe! Turns out great. Question is can the carrot be swapped out for something else? Maybe Pumpkin or zucchini?
Thanks
Hi Donna, possibly zucchini, but we would suggest squeezing it out well so it doesn’t contribute too much moisture.
Donna Reid says
I cannot have applesauce. What should I substitute for the fruit sauce?
Hi Donna, we think pear purée, canned pineapple, or (dairy-free) yogurt might work. Let us know if you try it!
Melissa says
Holy. Cow.
I made this into cupcakes for a birthday party today where we had lots of allergies and intolerances to account for. I’ve been baking gluten free for years (hubby has Celiac) but had never attempted vegan cake or cupcakes. These blew my mind!! And everyone at the party was floored when I said they were vegan and gf because they were so good. I used King Arthur 1:1 GF flour, and I apparently didn’t have enough applesauce so I ended up using a combo of applesauce, mashed banana, and coconut oil for the amount of applesauce. I was able to get 34 cupcakes by making 1.5x the recipe, baked at 350 for 35 minutes.
Whoop! We’re so glad they were a hit at the party, Melissa. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Sonja Bow says
Hello! This is my favourite cake and I make it a lot, I always follow the recipe to a T and I make my own almond meal at home and use olive oil! It’s always what I have down but lately my cake has been coming out like wet and raw, I made it for my birthday and it happened then I remade it the next day and it was fine! Then I made it again yesterday and it was wet and raw again! I always use a normal sized cake pan and it’s fine! I cooked this one for 2 hours lol! I’m just wondering if you would know what’s up? As i would love my cake to start coming out perfect again!
Hi Sonja, Sorry to hear it’s giving you trouble! That is odd that it’s working some times and not others! We assume you’re using the same baking powder each time? We ask because it can expire, which could cause the cake to not rise and be dense. If that’s not it, then it sounds like for some reason it’s ending up with too much liquid to flour. We’re not sure why!
R says
10/10 best carrot cake I’ve had this year, including non gluten free ones
Whoop! We’re honored you enjoyed it so much. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Alysha says
This was a big hit at my 2-year-old’s birthday party, among adults and kids alike! I made the dairy-free and cane-sugar free version. It was moist and delicious!!
Yay! We’re so glad it was a hit, Alysha. Thank you for sharing! xo
Sandy Marks says
Hi
Dont have any 6″ cake pans. Do have 8″ and 9″ cake pans and a loaf pan (about 9 x 5″)
Any suggestions, please?
Thanks
Sandy
Hi Sandy, you can use two 8-inch pans in this recipe!
Sandy Marks says
Can we use 3 cups of Bob’s Red Mill instead of the other 2 flours?
How many eggs could we use to substitute thr flax eggs?
Thank you
Sandy
Hi Sandy, we wouldn’t recommend only using Bob’s because it will be too dense. Almond flour helps create a cake-like texture. You could replace the flaxseed meal + water with 3 eggs – we haven’t tested with this modification, but other readers have reported it works!
Sonja Bow says
Hello!!!! I just want to TELL YOU THAT
THIS IS MT FAV SWEET EVER
I make it anytime there’s a birthday or I just want to , or I have a sad friend or a sick friend! Everyone loves it so much! Even so I had one friend eat half my birthday cake 😂 Thankyou for creating this Cake! Your the best :)
-love from Sonja!
Aw, thank you for letting us know, Sonja! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe! xo
Teresa says
Awesome! I didn’t have any applesauce, so we will see how this turns out. It’s finished it looks good. I also had to sub flour for cassava instead of almond. But consistency seems great.
Hi Theresa, we think cassava flour will make the texture more dense! Keep us posted.
Teresa says
It came out a bit dense but wonderful!!!! It’s by far the best tasting healthier dessert in years. Even with using less sugar..( subbed half of it with swerve
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Teresa!
BarbP says
I made this as a Bundt cake and just used vegan/coconut Redi Whip to garnish. Pretty good; my guests were happy with it. Strangely, it didn’t seem as “carroty” as I thought it would with the generous amount of carrots the recipe called for and (though I often think recipes for baked goods are too sweet) I probably would have upped the sweeteners a bit. But quite good, and great to be able to throw a cake together so quickly. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Barb. Sorry to hear it wasn’t quite what you were hoping for!
sindhu says
can i replace wheat flour with gluten free flour blend
Hi Sindhu, we haven’t tried it, but other readers have mentioned subbing the GF all purpose with regular all purpose with success. We’d suggest starting with slightly less and adding more as needed. Let us know how it goes!
Tori says
Have you tried replacing the sugar with dates? I’m curious about how this will affect the texture.
Hi Tori, we haven’t tried it, but think the texture would be too dense. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
KeaH says
I so want to make this for my daughter’s engagement party but am wondering is you have any thoughts on using only gf flours, no nut based flour? My daughter is allergic to nuts.
Hi Kea, we have some nut-free recommendations in the notes section below the recipe. Hope that helps!
Kira says
I followed the recipe exactly and mine turned out ‘gummy’ in the middle?? Any thoughts?
Bummer! Sorry that happened, Kira. It’s possible it was either underbaked or the flour wasn’t a good fit for this recipe. What gluten-free blend did you use?
Claudette Payne says
Oh My! It tastes like a real gluten, dairy and egg loaded carrot cake! I am in heaven! This is actually better than any carrot cake I’ve made, even pre-dietary restrictions. I made it exactly as written except used pecans instead of walnuts. And frosted it with the cream cheese frosting, using Violife vegan cream cheese and Country Crock vegan butter. Thank you for this recipe.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed this cake, Claudette. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Claudette Payne says
PS. I used King Arthur’s gluten free 1:1 flour- it’s what I had !
Thanks for sharing!
Kim says
Hi there, just found this recipe. It looks wonderful! I’m just wondering if anybody substituted bobs red mill flour, 1 to 1 for the flour mixture? Thanks so much
Hi Kim, yes! A few other readers have mentioned using it with success. Enjoy!
Ozzy says
IT WORKS PERFECTLY! AND THE RECIPE IS PHENOMENAL. JUST BAKED IT TODAY AND USED COCONUT SUGAR ALL THE WAY! THE RESULT WAS STUNNING.
Deborah Ketelsen says
I don’t bake much, but this recipe was SUPERB!!!!! I took it to a baby shower with lots of other cakes, and word spread how good it was and there wasn’t a drop left. For the Applesauce I had used something I canned from our garden which was Plum, Rhubarb and Apple Sauce. Instead of Almond Milk I used Coconut Milk (carton) sweetened with vanilla. I am attending a Birthday Party this weekend and all my friends asked me to make it again :) Thanks for sharing this. My only suggestion is that it takes a bit longer to prepare, half hour or I am slow, lol!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Deborah! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Jaime says
How many cupcakes would this make? Thx!
Hi Jaime, we’d estimate about 24 cupcakes. Hope that helps!
jaime hausler says
Thank you. That does help! Now I know to half the recipe. I’ve made this nearly a dozen times already; you’d think I should know this.
Heidi Keating says
Love this recipe! No one would guess it is gf or eggless. I did sub olive oil, crushed pineapple, added 1 tsp allspice. I made as cupcakes for 30 min at 350. Perfect. I am opting not to ice them, delicious on their own.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Heidi!
Kaitlyn says
Great recipe! Love everything Minimalist baker makes! I used a gluten free flour with xanthan gum, which made it a tad gummy, but barely noticeable.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the review, Kaitlyn!
Missy says
I found this recipe a couple years ago. I have made it for my birthday cake every year since. It freezes well. It is amazing! I never miss the dairy and eggs with this cake. I frost it with the vegan cream cheese frosting in the links listed under the “Frostings (optional)” section. I plan on making it for the rest of my birthdays. :-) It is extremely moist and delicious! It is difficult, but I usually make this the day before my birthday so it is good and cool to frost and enjoy on my birthday!! Thank you for the recipe, Minimalist Baker.
Aw, thank you SO much for the lovely review, Missy! We’re so glad you’re enjoying it! xo
Maggie says
Hi! Would you have a sense of bake time variation if i used 6 ” pans?
Hi Maggie, we used three 6-inch cake pans when making this recipe, so no adjustments needed :)
Maggie says
Hi! Can i use regular flour?
Hi Maggie, we haven’t tried it, but other readers have mentioned subbing the GF all purpose with regular all purpose with success. We’d suggest starting with slightly less and adding more as needed. Let us know how it goes!
Corinne Boccieri says
Do you think this would this do well with almond and oat instead of almond and gf flour?
Hi Corinne, this recipe is very moist and the gluten-free flour helps it rise and remain fluffy. We haven’t tried it with oat and suspect it might make it too dense or gummy. Hope this helps!
Luisa says
We made this cake using avocado oil. It was a success! Moist and delicious. We used the (vegan) cream cheese topping. We had tried other recipes before but this is the one we liked best. Thank you 🌸
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Luisa!
Milena says
Very good recipe! So moist and fluffy! This one is a keeper!
Sim Lall says
I wanted to make this for my dad, but I want to reduce the amount of sugar.
If I don’t add in the sugars but keep the maple syrup, will the recipe still work out?
Hi Sim, the sugars provide structure and sweetness. We wouldn’t recommend omitting them because the cake will likely turn out dense.
Gina says
I was skeptical about this recipe tasting undetectably vegan and gluten-free but it is 100%. I don’t like flax seeds so I used Bob’s Redmill egg replacer, and it came out perfectly. Very flavorful, very moist, and truly undetectably vegan AND gluten-free. I tried a different cashew frosting because I didn’t account for the amount of time it took to prepare. It was fantastic on this carrot cake. This recipe is a keeper!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Gina. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Sarah says
Hi! I can eat eggs, so do you think it would be okay to sub real eggs for flax eggs here? Or would that mess up any ratios? Thank you! I’m excited to try this for a friend’s birthday party!
Hi Sarah, we haven’t tested it, but other readers have had success using 3 eggs instead of the flax eggs. Let us know how it goes!
Kayla says
Hi! Can I use real eggs instead of flax eggs? If so, do you know how many?
Thanks!
Hi Kayla, other readers have had success using 3 eggs instead of the flax eggs!
Deea says
Hi! Can you please tell me what I could substitute the applesauce with? (I have no problem with oil)
Thanks a lot!
Hi Deea, the applesauce adds moisture! You could probably substitute it with canned pineapple or yogurt!
Deea says
Thanks! I’ll get back with the result :)
Audra says
Hi there! Did you have success using a substitute for the applesauce? If so, which route did you take? Thanks!!
Deea says
Hi, I used applesauce after all. I made it at home from 2 ripped apples.
Turned out very good
Margaret says
I made this cake today substituting crushed pine apple for apple sauce; it’s delicious! (The batter was not quite thick enough so I added 2 tablespoons of potato starch.) Thank you so much for THE best recipes!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Margaret!
Mack says
So delicious! I did the vegan cream cheese frosting with it but added lemon zest to it and it was amazing – I’d highly recommend the lemon for the frosting!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mack! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sacha says
Eternally grateful for this recipe. It’s my absolute favourite and go to. Thank you!
Aw, thank you SO much for the lovely review! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Sacha! xo
Katrinna says
Could I use honey instead of maple syrup? Have you tried this?
Hi Katrinna, we haven’t tried that in this recipe but we think it might work. Let us know how goes if you give it a try!
tanja says
Hi!
I am about to make this cake for my sons birthday party with his friends. It looks so yummi!
Can you tell me which frosting you used for the cake on the pictures?
Best wishes
Tanja
Hi Tanja, we used the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting. Hope you love it!
Jennifer says
I was so happy with how this cake turned out! So tasty, moist and delicious!! I made the vegan cream cheese icing too and it was yummy! 😋
Whoop! We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Jennifer. Thank you for sharing! xo
Juli says
Absolutely fabulous!! I followed the recipe exactly plus I added 1 tsp allspice, used coarsely chopped walnuts and added 3/4 cup raisins. Both the vegans and non vegans at the party raved!! A keeper!
Yum! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed this cake. Thanks for the lovely review, Juli!
Anna says
This recipe was perfect! I follow it almost exactly – even made the suggested DIY gluten free flour blend – but did sub avocado oil for coconut. This cake held together better than gluten cakes I’ve made and the texture was incredible. I made the cream cheese frosting to go along with it. Everyone loved this cake, including several non-vegans and gluten eaters. Thanks for the great recipe!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anna. Thank you so much for your kind words and support! xo
Adele says
Hi could you sub coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Hi Adele, Coconut flour has a different texture, flavor, and is more drying than almond flour. Check the comments (by using command/ctrl + f) to see if anyone else has had success!
John says
The recipe worked perfectly. Thank you.
We’re so glad to hear it, John! Thank you for sharing!
terri says
I want to make this tomorrow! However, I am allergic to almonds. Can the recipe be made successfully with just a blended gluten free flour? If so, what is your preference? Thanks in advance!
Hi Terri, we wouldn’t recommend that as the texture would be more dense. We’d suggest cashew flour or another nut flour. Hope that helps!
Janay says
Love this cake recipe! Was wanting to turn them into cupcakes but wanted to ask baking time for that?
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Janay! We’d suggest baking ~30-35 minutes and using a toothpick to check for doneness. Hope that helps!
Janay says
Thank you for getting back to me! Can’t wait to try them out this way.
diane says
Can you use all-purpose flour? We don’t need to be gluten free and I’d like to save some money! Thanks.
Hi Diane, we haven’t tried it but it should work. You might want to start with less as it can be more absorbent than gluten-free flours.
As says
Hi! Can I use brown flaxseed meal? Will change the colour of the cake?
That will work!
As says
I only have sweetened applesauce. How much of the sugars do I need to reduce? Not a fan of super sweet cakes!
Hi there! We don’t think the sweetened applesauce will affect it too much. Let us know how it goes!
Carly says
Can I sub agave syrup for the maple? My husband is allergic to maple (some Canadian, eh? 😅😆) and I can’t use honey because it’s a test run for my baby’s 1 year cake smash.
Hi Carly, we haven’t tested it with agave, but it looks other readers have with success. Hope that helps!
Lorraine Cole says
This was delicious!! I ended up subbing oat flour for the almond flour just because that’s what I had on hand. Left out the walnuts because my daughter is allergic, used Bobs Red Mill GF blend flour, topped it with vegan cream cheese frosting, and the whole family loved it! Thank you for sharing!
Note–The flour I used was not the 1:1 mix, so I did add the recommended amount of xanthan gum to the recipe.
Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Lorraine! Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Maia says
This was pretty tasty and texture was good. I made the buttercream icing and did miss the cream cheese taste. Next time I will try that one.
I used real eggs as I am not vegan and used 3 (although I read in the comments that the chef recommends 2.
Yay! Thanks for the review and for sharing your modifications, Maia!
Kristi says
Can I prepare this in a Bundt pan? How long would I bake it?
Hi Kristi! We haven’t tried this one in a bundt pan, but we think it will definitely need more time! Let us know if you try it!
Paige says
I’m an experienced baker and wanted to make this for Easter. I followed the instructions to a T with no substitutions. After an extra 45 minutes of baking, it is still completely raw in the middle.
Such a waste of ingredients – so disappointing.
Hi Paige, we’re so sorry that was your experience! Would you mind sharing what brand of GF blend you used?
Elise says
I make a carrot cake every year for Easter (and sometimes birthdays and anniversaries too!) bc I adore carrot cake. But being gluten free, every year I try a NEW recipe, because the last one wasn’t quite perfect… Well, after making this recipe, my search for the perfect carrot cake is over!!!
…I did make a couple tweaks tho ;)
1. I used a cupcake pan, this recipe made ~exactly~ 24 cupcakes
2. I subbed the applesauce for canned crushed pineapple, bc somewhere along the way I decided carrot cake needs crushed pineapple?!
3. I added 1-2 tsp of pumpkin pie spices, bc I like it extra “spicy”
Thank you for an amazing gluten free carrot cake recipe!!!
Sounds DELISH! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Elise. So glad this recipe is a winner for you!
Julia Michaelson says
Hi! Could you sub apple sauce for mashed bananas?? We have a ton of old bananas we want to get rid of😂
Hi Julia! We suspect it might make the cake too moist, but we aren’t sure! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try.
Jenn says
I have a heavy duty Wilton flower and basket mold – this cake will be my first time using it – any suggestions on oven timing? PS Im a huge fan and greatly appreciate your blog!!
Hi Jenn! It really depends on the size of your mold, if it holds all of the cake batter we’d suggest baking for the full time, possibly longer if your mold is deeper than an 8 inch round. Hope this helps!
Julia says
Hi! I was wondering–did you create/test this using weights/metric measurements? Or standard American measurements? I just wondered if the conversion option at the top of the recipe is based on your actual testing or if it’s just an automatic conversion from the web. Thanks in advance! Looks yummy :-)
Hi Julia, we create recipes using standard US measurements and then convert to metrics using data we gathered (which includes both measuring and comparing to product labels). Hope that helps!
Tracy says
Do you think making these in cupcake form would be troublesome or mess with the texture or cook time? I have your cookbook and follow all your recipes and have loved everything I’ve made! :)
Hi Tracy! We haven’t tried this recipe in cupcake form, but other readers have had success with it! We’d suggest baking ~30-35 minutes and using a toothpick to check for doneness. Hope that helps!
Eden says
Can I make the batter and refrigerate for a couple of hours prior to baking?
Hi Eden, it might be okay, but it could turn out more dense and not as fluffy because of the baking powder.
Beth S says
We used 3 cups namaste perfect flour blend, grape seed oil, and white ripple milk (my daughter is nut free). I also made them in muffin tins so we can freeze them for her. Baked for 40 minutes. These turned out SO WELL! Now I’m wondering if I can replace the white sugar with honey. Something to try next time. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Beth. We haven’t tried this recipe with honey so we aren’t sure if it will work, but let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Oscar says
Loved the recipe and I loved how it came out, incredible flavour. Only thing was a bit dense/stodgy. Is there a way to make it fluffier and more sponge like?
Hi Oscar, did you make sure to let it cool fully before slicing? Is it possible your baking powder was old? If neither of those is the issue, you could try playing around with adding some potato starch in place of the GF blend as it tends to make GF baked goods more dry and fluffy. Hope that helps!
Wendy Rainbow says
I have the egg replacer powder. Your recipe asks for 3 flax seeds. How many eggs does that equal.
Hi Wendy, we haven’t tried this recipe with egg replacer so we aren’t certain it will turn out the same. If you try it, we’d suggest using the equivalent of 3 eggs. Hope that helps!
Danielle says
How would you adjust the baking time for making these into cupcakes?
Hi Daniella, We’d suggest baking ~30-35 minutes and using a toothpick to check for doneness. Hope that helps!
Tiffany says
Can you use all purpose flour? Or oat flour instead of GF flour?
Hi Tiffany, we haven’t tried that, but other readers have mentioned subbing the GF all purpose with regular all purpose with success. We’d suggest starting with slightly less and adding more as needed. Let us know how it goes!
victoria says
can I put half sugar and eggs?
Hmm, we think that could impact the texture, but let us know if you try it!
Natália says
I am so excited to make this recipe! How could I make it for a loaf pan? Should I cut in half the recipe?
Hi Natalia! Yes, a half batch should fit well in a loaf pan… but it will need to bake for longer to cook through, and we aren’t positive if it will bake in the center if it’s that thick. Perhaps an 8×8 square dish would be better? Let us know how it goes!
Lauren says
How many eggs can I use in replacement of flax eggs?
Hi Lauren! We think 2 eggs would be good in this recipe. Let us know how it goes!
Lauren says
Turned out amazzzzing. Thank you!
Whoop! Thank you for sharing, Lauren! xo
Shal says
This cake is AMAZING!!!!
I made it for my baby’s first birthday a d we all loved it!!!!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing, Shal! xo
RunningPath says
This is a great recipe and I came back to your site to find it because it’s very good. I have made it as written and also with pineapple.
But while this used to be my favorite recipe site, and I’ve bought your cookbook etc., I really can’t use the website anymore and rarely recommend it to others. I understand you need ad revenue and totally support that, but the autoplay video ads are quite difficult. Ad blockers are now basically required to view your site (and don’t always work on my iPad rather than a PC); static ads are no problem, it’s the video ones that cause trouble. And the worst is actually your own autoplay YouTube videos from your recipes. Not only do they stop any music or radio from playing, they also repeatedly cause the page to jump around and reload. There are only so many screenshots of recipes (my only obvious solution) I want in my photostream.
Again I understand the financial need for ads. But it’s really a shame how impossible the website has become to view.
Thank you for your continued excellent recipes. (I’d totally pay to subscribe to an ad-free page of yours btw)
We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! Thank you for your honest feedback and sorry for the inconvenience. We always try to optimize for user experience, while also having ads to keep the content free and high quality. We’ll look into the video issue and see if we can figure out what’s causing it to jump around. Have you tried using a different browser?
Wendy says
I used this with the regular egg replacer powder. Then I didn’t have either of the gluten free flours so I just replaced it with regular whole wheat flour. Didn’t work well. The dough was just too think. So I added some more almond milk and it still wasn’t smooth enough. So I added some more apple sauce. That finally made it the right texture. Then when I finished the cake I was just disappointed that it wasn’t carroty enough for what I like. Is that something different between carrot bread and carrot cake?
Hi Wendy, sorry to hear it didn’t turn out well with those changes. Depending how much almond milk and applesauce you had to add to compensate for the difference in texture, it’s possible that contributed to it being less carroty.
Sherri says
Hi Dana, I was wondering what your thoughts on for swapping out apple sauce and using pineapple instead. I m making this for my friends birthday and she loves carrot cake with pineapple
Hi Sherri, other readers have reported doing that with success! Let us know how you and your friend like it! xo
Woan says
Hi. Just wanted to know what frosting option is best for piping and decorating for an informal wedding carrot cake.
Hi Woan! It’s totally up to your taste and preference, and there are multiple frostings linked below the ingredients list that will all work well. We think the vegan cream cheese frosting would be extra delicious!
Steven says
I don’t know what i did wrong. Somhow the cake’s texture was like i put sand in it. Like small little tiny crunchy rocks.
I don’t know because the walenuts are fine when eating them and i removed the skin from the carrots and washed them.
Can it be the braun sugar ?
I would like to try this again and make it right.
Sorry that happened, Steven! Is it possible one of your flours isn’t finely ground?
Ann McCoy says
Any chance you can create a vegan gluten free persimmon cake or muffin? Now that I baked your over the top carrot cake and know 1st hand how sensational cake can be I’m hoping to bake something with persimmons. I planted a tree 10 years ago that today is bursting with fruit. I am not a baker partly because I never tried your vegan gluten free recipes. I’m going to give it a go using your carrot cake as a way to start my persimmon experiment AND if you have any pointers I sure would appreciate hearing them. Happy Holidays🎄
Sounds like a fun idea! We will add persimmon cake to our recipe ideas list! Let us know how it goes, Ann!
Bridget says
Hi, if I want to sub the gluten free flour blend with all purpose flour, do I sub 1:1. So, 1.5 cups all purpose flour?
Hi Bridget, we haven’t tried that, but other readers have mentioned subbing the GF all purpose with regular all purpose with success. We’d suggest starting with slightly less and adding more as needed. Let us know how it goes!
Ann McCoy says
I made this as a birthday cake in September while visiting family in Houston. This cake was hands down over the top sensationally delicious. I couldn’t tell the difference between this gluten free vegan fluffy moist carrot cake & a non vegan gluten free cake. I was in shock, I want to eat cake again!!! And everyone else including some neighbors were mutually shocked, we were all in agreement in seconds it was that delicious. Can’t thank you enough for creating a gluten free cake that is out of this world, over the top, sensationally delicious! Getting ready to make another one this weekend, trying the cream cheese frosting this time. Happy Holidays!!!!
Yay! This is so wonderful to hear. Thank you so much for the lovely review, Ann! So glad everyone enjoyed the cake!
Lili says
This cake is truly amazing! If I need to increase the servings, could I double the recipe and use 2-3 x 9″ tins with a longer bake time?
As the recipe is written, it calls for 2, 8 inch pans. If you double the recipe, you’ll want to bake it in two batches or in 4 pans total. Unfortunately we don’t think that the cake will bake all the way through if the pans are too full, even with increasing the time. Hope this helps!
Desiree says
Hi
I made your one bowl vanilla gf cake recipe for daughters birthday it was delicious wouldn’t that same recipe work here? Just add carrots and walnuts? Ty
Hi Desiree! We haven’t tried that and we aren’t sure if it would work. This recipe is specifically made to work with the added ingredients, especially carrots, which tend to add a lot of moisture to cakes. We’d suggest making this recipe as written if you want a carrot cake, but let us know if you try it the other way!
Rachel says
Wow, wonderful outcome! Decided to make this at the last minute, used 3 real eggs, Bob’s 1:1 gluten free flour, and did the three 6″ layers. The cake was delicious. There was the slightest after-taste that only I could discern: could this be too much baking powder and baking soda? Everyone else at the party loved it. Thank you!
Hi Rachel! If there was a slight bitterness or metallic taste, that could definitely be the baking powder or soda. We always use Rumford aluminum free baking powder to help avoid that as much as possible. So glad everyone still enjoyed!!
Katherine says
Is it normal for them to sink a little in cupcake form? I made two batches. First batch baked for 35 mins second batch was for 45 mins. First batch sank a lot. Second one not as much but still happened. Flavor was great but just not sure if the baking time or consistency was right
Hmmm, is it possible that your baking powder/soda is old or expired? We find that ours doesn’t work as well even if it’s just old and hasn’t officially expired yet. That said, this cake is very dense and moist by nature, so it seems fairly normal that they wouldn’t rise too much!
VL says
It worked really really well! thank you! 💯💯💯
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review. So glad you enjoyed!
Laura says
Can you make the mix the night before and place it in the fridge unbaked to bake in the morning? Thank you!
Hi Laura! We haven’t tried it, but it might work. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Felicia Raiti-Motherway says
Hi,
Ive made this over and over..yum city!! How long do cupcakes take to bake? 350??
We’re so glad you enjoy it! We’d suggest baking ~30-35 minutes and using a toothpick to check for doneness. Hope that helps!
Donna Schaffer says
THE BEST VEGAN GLUTEN FREE CARROT CAKE RECIPE EVER!!!!!!
Thank you so much for this recipe and all of your recipes!
Aw, thank you SO much for your kind words and lovely review, Donna! xoxo
Lara says
I’m an avid baker and I had such high hopes for this recipe given all the glowing comments. Made it as per recipe and baked it for 50 minutes. After cooling it still felt raw and heavy when I was frosting it – but not having made it before I trusted that it must be fine as I had baked it according to recommended timing. Mistake. I brought a completely raw and undercooked cake to a birthday dinner.
I am home again now, re-baking it, and it’s already been in the oven for another 40 minutes and still looks raw.
For me – a definite fail unfortunately
Hi Lara, we’re so sorry to hear it didn’t turn out well for you! Did you make any modifications? What gluten-free flour blend did you use? Or is it possible your baking powder is expired?
Christel says
I tried making this two layers by putting in two cake tins and it did not rise at all. Was so thin there was no point going through the effort of making the icing. Disappointed
Hi Christel, so sorry to hear it didn’t turn out well. Is it possible your baking powder is expired? Or did you modify the flours? What gluten-free blend did you use?
Christel says
Could you use aquafaba eggs instead of flaxseed?
Hi Christel, we find flax or chia eggs work better in this one!
MK says
It was quitte soft and too moist while I followed the recipe exactly like should.
Hi, so sorry to hear it didn’t turn out right! What brand of GF flour blend did you use?
Nuna says
Hi,
I had the same issue and the cake was a bit stodgy too. Wondering which gf flour you used and if you tried again to figure it out?
Let me know.