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Sliced Vegan Carrot Cake with Orange-infused Frosting on a wooden platter
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5 from 2 votes

Vegan Carrot Cake + Orange-infused Frosting

The perfect easy rendition of traditional carrot cake with a twist---a sheet cake twist! Not only is it completely soft + fluffy, but it’s rich in flavor from the loaded shredded carrots and smooth citrus infused buttercream. This one is sure to become a crowd-favorite!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: baked, birthday, cake, cakes, carrot cake, carrots, classic, dairy-free, dessert, easy, fall recipe, fluffy, healthy, holidays, indulge, orange, pecans, plant-based, recipe, sheet cake, sweet, vegan, walnuts
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 423kcal
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

SHEET CAKE:

  • 1 cup grated carrots (That's about 2 medium carrots!)
  • 2 cups organic cake flour
  • 1 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 tsps ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Almond milk + 2 Tbsps!  (You can use your fave plant-based milk!)
  • 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted (See Notes!)
  • ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted (See Notes!)
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
  • ¼ cup pineapple chunks, chopped finely
  • ¼ cup dried raisins, soaked (See Notes!)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest

ORANGE-INFUSED BUTTERCREAM:

  • 4-5 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 cup vegan butter, softened at room temp.
  • 2 Tbsps freshly-squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 1-2 Tbsps Almond milk  (You can use your fave plant-based milk!)

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

  • 1 cup Toasted chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

TO MAKE CARROT CAKE:

  • Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease and line with parchment paper (with two sides hanging out) an 8-inch square pan (for a thicker cake) or a 9 x 13 baking pan.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside for 5-10 minutes until everything "activates".
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, grated carrots, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, orange zest, and salt until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and coconut oil and set aside.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix together using a rubber spatula, until combined. Gently fold in the pineapple chunks, raisins, and chopped nuts. **NOTE: Don't Over-Mix!**
  • NOTE: If the batter looks extremely thick, add extra milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s somewhat pourable but not runny or thin at all.
  • Pour batter evenly into prepared pan, spreading everything around for a perfect evenness.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the center of the cake comes out clean when tested with a toothpick or butter knife.
  • Once done, remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes before carefully lifting it from the pan and unto a cooling rack to cool completely.

ORANGE-INFUSED BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

  • Simply beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer (or using a hand-mixer) on medium-high speed, until smooth and pale. Add in the powdered sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, orange zest, salt, vanilla, and milk, continuing to mix on medium-speed until you reach the desired consistency----smooth and fluffy. NOTE: Add more milk (1 tablespoon at a time if too thick) or powdered sugar (for more thickness).
  • Using a metal or rubber spatula, top cooled cake with buttercream frosting and evenly spread over the top until fully coated and smooth. Top with toasted chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired. Wallah!
  • Slice into medium-sized squares and enjoy!
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Keep leftover cake tightly wrapped using plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days. To store frozen (frosted or unfrosted), simply tightly wrap and cover cake and freeze for up to 2-3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature.
  • SOAKED RAISINS: To ensure that your raisins are softened, simply add the raisins to a bowl and fill with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes or until swollen. When ready to use, drain and continue recipe.
  • FLOUR: If you don’t have cake flour, you can always just use all-purpose flour instead. 
  • MAKE AHEAD: You can always bake this cake the night or day before and let it cool, tightly wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. The buttercream frosting can also be made prior and tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge as well. When ready to serve, let cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, frost, and enjoy!
  • SHREDDED CARROTS: If needed, using a food processor shred the carrots until completely minced. 
  • OIL VS. BUTTER: Instead of vegan butter, you can also use Vegetable or Coconut oil, if preferred.
  • GF OPTION: If you want to make this cake Gluten-Free, you can simply substitute flours with Bob's Red Mill's 1-to-1 Baking Flour and ensure that the Rolled oats are GF-certified. Just add an additional ¾ cup or so if needed; To use other GF flours such as coconut, almond, etc. just be sure to add 1 teaspoon of Xanthan gum. 

Nutrition

Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 3g | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1801IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 1mg