Easy & Moist! Vegan Carrot Cake Loaf

This moist, spiced and utterly delicious vegan carrot loaf cake will be the only carrot loaf you ever wish for! It’s packed with shredded carrots, crunchy walnuts and sweet raisins. There’s a punch of sweetness from the luscious and dairy-free cream cheese icing on top. It’s perfect for Easter celebrations or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee. It’s completely egg-free and dairy-free, but still just as incredibly moreish (if not more so)!

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Carrot cake is one of my favourite cakes of all time, so I made a loaf of it today! The cake itself is incredibly moist and tender with just the right amount of warm and cosy spices, with silky, sweet, and tangy vegan cream cheese icing on. Mmm, this is honestly one of the best flavour combos in the world. It really is everything you want in a classic carrot cake and more.

This vegan carrot loaf cake is perfect for so many occasions, but it has a way of making an ordinary Tuesday feel a little bit special. I love that it’s straightforward to make and uses simple ingredients. Still, it delivers spectacular results every single time. Let’s get baking!

Main ingredients and substitutions

*Use room temperature ingredients unless otherwise instructed.

Plain flour: I used plain flour as the base for the cake. For a gluten-free version, use a good-quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

Caster sugar: Caster sugar adds sweetness and helps create a tender crumb. Golden caster sugar works beautifully. You can use granulated sugar or other sugar, like date sugar, if you prefer.

Brown sugar: A bit of brown sugar adds moisture and a deep, caramel-like sweetness that complements the spices perfectly. Both light and dark brown sugar work well.

Shredded carrots: Shredded carrots are the star of the show here! Use fresh carrots that are finely shredded. Don’t use pre-shredded supermarket carrots as they’re often too dry.

Soy milk: Soy milk creates a vegan buttermilk when mixed with apple cider vinegar. Almond, oat or any other unsweetened plant milk works perfectly as well.

Vegetable oil: Use vegetable oil to produce a beautifully moist cake that stays soft for days. Choose a neutral oil like sunflower, rapeseed or light olive oil.

Vegan Greek yoghurt: Vegan Greek yoghurt adds richness, as well as moisture. It’s a lovely replacement for eggs and creates a lovely tang. You can use unsweetened plain vegan yoghurt as an alternative.

Walnuts: Walnuts add wonderful crunch and nutty flavour. Toast them lightly first for even more depth. Substitute with pecans if you prefer.

Raisins: Raisins will give you little bursts of sweet and chewy goodness. Substitute with sultanas or chopped dates.

Spice mix (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove): The spice mix creates the warm and aromatic blend that makes carrot cake so irresistible. Adjust the amounts to your taste.

For the cream cheese icing: I used Philadelphia vegan cream cheese and icing sugar. You can use any good-quality vegan cream cheese.

Other ingredients: Cornflour, apple cider vinegar, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

Note: Substitution may change the final taste and texture of this recipe.

*I use bone char-free sugars for all of my recipes. I cover the topic in my article Vegan Baking 101. Go to the “Is sugar vegan?” section to learn more!

Recommended equipment for this recipe

2lb loaf tin: A 2lb loaf tin is the perfect size for this carrot loaf cake, giving it that classic, tall, sliceable shape.

Parchment paper: Parchment paper is essential for lining the tin. This makes for easy removal and clean slices every time.

Box grater or food processor: Use a box grater or food processor to shred your carrots finely and evenly. A food processor with a grating disc makes light work of this task.

Mixing bowls: You’ll need at least two mixing bowls for the wet and dry ingredients.

Whisk and spatula: A whisk for combining dry ingredients evenly and a sturdy silicone spatula for folding the batter and scraping the bowl clean.

Small jug: Use a small jug to combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar to prepare your vegan buttermilk.

Cooling rack: A cooling rack allows air to circulate around the loaf as it cools completely before icing.

*The ingredient list and measurement for this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.

How to make vegan carrot loaf cake

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Step 1: Prepare your vegan buttermilk and preheat the oven

Let’s start baking, shall we? First, vegan buttermilk. In a small jug, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Give it a quick stir and set it aside for 5-10 minutes to curdle. This creates your vegan buttermilk, which adds incredible tenderness to the cake. While it’s resting, preheat your oven and line your loaf tin with parchment paper.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients and add-ins

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, caster sugar, brown sugar, cornflour, spice mix (cinnamon, nutmeg and clove), baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk thoroughly to ensure all the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed. Next, add the chopped walnuts, raisins and finely shredded carrots to the bowl. Stir with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the dry ingredients coat the add-ins.

Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the prepared vegan buttermilk, vegetable oil, vegan Greek yoghurt, and vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined.

Step 4: Make the batter

Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of your dry ingredients and your add-ins. Using your spatula, gently fold everything together until you have a thick and well-combined batter. Be careful not to overmix it. Stir the mixture just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be beautifully studded with carrots, walnuts and raisins. Here we have our cake batter! Easy peasy.

Step 5: Bake the loaf

Now, pour the batter into your lined loaf tin and spread it evenly to the corners. Be sure to smooth the top with your spatula. Then, bake it in the centre of your preheated oven until the loaf is golden brown. You’ll know it’s ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly before the centre is done, loosely tent the loaf with foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.

Step 6: Make the cream cheese icing and finish the cake

While the loaf is baking, prepare your cream cheese icing. In a small bowl, mix the vegan cream cheese and icing sugar together until smooth with a small whisk. The mixture should be creamy and lump-free.

Once the loaf has finished baking, let it cool completely in the tin before you transfer it to a cooling rack. This step is absolutely essential. If the loaf is even slightly warm, the icing will melt and slide right off, so be careful. Once fully cooled, generously spread the cream cheese icing over the top. Let it cascade slightly down the sides. Enjoy!

Serving tips and ideas

• Serve thick slices with a hot cup of your favourite warm drink. 
• Bring to Easter celebrations or spring gatherings as a show-stopping dessert. I’m sure everyone will love the cake!
• Perfect to pack into lunchboxes for a delicious midday sweet treat.
• Wishing for something creamy? Serve slightly warmed with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream. Delicious.

Expert tips and tricks

Shredding your carrots correctly

For the best texture, use the fine side of your box grater or the fine grating disc on your food processor. Finely shredded carrots incorporate better into the batter. This will give you a more tender cake. Avoid large or chunky pieces as they can make the cake heavy and uneven.

Toasting your walnuts for extra flavour

Take a few extra minutes, if you have, to toast your walnuts before adding them to the batter. Simply spread them on a baking tray and pop them in the oven for 5-8 minutes until fragrant. This simple step deepens their nutty flavour and adds a wonderful crunch to your finished loaf.

The importance of cooling completely

This cannot be stressed enough. Let your carrot loaf cake cool completely before adding the cream cheese icing. Vegan cream cheese icing is particularly soft and will melt into a sticky, sad puddle if you put it on top of a warm cake. Patience here is a must for that beautiful, bakery-style finish.

Achieving the perfect cream cheese icing consistency

For the smoothest and creamiest icing, make sure your vegan cream cheese is at room temperature before you start. Cold cream cheese can be lumpy and difficult to beat smooth. If your icing is too thick to spread easily, add a tiny splash of plant milk. If it’s too thin, add a little more icing sugar or chill it in the fridge to firm it up.

Use a digital scale to weigh ingredients

Always use a digital scale rather than measuring cups when you are baking. It’s so much more accurate and measuring correctly is very important to achieve the best result.

Recipe variations

• If you fancy some experimentation, swap walnuts for pecans and raisins for chopped medjool dates. I think this combo will taste delicious!
• Love some tangy cirtusy flavour in carrot cake? Try adding the zest of one orange to the batter and replacing vanilla with orange extract. Yum.
• To make a chocolate chip carrot cake, fold in a handful of vegan dark chocolate chips along with the walnuts and raisins.
• For a nut-free version, simply omit the walnuts or replace them with sunflower seeds for crunch.

How to store

• Room temperature: Store the un-iced carrot loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. If the loaf is already iced, it’s best to refrigerate it (see below). If you live in a warm climate or are baking in the summer and your kitchen is hot, do not leave the loaf out at room temperature, as it can spoil quickly.

• Refrigerator: Once iced, store the carrot loaf cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. The cream cheese icing will firm up in the fridge, but this actually makes for neater slicing. Allow slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften the icing before serving.

• Freezer: This carrot loaf cake freezes beautifully, especially before icing. Wrap the completely cooled and un-iced loaf tightly in cling film. Then, put them in a freezer-friendly airtight container or bag. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then bring it to room temperature before icing and serving.

*Although you can store this recipe in the fridge or freezer, it’s always best to consume it fresh and as soon as possible.

Q and A

Want to master the basics of vegan baking?
Check out Vegan Baking 101 – the beginner’s guide to vegan baking for you to become an excellent vegan baker and familiar with the basics of vegan baking, ingredients, and techniques with useful tips!

You will LOVE this vegan carrot cake loaf because it is:

• simple and easy to make
• perfect balance of spice and sweetness
• great for easter and all other occasions
• moist and fluffy

Want more recipes like this?

Try my other delicious loaf, cake, and dessert recipes you might enjoy!

• Chocolate Loaf Cake
• Gingerbread Loaf Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake
• Apple Bread
• Pumpkin Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Visit the loaf page and recipe page for more delicious recipes!

Please leave a comment and rate this recipe with 5 stars in the comment section below if you like the recipe! Let me know and tag me @thechestnutbakery on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!

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