Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - Simply Plant Based Kitchen (2024)

Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - Simply Plant Based Kitchen (1)Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - Simply Plant Based Kitchen (2)

I think my favorite part of a WFP diet is that I can have my cake and eat it too. In other words, I can eat dessert and STILL lose weight and improve my health. I don’t have to feel guilty because it is made from whole food plant based ingredients! It makes it really easy to stick to this way of eating for life knowing that I can really enjoy DELICIOUS foods and especially dessert!

As you may know, being “vegan” does not necessarily equate to good health. The term vegan refers to not eating meat or dairy products. A vegan can eat processed foods and oils and not have as much health benefit. However, a whole foods plant based diet is focused on eating the most nutrient dense foods – whole foods. No meat or dairy (or very limited) and no processed foods including oils. This recipe does not contain any butter, eggs, white flour, or sugar. Instead it uses banana, dates, raisins, and oat flour as its base. It tastes great and won’t raise your blood sugar like regular carrot cake!

My oldest son is my pickiest eater, but he loves this carrot cake recipe. It makes me happy that I can get some vegetables into him without a fight! My husband tried it last night for the first time and he said he was very surprised at how good it was. Score!

Make Oat Flour from Old-Fashioned Oats in your blender

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This recipe calls for old-fashioned oats to be ground in your high powdered blender. Old fashioned oats are also called rolled oats. Don’t use quick oats or steel cut for this recipe. I have a Vitamix blender and it takes literally seconds to do this! It’s really easy to do, but you could always buy oat flour in your local grocery store baking aisle as well. You could also try using a food processor, but personally haven’t, so let me know in the comments if you do and it works.

You’re going to love the icing, too. It is SO yum! Feel free to use the icing recipe on any dessert recipe you have! The coconut flour can be left out if you want to have to a vanilla only flavor.

Related readingTop 6 Reasons you should be come a Nutritarian

Making your own fresh shredded carrots

I highly recommend using organic carrots. They really do taste better. I don’t buy a ton of organic fruits & vegetables, but I do for the carrots. Hopefully you have a food processor so you can shred the carrots really easily. I always peel mine and cut off the tops and then throw them in the processor with the “shred” disk. Any extra shredded carrots I don’t use for the recipe, I keep in a ziplock bag for salads!

I don’t recommend buying the bags of shredded carrots you see in the salad section. Those are dry & not very fresh. This will affect no only how moist your cake is, but also the nutrient density!

Ripen bananas in 30 seconds

Also, I learned that If you don’t have ripe bananas, you can microwave them for 30 seconds to ripen them up! That’s what I had to do this last time because my banana was slightly green. Make sure you poke holes all over the banana with a knife. I did 2 rounds of 30 seconds in the microwave on high.

My youngest isn’t a fan of walnuts, but I am and of course he needs to eat them for the healthy omega-3s, so I chop them up super fine so he doesn’t even notice.

Definitely go easy on the cloves. I think I did a little bit bigger pinch that I should have this last time, as it was very strong! Still good though!

It keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, although it will probably be gone before then!

Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake Ingredients

Turn this Carrot Cake into Muffins!

This recipe can easily be use to make muffins or cupcakes. Just fill a muffin tin 3/4 of the way with this carrot cake batter. Use a silicone muffin mold so that you don’t have to use oil or muffin liners.

Other WFPB Dessert recipes you might like

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Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - Simply Plant Based Kitchen (3)

If you try this recipe let me know what you think in the comments!

Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - Simply Plant Based Kitchen (4)

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Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake with Coconut Vanilla Icing

This whole food plant based recipe is dairy free and oil free.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Gluten Free, Nutritarian, Vegan, Whole Food Plant Based

Keyword Carrot Cake, dairy free, Dessert, Eat to Live, Gluten Free, Healthy, no oil recipe, Nutritarian, Vegan, whole food plant based

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings 9

Calories 264kcal

Author Kim Murphy

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond or soy milk
  • 4 1/2 ounces pitted dates, chopped
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup sliced ripe banana
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 old-fashioned rolled oats not quick oats
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pinch ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots organic tastes best
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Coconut Vanilla Icing

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 8 X 8 baking dish with cooking spray or use a silicone baking pan.

  • In a medium bowl, combine dates, 1/4 cup of the raisins, banana, vanilla, and milk. Soak for 15 minutes.

  • Peel 3 medium organic carrots and cut off the tops. Using a food processor, shred 1 & 1/2 cups of carrots. You may have a some extra left over. You can save the extra in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for salads.

  • Using a high powered blender, blend oats until they become flour. Pour oat flour into a large bowl. Add baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and stir until combined.

  • Pour the date liquid mixture into the high powered blender and blend until smooth. Pour smooth date mixture into oat mixture and combine. Add 1/2 cup of raisins, walnuts, & shredded carrots and stir until well combined.

  • Pour batter into baking pan and cook for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Coconut Vanilla Icing

  • While the carrot cake is cooking, place dates, cashews, and vanilla extract in the blender. Cover with just enough water and let soak for 45 minutes.

  • Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the coconut flour (if desired) and blend again. If it is too thick you can add more water and if it is too watery you can add more coconut flour.

  • After cake has cooled, spread icing over cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 3585IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 2mg

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Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe - Simply Plant Based Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for carrots in carrot cake? ›

Baking (Carrot Cake)

For baking, try grated parsnips, rutabaga, or zucchini. If using zucchini, squeeze out some water. These alternatives are all featured in spice cakes similar to carrot cake, so they will produce a similar result.

Why is carrot cake so calorie dense? ›

Carrot cake usually contains more saturated fat than fruit cake thanks to the frosting, which is typically made from cream cheese. The higher fat content also means it's higher in calories. Carrot cake is lower in fibre, so may not be as filling.

How many calories in a piece of vegan carrot cake? ›

Cafe Indigo Sliced Vegan Carrot Cake (1 slice) contains 100g total carbs, 98g net carbs, 28g fat, 6g protein, and 680 calories.

Why is my carrot cake hard? ›

There's a big chance your butter and sugar will over-cream, meaning the butter will trap more air than it should. As the batter bakes, that extra air will deflate and leave you with an overly dense cake. It's all science! For best results, cream butter and sugar together for about 1-2 minutes.

Is it better to make carrot cake with butter or oil? ›

Vegetable oil produces a more moist, tender cake than butter. Yes, butter generally tastes better, but it makes the cake come out a little firmer than I like. Don't worry—there's plenty of butter in the frosting to make up for it. Should carrot cake have raisins?

What is a low carb substitute for carrots? ›

Some great low-carb alternatives to carrots and potatoes are turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, celery root, spaghetti squash, zucchini, eggplant, and cauliflower.

What's the healthiest cake to eat? ›

What Type of Cake is Healthy?
  1. Angel Food Cake. Angel food cake is healthy because It does not contain egg yolk and butter. ...
  2. 2 . Flourless Chocolate Cake. ...
  3. 3 . Protein Mug Cake. ...
  4. 4 . Homemade Strawberry Shortcake. ...
  5. 5 . Sugar-Free Carrot and Date Cake. ...
  6. 6 . Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. ...
  7. 7 . Cheesecake. ...
  8. 8 . Red Velvet Cake.

Does vegan cake have more calories? ›

So, vegan cakes are generally healthier because they: don't contain cholesterol. are mostly lower in saturated fat (unless they contain a lot of palm or coconut oil) are made without eggs and dairy, so they're generally lower in total fat and calories.

Is carrot cake good or bad for you? ›

The ingredients in carrot cake work together to promote cardiovascular health. Carrots contain potassium, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels, while walnuts often included in carrot cake recipes are a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Is carrot cake healthier than chocolate cake? ›

Carrot cake isn't really any less healthy than a white cake or a chocolate cake. Arguably, it's slightly more healthy because of the addition of carrots and sometimes pineapple. However, it does contain a cup of oil and two cups of sugar, and that's just in the cake.

Are vegan cakes less fattening? ›

Because the ingredients of vegan cakes contain fewer calories than those of regular cakes, you have a lower tendency to gain weight while eating them. However, this depends on your amount of consumption. Like any other thing, eat vegan cakes in moderation.

Does carrot cake count as a serving of vegetables? ›

Reminder that a slice of carrot cake does count as a serving of vegetables! 🥕🍰

Can I use store bought shredded carrots for carrot cake? ›

Also, you should avoid using pre-shredded or frozen carrots to make your carrot cake because these products don't have the same moisture, texture, or freshness as whole carrots. Our favorite carrots to use for carrot cake are any variety with a bright orange or red hue.

Why does my carrot cake taste like baking soda? ›

There are a few reasons why your carrot cake might taste bitter. Too much baking soda: Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps to make cakes rise. However, too much baking soda can give a cake a bitter taste. If you are using a recipe that calls for baking soda, be sure to measure it carefully.

Can I freeze grated carrots for carrot cake? ›

You can use frozen carrots to make carrot cake, but you need to shred them before freezing — use the same process as above but be sure to peel the carrots before shredding and blanch them for less time. Here are a few recipes to get you started.

Does carrot cake taste the same without carrots? ›

The misinformation contained in these three sentences boggles the mind. Carrot cake is self-evidently not a pie. Carrots absolutely enhance the flavor of carrot cake—it's not like all their flavor compounds evaporate while the cake is baking.

What vegetable is similar to a carrot? ›

Parsnips are a root vegetable belonging to the carrot family. They have tapered roots shaped like a carrot but they are white. Parsnips have a delicate, sweet and slightly nutty flavour.

What can I substitute carrot top for? ›

Carrots, parsley, cilantro, and dill are all in the same botanical family, so they make easy substitutes for each other. Try using carrot tops in a familiar recipe if you are uncertain about their flavor. Generally, carrot tops are a bit more fibrous than parsley, and mature carrot tops are tougher than younger tops.

What is a good substitute for carrots in a roast? ›

Simple is always best when it comes to a classic pot roast, but this recipe is very versatile. Substitute carrots for other starchy vegetables, like chopped russet potatoes, parsnips, or butternut squash. Any leftover meat is delicious served cold on sandwiches the next day with a smear of mustard and mayonnaise.

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