Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe With Cashews

Alright, so you’re craving something sweet, trying to keep it plant-based, and you’ve got a bunch of carrots giving you judgmental looks every time you open the fridge? Let me introduce you to the solution: a vegan carrot cake that’s so good, even your carnivore friends will be asking for seconds. Oh, and there are cashews involved – because everything’s better with cashews, duh!

Why This Recipe is Awesome

First off, this isn’t just any vegan carrot cake. This is the “I can’t believe there are no eggs in this” carrot cake. It’s moist (sorry if you hate that word, but there’s no better way to describe it), perfectly spiced, and topped with a cashew cream frosting that might make you question why you ever bothered with dairy in the first place.

The best part? It’s basically foolproof. If I can make it while simultaneously binge-watching reality TV and texting, you can definitely nail it. Plus, you get to feel all virtuous about eating vegetables in your dessert. That’s practically a salad, right?

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free if you’re going all-in on dietary restrictions)
• 1 cup brown sugar (because we’re being healthy-ish, not saints)
• 1 tsp baking powder (the stuff that makes things rise, not to be confused with baking soda)
• 1 tsp baking soda (see above, they’re different, I promise)
• 2 tsp cinnamon (more if you’re like me and believe cinnamon is a food group)
• ½ tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if you’re fancy, pre-ground if you’re normal)
• ½ tsp salt (to make the sweet sweeter – it’s science)
• 3 cups grated carrots (about 3-4 large carrots, and yes, your arm will get tired)
• ½ cup applesauce (nature’s egg replacer)
• ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted (or any vegetable oil if you’re not on the coconut bandwagon)
• ¼ cup plant milk (almond, soy, oat – whatever floats your non-dairy boat)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (the real stuff, not the weird artificial one)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional, for the texture enthusiasts)
• ½ cup raisins (also optional, and somewhat controversial – team raisin or team no-raisin?)

For the cashew frosting:

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked overnight (or for at least 4 hours if you didn’t plan ahead)
• ⅓ cup maple syrup (the real stuff, because we’re worth it)
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted (makes it set nicely in the fridge)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (for that slight tang that makes you go “mmm”)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (again, the good stuff)
• Pinch of salt (to balance the sweet – still science)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep your oven and pan. Preheat to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. If you forget the parchment, you’ll regret it later. Trust me.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. This is not the time to show off your biceps – a gentle whisk will do.
3. Prep the wet team. In another bowl, mix the grated carrots, applesauce, melted coconut oil, plant milk, and vanilla. Stir until everything’s friendly with each other.
4. Create the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. Overmixing will make your cake sad and tough, and nobody wants a sad cake.
5. Add the extras. Fold in walnuts and raisins if you’re using them. If you’re on team no-raisin, this is where you silently judge people who put raisins in baked goods.
6. Bake it! Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean, or when your kitchen smells so good you can’t take it anymore.
7. Make the frosting while you wait. Drain and rinse your soaked cashews. Blend them with maple syrup, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt until silky smooth. This might take a few minutes, depending on your blender’s life choices.
8. Cool and frost. Let the cake cool COMPLETELY before frosting. I know it’s hard to wait, but hot cake + frosting = sad, melty mess.
9. Chill out. Pop the frosted cake in the fridge for at least an hour to let the frosting set. This is the perfect time to clean up your disaster zone of a kitchen.
10. Slice and impress. Cut yourself a generous piece, pretend you’re on a baking show, and accept your imaginary star baker award.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not soaking your cashews long enough. Unless you have a blender that could pulverize a small vehicle, those cashews need their spa time. Dry cashews = lumpy frosting = disappointment.

Overmixing the batter. This isn’t a workout; it’s a gentle folding situation. Your future self wants a tender cake, not a rubber frisbee.

Being impatient with cooling. I know the cake smells amazing, but please let it cool completely before frosting. Otherwise, you’ll be serving carrot cake soup with a side of regret.

Forgetting to drain the cashews. Unless you want cashew water frosting (you don’t), drain those bad boys thoroughly after soaking. FYI, cashew water is not the next big thing in plant milk.

Alternatives & Substitutions

No cashews? You can use store-bought vegan cream cheese for the frosting. It won’t have the same homemade bragging rights, but it’ll get the job done.

Gluten-free friends? Swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend. Just make sure it’s one with xanthan gum already included, or add 1 teaspoon yourself to avoid the dreaded crumbly cake syndrome.

Sugar alternatives? Coconut sugar works well here if you’re avoiding refined sugar. The cake will be slightly darker, but hey, it’s rustic!

Nut allergies? Skip the walnuts (obviously) and try sunflower seeds for crunch. For the frosting, you could experiment with soaked sunflower seeds instead of cashews, but honestly, a coconut whipped cream might be an easier alternative.

And if you’re thinking about leaving out the carrots… well, then you’re just making a spice cake, which is fine but definitely a different recipe. Maybe bookmark this one for when you’re ready for vegetable commitment.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I make this into cupcakes?
Absolutely! Just reduce the baking time to about 20-25 minutes. Makes around 15-18 cupcakes, depending on how generous your scooping arm is feeling.

Will this taste “healthy”?
If by “healthy” you mean “like cardboard and disappointment,” then no. This tastes like actual carrot cake. The kind that makes you close your eyes and make inappropriate noises while eating.

Can I make this ahead of time?
You bet! The cake actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to mingle and get to know each other. Just keep it refrigerated if you’ve already added the frosting.

My cashew frosting is too runny. What did I do wrong?
Did you add the coconut oil? Did you refrigerate it? If yes to both, your kitchen might be too warm. Stick it in the freezer for 15 minutes, then give it another blend. Still runny? Add more cashews or a tablespoon of coconut butter.

How long will this cake last?
In the refrigerator, about 5 days. In reality? About 24 hours before you or someone in your household devours it entirely. I don’t make the rules.

Can I freeze this cake?
Yep! The unfrosted cake freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. The frosting, not so much. If you want to freeze frosted leftovers, they’ll taste fine after thawing, but the texture might get a bit weird.

Final Thoughts

There you have it – a vegan carrot cake that doesn’t taste like you’re punishing yourself for past dietary sins. It’s moist, it’s flavorful, it’s got vegetables so it’s practically a health food, and that cashew frosting? Game-changer.

Whether you’re a committed vegan or just someone who ran out of eggs (we’ve all been there), this cake delivers on both the nostalgia front and the “actually tastes good” front.

Now go forth and bake! And when everyone asks for the recipe, feel free to be mysteriously vague about how many hours it took you. Your secret baker genius status is safe with me.