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A slice of dairy free carrot cake on a plate next to a fork and napkin.

Dairy Free Carrot Cake

This dairy free carrot cake is packed with warming aromatic spices, the perfect amount of grated carrots, and is topped with a light and fluffy cream cheese frosting. Great for Easter (or any time of year)!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword dairy free carrot cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 16 slices
Calories 470 kcal
Author Dairy Free for Baby

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups grated carrots

For the frosting (optional; can use store-bought dairy-free frosting instead):

  • 7-8 ounces dairy-free cream cheese, softened (recommend Violife)
  • ½ cup dairy-free butter, softened (recommend Country Crock plant butter sticks; 1 stick)
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For topping (optional):

  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir until well combined.
  3. In another large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, crushed pineapple, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
  4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and add the grated carrots. Stir until just combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F on the center rack for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick pulls clean from the center.
  6. When the cakes are done, let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then flip onto a cooling rack to continue cooling.

  7. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: add the dairy-free cream cheese, dairy-free butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a mixing bowl for use with a hand mixer). Using the whisk attachment on the mixer, start on low speed until the ingredients start to come together, then increase to high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. Cover the bowl and put the frosting in the fridge while the cakes continue to cool.

  8. Once the cakes are completely cool, place the first cake on a cake stand or serving platter. Frost the top, then place the second cake on top. Continue frosting (either completely, or you can leave the sides bare – you’re preference). Optionally, garnish with some chopped walnuts. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • Use fresh carrots for the best results (pre-packaged are often too large and too dry). Using a food processor is ideal for finely grated carrots. I've found between ¾ pound to 1 pound of fresh carrots gets you around 3 cups grated.
  • The ounces of dairy-free cream cheese brands can vary, with some being sold in 7-ounce containers and others being sold in 8-ounce blocks. Either will work for this recipe.
  • The cakes must be completely cool prior to frosting, or this frosting will melt.
    Putting the frosting in the fridge while the cakes finish cooling can help it to thicken and be a bit sturdier.
  • This is a very light and fluffy cream cheese frosting, which is what I prefer, but it can sometimes soak into the center layer a bit. If you want a thicker, sturdier frosting, cut the dairy-free cream cheese to 4 ounces, and increase the dairy-free butter to ¾ cup.
  • Because the frosting contains dairy-free cream cheese, leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.

 

Nutrition analysis (approximate per serving): 470 calories, 22 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 380 mg sodium, 65 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, 50 g sugar, 4 g protein, Vitamin D: 1%, Calcium: 3%, Iron: 7%, Potassium: 3%