Vegan Carrot Cake with Creamy Lemon Frosting

Vegan Carrot Cake with Creamy Lemon Frosting is the perfect fall dessert and one of our all-time favorites. It takes a bit of time but it is simple and worth the effort. It's super moist and stays fresh in the fridge for days (although it never lasts that long in our home!)

Preparation and Assembly Time: 45 minutes (not including cooling time)
Cooking Time: 45 - 55 minutes
Yield: 1 cake (double-layer, bundt or sheet)

TIP!  To maximize time, make the glaze and the frosting while the cake is baking.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
1 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1 ½ cups soy or almond milk (vanilla)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups raw grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins (golden preferred)

GLAZE (optional)
½ cup vegan creamer (I use Silk® French Vanilla)  

FROSTING
4 oz Vegan“Cream Cheese” – plain (Tofutti® and Daiya® are good choices)
¼ cup Earth Balance® Whipped Buttery Spread
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 ¼ cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

For The Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a bundt or a 9 x 13 inch pan. If you are making a double-layer cake, grease and flour two 8x8 round cake pans.
   
   
2. In a large bowl, mix the white sugar, brown sugar, and oil. Beat until light and fluffy. In another bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the sugar and oil and beat. Add the soy or almond milk and mix well.
   
   
3. Add the vanilla extract and stir again. Add the carrots and mix well. Finally, add the walnuts and raisins and mix all of the ingredients together until the batter is consistent.
   
   
4. Pour the batter into the pan (or pans) and bake for about 45-55 minutes. Do not over bake! Check the cake after 45 minutes; if a toothpick is slightly moist after inserted into the middle of the cake, then it is ready. If necessary, bake another 10 minutes (the 8x8 pans and the 9x13 pan will typically be done sooner than a bundt cake pan). When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly (about 10 minutes).

For The Glaze (optional)

After the cake has cooled slightly, make a few holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick, and with a knife, gently separate the cake from the edges of the pan. Slowly pour the vanilla creamer on top of the cake and in the space between the cake and the edge of the pan. It should ooze all over the cake and seep in which will make it moist and even sweeter. Let the cake stand in the glaze for about an hour, and then gently remove the cake from the pan to finish cooling.

For The Frosting

1. In a saucepan or small pot, heat the cream cheese, Earth Balance, and grated lemon peel over low heat until the butter is melted and the cream cheese is very soft.
    
2. In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar. Add the cream cheese/butter mixture and blend or whisk together with the powdered sugar until the mixture is very smooth. Refrigerate the frosting for a few minutes until is it cooled and slightly stiff. You can frost after the cakes are cooled.
    
3. If you are making a double-layer cake, take one layer from the pan and flip it over so that the flat "bottom" is now on the top. Spread the frosting on the both layers, and then stack the other layer on top of the one that it flipped over.
    
4. For bundt or pan cakes, simply frost.

Mini Carrot Cakes Kamaal and I made for a catering event.