Vegan Carrot Cake with Tofutti Cream Cheese Frosting

Over the 14 weeks of the Culinary Job Training Program, we introduce trainees to different cuisines, techniques, and preparations, including gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan cooking. This vegan carrot cake recipe is a staff favorite; give it a try and let us know what you think!

Vegan Carrot Cake with Tofutti Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe Yield: 2 7” round cakes and 3-4 cups frosting

Ingredients:

Flax eggs:

  • 2 Tbsp Ground flaxseed

  • 6 Tbsp hot water

Batter:

  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour 

  • 1 tsp Baking Powder

  • 1 tsp Baking Soda

  • ½ tsp Salt

  • 2 tsp Cinnamon

  • 1 tsp Nutmeg

  • 1 ½ cups Light Brown Sugar 

  • 2 ⅓ cups Grated Carrot 

  • ½ cup Canola Oil 

  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

  • All of the flax egg mix from above

  • 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

  • 1 Cup Sunflower seeds

Frosting:

  • 12 oz Tofutti (vegan cream cheese)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Method of Preparation:

Mise en place: read your recipe, gather all ingredients, then gather tools, measure, then start preparing.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 7-inch cake pans or two 8-inch cake pans (see notes*) with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.

  2. Sift the all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together.

  3. Add the light brown sugar and grated carrot to the mixing bowl.

  4. Prepare your flax eggs by adding 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal to a bowl with 6 tablespoons of hot water. Let it sit for a minute to become gloopy.

  5. Add the flax eggs, oil, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar and chopped walnuts to the mixing bowl.

  6. Mix everything together. If it seems like it won't come together and the mix is too dry then step away from the bowl for a couple of minutes and then come back to it. The carrots will have released more moisture into the batter allowing it to come together into a thick batter.

  7. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.

  8. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.

  9. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Make frosting:

  1. Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.

  2. Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.

  3. With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.

  4. Use to frost completely cooled cake or cupcakes.

Faith Emerson