i used to work at a restaurant that had the most divine carrot cake. it was like nothing i’d ever tasted before! so naturally, when i recently found myself with an intense craving for it, i knew that only one thing would do – recreate it in my own kitchen!
so off to the grocery store i went and armed with some organic carrots, pecans, and canned pineapple (a not-so-secret anymore ingredient!), i set out on a mission. after prepping all of the ingredients, mixing them together, and baking it in the oven until golden brown – voila! a delicious vegan version of my favorite carrot cake emerged.
to make this beautiful creation plant-based, instead of topping it off with cream cheese frosting, we whipped up some aquafaba into stiff peaks and then spread it over the top along with some toasted coconut flakes for good measure.
the result? utter perfection! not only was this oil-free, vegan carrot cake unbelievably moist due to the juicy addition of canned pineapples but also surprisingly light thanks to the fluffy aquafaba topping.
talk about having your cake and eating it too.
what is aquafaba?
the whipped topping for this recipe uses an unusual ingrediend called aquafaba. aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas or other legumes that has been drained and whipped with sugar until it forms stiff peaks, similar to egg whites. this vegan-friendly ingredient has become increasingly popular in recent years.
it is an excellent egg replacer for vegan baking and can also be used to make meringue, marshmallows and even mayonnaise. the possibilities are truly endless!
ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar or other unrefined granulated sugar
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 can 15 ounces unsweetened pineapple tidbits, drained, juice reserved
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- 3 tablespoons applesauce
instructions
- preheat oven to 350f and grease an 8×8 square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. if using walnuts or pecans, toast them lightly in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- in a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix until combined.
- in a separate bowl, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple), coconut sugar and applesauce until fully mixed together. add in grated carrots and optional nuts and mix until combined.
- pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just fully combined – do not overmix! gently fold in the drained pineapple chunks until evenly distributed throughout batter.
- pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. let cake cool before serving. enjoy!
notes
how did our vegan carrot cake turn out?
we really enjoyed this vegan carrot cake. ours wasn’t quite as pretty as the ai-generated version, but it tasted delicious.
the ingredients were easy to come by and didn’t require a trip to a specialty store.
don’t miss our other recipes, and as always, please leave us a comment or drop us a message if you make one of our recipes. We’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!
Thanks for being part of the Vegan Byte community.
One Response
Yum! I made this over the weekend for some friends and it was such a hit. The pineapple makes the cake so moist!