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Vegan Roast Carrot Cardamom Cake

By Sara Kidd April 7, 2022 2 Comments

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Vegan Roast Carrot Cardamom Cake slice portrait this recipe

I’ve never really been a fan of vegan carrot cake, (or of any cake that contains sultanas).  The texture of the grated carrot just didn’t have a great mouth feel and it would remind me of eating salad. However, roast carrot is a completely different story. It’s gooey, sweet and a little crispy all at the same time. Paring it with cardamom to add a sensual spicy touch seemed like magic. Adding toasted walnuts and a semi-sweet lemon buttercream is a match made in cake heaven. This recipe takes your usual carrot cake to the next level and is very easy to bake.

NOTE ABOUT THE MARZIPAN ROSES: The tutorial on how to create the marzipan rose decorations is included in THE VEGAN CAKE BIBLE and you can also check out how I made them for my Swedish Princess Cake here.

This cake is one of the recipes featured in my new cookbook THE VEGAN CAKE BIBLE, now available to purchase here. This cookbook encapsulates 60 recipes, decorating cake tutorials, troubleshooting, ingredients recommendations and everything you could possible ever want to know about vegan cakes. My hardcover cookbook (265 pages!) is broken down into the following chapters:

  • HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
  • THE BASICS 
  • ASSEMBLING & DECORATING YOUR CAKE 
  • FOUNDATION FROSTING
  • FOUNDATION FILLINGS
  • FOUNDATION CAKES
  • TRADITIONAL CAKES 
  • SPECIALITY CAKES
  • GLUTEN FREE CAKES

The reason I’m sharing this recipe is that I’ve had so many requests for carrot cake. I wanted to recreate a classic recipe that is a stand out winner of a cake. I hope you love it.

Vegan Roast Carrot Cardamom Cake Breakdown

Skill:Easy
Method:Reverse creaming
Size:Makes one 9 inch / 22.86cm cake
Serving:10 – 12 casual servings
Pairing:Any type of frostings
Sweetness:Mild
Profile:Soft moist crumb
Storage:Un-iced layers stored in an airtight container outside of fridge two to three days
Bakers Tip:Roast your carrots without seasoning until they are soft and shrivelled. Toast your walnut pieces in a dry pan over a high heat until they become fragrant and slightly darker. You can make your marzipan flowers ahead of time.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • swap walnuts with your favourite nuts
  • swap almond meal with cashew flour
  • swap soy milk with coconut milk for a soy free version

Tips for Preparing Your Carrots and Walnuts

Wash and slice your carrots in half. Roast your carrots with a small amount of canola oil and without seasoning until they are soft and shrivelled. Toast your walnut pieces in a dry pan over a high heat until they become fragrant and slightly darker. You can make your marzipan flowers ahead of time.

Vegan Roast Carrot Cake whole portrait

Love Vegan Cakes? Check out these recipes…

  • Vegan Coconut Swiss Roll Cake
  • Swedish Princess Cake
  • Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
  • Gluten-Free Apple Glaze Cake
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Vegan carrot Cake by Sara Kidd

Vegan Roast Carrot Cardamom Cake


★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Sara Kidd
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: Makes one 9 in / 22.86cm cake
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This recipe takes your usual carrot cake to the next level and is very easy to bake. 


Ingredients

Cake
120 g whole roasted carrot (approximately 3 large carrots)
220 g (1 ⅔ cups) plain all purpose flour
150 g (1 ⅔ cups) almond flour
125 g (½ cup) vegan butter or margarine, melted
165 g (¾ cup) light brown sugar, firmly packed
55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
60 g (½ cup) toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) cup plain soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon lemon extract 

Semi-Sweet Lemon Buttercream
60 g (¼ cup) hi-ratio vegetable shortening
60 g (¼ cup) vegan butter or margarine
155 g (1 ¼ cups) icing or confectioners sugar
60 ml (¼ cup) soy or plant-based cream
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon lemon extract
Pinch of sea salt

See my Princess Cake Recipe for details on how to make Marzipan Roses.


Instructions

Cake

  1. If you’re making the marzipan roses, prepare your marzipan first so it has time to chill. See my Princess Cake Recipe for details on how to make Marzipan Roses.
  2. Preheat your convection oven 160°C (320°F.) Grease one 9in / 22.86cm round cake tin and line it with baking paper. Grease and dust very lightly with flour to prevent the cake from sticking.
  3. Add your roasted carrot (see notes about this in NOTES section) to a food processor and pulse until the carrots are broken up into small pieces but not completely pureed. Set aside. 
  4. In the bowl of a standard mixer with a whisk attachment, add the plain flour and almond flour. Pour in the melted butter and mix on a low speed until it takes on a sandy consistency. 
  5. In a large bowl, add both the brown and white sugars, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to break up the brown sugar. Pour into your mixing bowl, add the walnuts, and mix together for about 30 seconds, or until the sugar has blended into the flour. 
  6. Add the soy milk, roasted carrot mixture, vanilla, cardamom, and lemon extract to a large jug and stir to combine. Pour into your mixing bowl and beat on the lowest speed until just combined; about 20 to 30 seconds. The mixture will be very lumpy and runny. 
  7. Transfer the batter to your prepared cake tin. Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 47 to 50 minutes, or until the top is firm to touch and a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to the sides. 
  8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the cake tin for 15 minutes before flipping onto a cake rack. Allow to completely cool before frosting. 

Buttercream 

  1. Warm the shortening and butter in the microwave until it’s slightly soft to touch but not melted; 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to beat on a low speed until completely smooth and lump free; about 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. Whilst beating on a low speed, add 1 tablespoon of soy cream at a time until incorporated and your mixture is smooth.
  3. Sieve icing sugar and add a cup at a time whilst beating on low speed. Add the vanilla, lemon extract, and salt and beat until combined.
  4. Set aside until ready to frost your cake.

How to assemble your cake.

  1. See my Princess Cake Recipe for details on how to make Marzipan Roses.
  2. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the dome off the top of your cake so it’s completely level.
  3. Place your cake onto your cake board or cake stand with the smooth bottom side facing up. 
  4. Cover the top of your cake in buttercream and smooth it out using a large offset spatula or palette knife. To create a whirl effect on top, place a small palette knife onto the centre of your buttercream, just touching the buttercream, at a slightly tilted angle and spin your cake around on a cake turntable, whilst slowly move your knife to the outside of the cake. The swirl pattern will appear as the cake spins. Decorate with your marzipan roses and serve. 

Notes

Roast your carrots without seasoning until they are soft and shriveled. Toast your walnut pieces in a dry pan over a high heat until they become fragrant and slightly darker. You can make your marzipan flowers ahead of time.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Reverse creaming
  • Cuisine: Dessert

Keywords: vegan, carrot cake

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag @veganbakesbysarakidd — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

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Over 60 recipes, gluten-free cake recipes included, many photographed decorating tutorials and everything you need to know about about baking, building and decorating spectacular vegan cakes! Out now…

Vegan Cake Bible Cookbook

Filed Under: Recipe, Cake, carrot, Featured Recipe on Homepage Tagged With: carrot, vegan cake

About Sara Kidd

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Comments

  1. Heidi says

    March 21, 2023 at 6:27 am

    I love this cake, however if I wanted to make it nut free can I remove the almond flour and sub for regular flour? What purpose does the almond flour have? I’m curious since I’ve noticed it in quite a few of your recipes. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Sara Kidd says

      March 21, 2023 at 7:02 pm

      It helps with the texture of the cake. You can sub with normal flour. x

      Reply

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