Vegan Pineapple Carrot Cake🥕 A scrumptiously rich and moist classic carrot cake made with all plant-based ingredients including carrots, pineapple, cinnamon and vanilla, topped with a luscious lemony cream cheese frosting.
It's time for carrot cake! Actually, it's always time for carrot cake since this fabulous plant-based dessert is perfect to serve anytime of the year. You don't need a special occasion to enjoy a slice of this absolutely delicious vegan cake.
It's fun to indulge in a slice of carrot cake as an afternoon treat with a cup of coffee or tea, (just like I sometimes do with my favorite lemon blueberry bread and vegan zucchini bread). Since this cake keeps well when refrigerated, you can enjoy it for several days. It can also be frozen and then thawed for those moments when you just have to have something sweet and satisfying.
Table of Contents
I've tried a lot of different carrot cake recipes over the years, but this one is hands-down, my all time favorite. Not just because it is my mom's recipe, but I admit, that does make it just that much sweeter. I love veganizing traditional family recipes and this eggless and dairy-free version is even better than the original. After all, this is The Carrot Underground🥕 and it is my moral duty to provide you with the very best vegan carrot cake recipe ever!
🥕Why I love this recipe (and you will too!)
There are so many things to love about this recipe for vegan pineapple carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. The addition of crushed pineapple creates a perfectly moist and flavorful carrot cake with just the right amount of sweetness and spice.
I sometimes include flaked coconut, which provides an extra layer of flavor, texture, and a nice chewiness to the cake. Topped with a luscious dairy-free lemon cream cheese frosting which I also use on my favorite lemon cake, it's the ultimate crowd-pleaser for vegans and non-vegans alike.
Wait, there's more!
- Vegan pineapple carrot cake is a lovely and delicious dessert to serve when you are having guests or family over.
- It's perfect for everyday and holidays including: Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Fall events.
- You can create a single or multi-layer cake or cupcakes with this one recipe.
- If you're short on time, you can prepare it a day in advance and refrigerate your cake(s) until you are ready to serve.
- It's easy to swap out or add ingredients in this recipe
- It's a lot of fun to make and even more fun to eat!
- And it's 100% vegan! How sweet is that?
🥕Ingredient Notes
The Cake
🥕See the recipe card below for quantities & details
flour - all-purpose (I prefer organic unbleached flour in this recipe)
baking soda - fresh is best (helps your cake to rise)
cinnamon
salt
vegetable or coconut oil - see FAQ's below for oil-free version
brown sugar - I like organic vegan brown sugar as it adds to the flavor and color of the cake. I haven't made this recipe with other types of sugar or sweeteners, so I can't offer you first-hand advice.
vanilla extract
egg replacer vegan 🥕 I used a packaged powdered egg replacer mixed with water, however, there are other suitable options you can also use. See the FAQ's below for more info.
pineapple - crushed & drained (fresh or canned) I use canned because I'm lazy.
carrots - (freshly grated) I use a box grater because I prefer thinly grated carrots. I don't recommend packaged pre-grated carrots as they're usually coarsely cut which may affect the texture of the cake. A food processor is another option for grating your carrots.
coconut - flaked, unsweetened (optional) If you prefer your cake to have a lighter and more delicate crumb, then you should skip the coconut.
walnuts - chopped (optional)
raisins or sultanas - (optional)
🥕Instructions
Note: This recipe makes one 9" x 13" cake, two 9" round layers or 24 cupcakes.
The Cake
Preheat oven to 350ºF/180℃
- Sift together flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Set bowl of dry ingredients aside.
3. In a large bowl, place oil, egg replacer, sugar, and vanilla.
4. Stir until the wet ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Note: You can stir the batter by hand, however, it will be quite thick and a bit of a challenge to combine. I suggest using an electric hand or stand mixer to thoroughly blend in all the ingredients. It makes the job a lot quicker, not to mention, a whole lot easier too.
5. Gradually stir in dry ingredients.
6. The batter will be very thick.
7. Add grated carrot, pineapple, coconut, and any other add-ins you choose.
8. Mix the batter until fully combined.
9. Grease the cake pan(s) with a light coating of vegetable oil or dairy-free butter and lightly dust the bottom(s) and side(s) with flour. If making cupcakes, place paper liners into tin.
10. Fill the cake pan with batter. For a layer cake, fill each cake pan with an equal amount of batter. For cupcakes, fill each cup ⅔ full.
11. Bake layer cakes for approximately 45 minutes. (Note, a single layer cake might take a few additional minutes to bake). Bake cupcakes for 25 - 28 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out dry, they're ready to be removed from the oven.
12. Place cakes or cupcakes on a wire rack to cool. Once completely cooled, the cakes will be ready to be iced with vegan lemon cream cheese frosting.
Watch my video below to see how I prepare this scrumptious vegan pineapple carrot cake recipe.
The Frosting
See the full recipe for making a batch of the best vegan cream cheese frosting here. Watch the video below to see to how easy it is to prepare this lemon cream cheese frosting.
🥕Carrot Cake Decorating Tips
This vegan pineapple carrot cake is so moist and full of flavor, if you prefer, you can skip the frosting and enjoy it naked. Personally, I like my cake fully dressed with a generous topping of vegan lemon cream cheese frosting.
How to ice a vegan carrot cake
The best part of baking your own vegan pineapple carrot cake is icing it with yummy lemon cream cheese frosting! Here is everything you need to know to make your cake simply scrumptious!
If you're icing a single layer rectangular vegan carrot cake, I suggest leaving the cake in the pan. Use a spatula or spreader and gently spread frosting over the top of the cake. You can dress it up (see below) or keep it simple with a sprinkle of lemon zest or a handful of chopped walnuts on top.
If you're icing a 2-layer cake, turn the bottom layer upside down on a large flat plate or cake stand. Use a spreader to apply a coat of frosting (no more than ¼" thick or the cake layers could slide a bit). If that should happen, you can keep them from sliding by using 2 or 3 tooth picks or trimmed down bamboo skewers run through the layers. (Do be sure to remove them when serving the cake).
I decided to leave the sides naked and decorated the cake (above) with sliced fresh orange, lemon, and lime peel to create a flower design.
How to ice a 3-layer cake
For a 3-layer vegan pineapple carrot cake, you might need to level the middle layer by gently carving the top with a long sharp knife, only removing the slightly rounded portion. (Note: A 3-layer cake will require 50% more batter and possibly more icing.) This cake is dense and moist and, as a result, each layer will be fairly heavy.
For the vegan pineapple carrot cake above we iced the sides with a very light amount of lemon cream cheese frosting, sometimes known as half-dressed, semi-naked, or a crumb coat. It looks nice and helps keep the cake from drying out too quickly.
The top of the cake is finished with a generous amount of frosting sprinkled with unsweetened flaked coconut and decorated with dried slices of Cara Cara orange and lime.
Dried citrus and other fruits are a simple and pretty way to decorate your vegan pineapple carrot cake. For the beautiful cake below, my daughter decided to use slices of dried tangerine and blood orange, sprigs of fresh thyme, and a sprinkle of pistachios and cranberries.
How to dry slices of citrus fruits
In order to help preserve the fruit and prevent juice from staining the frosting or making it wet, it's a good idea to dry or dehydrate the slices before decorating. Here is how to do it: Select two or three petite citrus fruits and cut them into thin ⅛"- ¼" slices. Arrange the slices onto a parchment lined baking sheet and place in a low oven at 260℉/130℃ for about 1 hour. Turn the slices over halfway through.
How to ice pineapple carrot cake cupcakes
For cupcakes, I like to use a pastry bag with decorative tips to apply the lemon cream cheese frosting but you can also use a food grade plastic bag filled ⅓-1/2 full with frosting. Twist the open end tight and hold with one hand. Use scissors to snip a small opening on one corner and gently squeeze the bag and swirl on some frosting. You don't have to cover the entire top. A dollop in the middle makes for a nice look.
You can also create mini carrots or a decorative design with colored icing. Look for natural food colorings that are vegan and cruelty free, such as TruColor , Wilton , or Americolor .
🥕Equipment
Here are the kitchen tools you might need to prepare this recipe.
- electric hand or stand mixer, or a large spoon to hand-mix
- large bowl
- medium bowl
- grater
- veggie peeler
- silicone spatula
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- one 9"x 13" rectangular or two 9" round cake pans or a cupcake pan
- cupcake liners (if making cupcakes)
- pastry bag with decorative tips for icing (optional)
- flat spatula or spreader for icing
- citrus juicer
- zester
🥕FAQ's
What can I use instead of oil in carrot cake?
You can replace the oil with an equal amount of apple sauce, or use half oil/half apple sauce.
What can I substitute for eggs in carrot cake?
The original version of this recipe calls for 3 eggs, which I’ve substituted with vegan egg replacer. There are several packaged powdered egg replacers available which work well. You can also make your own by combining one tablespoon ground flax meal with three tablespoons of water (per egg). Allow it to sit 5 – 15 minutes to thicken before using. Carbonated water is another great substitute for eggs in cake recipes. For this recipe, use ⅔ cup carbonated water.
Can I use fresh or canned pineapple for the cake?
Either works! Fresh pineapple adds a vibrant flavor, however, canned pineapple is convenient and readily available. If you use fresh pineapple, crush it in a blender or food processor and be sure to drain the pineapple well before adding to the recipe.
Can I make this cake gluten-free?
Yes, you can! Simply substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Just make sure to check that all your other ingredients are gluten-free as well.
How long will this cake stay fresh?
When stored properly in the fridge, this cake will stay fresh for up to 4 days. Just be sure to cover it well to prevent it from drying out.
More tasty treats!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to check out some of my other baked goodies like my favorite fluffy and moist vegan blackberry muffins, these lightly sweet and tart chewy cranberry oat crumble bars, or this easy yummy vegan banana bread.
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Vegan Pineapple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Electric hand or stand mixer, or a large spoon to hand-mix
- large bowl
- medium bowl
- Grater
- Cupcake pan, one 9"x13" rectangular or two 9" round cake pans
- Cupcake liners (if making cupcakes)
- Pastry bag/decorative tip for frosting
- Flat spatula or spreader
Ingredients
Vegan Pineapple Carrot Cake
- 2.5 C flour all-purpose
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 C vegetable oil see notes below for reduced oil
- 1-¾ C brown sugar vegan
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 vegan egg replacer (Equivalent of 3 eggs - I use powdered vegan egg replacer) see notes below for other options
- 1 C pineapple crushed & drained
- 3 C carrots peeled & grated
- ½ C unsweetened coconut flaked - (optional) If you prefer your cake to have a lighter and more delicate crumb, then you should skip the coconut.
- 1 C walnuts chopped - (optional)
- ½ C golden raisins (optional0
Cream Cheese Frosting - See the complete recipe here
Instructions
Vegan Pineapple Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/180℃
- Sift together flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla.
- Gradually stir in flour, soda, cinnamon & salt.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Thoroughly mix.
- For cupcakes- line pans with paper liners. For cakes - lightly grease pans with butter and dust with flour.
- Cupcakes - fill each cup ⅔ full. Cakes - pour batter evenly into pans.
- Cupcakes - Bake at 350º degrees for 25 - 28 minutes. Cakes - Bake at 350° up to 45 minutes until cake is lightly browned and inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely on rack and ice with vegan lemon cream cheese icing.
- Decorate cake or cupcakes. Refrigerate unti ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
jacquie says
the cake looks wonderful, but it is far too many servings for my little household without freezer space. Do you by any chance have a smaller version? thanks.
Connie says
Hi Jacquie! Thank you! I would suggest cutting the quantity of each ingredient in half. I haven't attempted it personally, but it has worked out well in other cake recipes I have tried. Do let me know if you give it a go!
Sunny says
So good!!! I love how moist and flavourful this cake is, and the icing is the perfect balance of sweetness. Definitely a new springtime favourite!
Connie says
Thank you kindly Sunny! I'm happy you love this carrot cake!🥕
Kelsey Snyder says
These cupcakes were AMAZING! I ate 3 before they had a chance to cool off. I used carbonated water instead of the egg replacement, and it worked perfectly! The cake is moist and so full of flavor and the frosting! I could eat it by itself! I can’t wait to have the cupcake with my coffee in the morning! It was the perfect treat to end our Easter!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Kelsey! Who knew carbonated water was such a great egg replacer? I’m making it my new go-to for baked goods.😋
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
My favorite!