Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

I used to get commissioned to make this carrot cake (in layer cake form) from a local vegan who asked for it every holiday. This was over 20 years ago and the recipe still holds up. I’ve made a few tweaks as I’m really loving flaxmeal mixed with aquafaba these days as an egg substitute. I used to use a powdered egg replacer and it always worked, but this makes for a much moister cake.

I always associate this cake with spring and Easter but quite frankly, it’s good any time of year. It’s also very versatile and you could add different nuts, raisins, coconut, dried cranberries or just enjoy it naked. Not eat it while naked, although I won’t judge you if you do!

I’ve always made this with a vegan cream cheese frosting scented with orange zest and it’s what I love most about this recipe. The frosting is worth the price of admission alone and could be used on many other cakes (red velvet, chocolate, funfetti) and the flavoring can be altered to your taste. You could certainly omit the zest if you just don’t like oranges or don’t have any available. Try and find an organic orange as you’ll be using the zest and don’t want any pesticides if you can help it. You could use orange extract in a pinch but it won’t be as good (I would use a teaspoon if going this route). Sub in a teaspoon of vanilla extract if not using the orange zest.

Above is the consistency you want in the finished frosting. It should be super creamy and the way to get there is to use room temperature vegan butter and cream cheese. Leave them out for a few hours before making the frosting but if you forget you can use the microwave in 10 second intervals just until softened. Just make sure to only heat in short bursts as you don’t want to melt, just soften.

These would be equally as tasty as muffins without frosting so feel free to eat them that way if you prefer. You can also make this as a layer cake or in a 9×13 baking pan if preferred. See my notes for baking times for these options.

I’m using a combo of melted vegan butter and coconut oil in the cake, but you could use all oil or melted butter if you prefer just use a plain oil and not an olive oil. I like the taste of unrefined coconut oil and it adds another dimension to the flavor profile. Another unusual ingredient is freshly grated ginger not dried. It’s so good so don’t leave it out if you can help it. I’ve even used the frozen ginger available as pellets in trays in a pinch. I use a rasp or microplane grater for the ginger and orange zest but you could use the fine grating side of a box grater instead.

Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe by Kreg

5.0 from 1 vote

Servings

18

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

24

minutes

A moist delicious vegan carrot cake with a superb orange cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) vegan butter, melted and cooled

• 1/4 cup melted unrefined coconut oil, cooled

• 6 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)

• 2 tablespoons finely ground flax seed

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1/2 cup vegan milk

• 1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup vegan cane sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark), packed

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root

• 2 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 large), packed

• 3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for baking pans

• 1 cup pecans or walnuts

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

• Vegan Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) vegan butter, room temperature

• 8 oz vegan cream cheese, room temperature

• 3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted to remove lumps

• 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated

• pinch salt

Directions

• Spread nuts in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan and toast in oven until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand until completely cool. Finely chop nuts (I use a mini food processor) and set aside.
• Add vinegar to milk and let sit for a few minutes. It should look curdled. Whisk the flax into the aquafaba and let sit for five minutes to thicken slightly.
• Shred the carrots by hand using a box grater or with a food processor using the shredding disc attachment. (If using a food processor, stand the carrots upright in the feed tube so you’ll have smaller shreds.) Lightly pack shreds into measuring cups to make sure you have enough. 
• Place melted and cooled vegan butter and coconut oil, shredded carrots, aquafaba and flax egg mixture, sour milk, vanilla, both sugars, applesauce and fresh ginger in a large bowl and mix until well combined by hand or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined then fold in the toasted nuts.
• Grease and flour or use paper liners for your cupcake pans. Preheat oven to 350°. Using a large ice cream scoop or other measurer evenly distribute the batter into the pan about 2/3 full. You’ll bake one dozen then another half dozen after unless you have two cupcake pans. Some say to fill the empty openings in the pan with water so everything will bake evenly. I’ve done it both ways and not noticed a big difference either way. You might get away with stretching this recipe to two dozen cupcakes if you fill the muffin cups a bit less. Bake cupcakes for 24-27 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Ovens vary (especially convection fan models) so check often as you don’t want to over-bake these. Cool completely before frosting.
• Frosting
• Place the room temperature vegan butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and mix with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and zest and mix for a minute. Sift the confectioners sugar (I use a small fine mesh sieve) over the butter mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Chill for a half hour then use to frost cake or cupcakes.

Notes

• If choosing to make a different sized cake, use the following as a general guide all baking at 350°. 8-9” round pans will bake for approximately 30-35 minutes. A 9×13 pan will bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. A loaf pan will bake approximately 50-55 minutes. Ovens vary and convection heat will reduce baking times up to 5-10 minutes so check often!
• Use a thick classic style cream cheese like Tofutti or Violife brands.
• Feel free to add dried fruits like raisins or dried cranberries.
  
• You could substitute canned crushed pineapple for the applesauce for a different flavor.
  
• If you don’t have fresh ginger, you could use frozen (look for the small trays of frozen spices) or use two teaspoons dried ginger as a replacement. I highly recommend fresh as it’s a key flavor in this cake.
  
• This cake freezes well so wrap tightly in plastic wrap then foil and defrost completely before frosting. You could freeze an uneaten portion of frosted cake, but the texture of the icing may suffer.

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