Egg Free Carrot Cake (Nut Free)
This egg free Carrot Cake is light, fluffy, and perfectly spiced. It's very easy to make, and is great topped with homemade cream cheese frosting! Grab a few fresh carrots and some basic pantry staples, and you’ll be enjoying this simple and delicious dessert in no time. This makes one small, two-layer 8" or 9" round cake, great for a family or small gathering.
Servings: 8 -12 slices, depending on size
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil OR melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cup and leveled off at the top
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and finely grated carrots, loosely spooned into measuring cups (about 2-3 medium, whole carrots – do not used pre-shredded)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line two 8 or 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and/or spray with cooking spray.
- Peel and finely grate carrots. Measure carrots loosely (not packed) into 1 1/2 cups and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together all wet ingredients (including white and brown sugars) until combined.
- In a smaller bowl, stir together all dry ingredients except carrots, until all are incorporated together. We’ll add the carrots later.
- Add dry ingredients (except carrots) to wet ingredients, and stir just until combined. Be sure not to over-mix, or your cake may lose its light fluffy texture. Gently fold grated carrots into the batter.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans, distributing evenly between the two pans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. (Note: bake time is the same for 8" or 9" pans). Allow cakes to cool for at least 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting. (See Notes below for my Cream Cheese Frosting).
Notes
I love topping this eggless carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, but it would also be excellent with buttercream or vanilla frosting. Below are simple instructions for my Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups confectioners sugar (to taste)