Coconut Carrot Cake (Dairy-Free, Egg-Free)

Name: Coconut Carrot Cake (Dairy-Free, Egg-Free)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 3 cups whole wheat flour; 1 cup cane sugar; 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 cups unsweetened almond milk; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons almond extract; 1 1/2 cups grated carrot; 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, flaked or shredded; 2 cans (400 ml) full fat coconut milk, refrigerated for 24 hours; 2 teaspoons maple syrup; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 cup unsweetened toasted coconut, flaked or shredded (divided)

March 30, 2020 Updated: May 10, 2023 By Leanne 33 Comments

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Coconut Carrot Cake is an easy homemade carrot cake recipe that’s dairy-free and egg-free. It’s tender and moist, and topped with coconut whip and toasted coconut. This vegan recipe is perfect as a bundt cake, or you can even turn it into cupcakes!

We have a serious love for carrot cake around here! From this single layer small carrot cake recipe with walnuts and cream cheese frosting to this gluten-free almond flour carrot cake, there is plenty of variety to choose from.

Overhead view of slices of carrot bundt cake arranged on white plates.

*This post was originally published in April 2017. It has been updated with new photos and text, including helpful tips for readers and minor adjustments to the recipe to make it vegan.

Like many people, carrot cake reminds me of springtime and Easter. I’m not sure why that is because carrot cake was never a traditional Easter dessert when I was growing up. Who had time for dessert when there were so many crispy and nutty chocolate bunnies to eat?!

In our house, carrot cake was actually more common around Christmastime. And now that I’m older, it’s most common around my birthday. Oh yes, carrot cake is my birthday cake of choice!

And when it comes to carrot cake, this coconut version made without dairy and eggs, is my all time favourite. It’s soft and dense, like a carrot cake should be, and it’s a one-bowl recipe, except for the frosting. I also make it with whole wheat flour and leave out the rich cream cheese frosting, so you could say it’s a little more on the healthy side.

Carrot bundt cake being sliced into pieces and placed on small plates.

Details on a few ingredients

Whole wheat flour – As I’ve mentioned in other recipes, I usually bake with whole wheat flour. It adds more fibre and other nutrients to recipes and, in my opinion, it doesn’t usually result in a noticeable difference in the taste and texture of desserts. If you prefer all-purpose white flour, you may need to test the quantity as a 1:1 substitution doesn’t always work with cakes since whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture than white flour.

Coconut – I used unsweetened coconut in this cake. If you only have sweetened, you can use it, just keep in mind that it will result in a sweeter cake with more sugar added. You can use flaked or shredded coconut (both add a great texture), but I would avoid using fine coconut. I used a mix of toasted and un-toasted, but you can just stick to one or the other. While you can buy toasted coconut, I usually toast my own. (I’ve included instructions in the recipe as to how to do this).

Carrots – Of course, carrots are an essential ingredient in this recipe. You can’t really taste the carrots in carrot cake, but they add sweetness and help create a soft, moist and dense texture. I used about 3 large carrots to get 1.5 cups for this recipe, and just grated them using my box grater.

How to make egg-free carrot cake

In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Add in the milk, oil, and vanilla and almond extracts. Whisk together until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.

Batter for dairy-free carrot cake being whisked together in a glass bowl.

Stir in the grated carrot and coconut. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake on 350F for about 50 minutes.

Egg-free carrot cake batter poured into a greased bundt pan.

Vegan carrot cake baked up in a bundt pan.

Once the cake has cooled, whip up the coconut milk frosting. I usually add about half a cup of toasted coconut to the frosting for added taste and texture.

Coconut carrot cake cooling on a round wire rack.

Frost the cake and top it with more toasted coconut.

Coconut carrot bundt cake frosted with coconut whip and covered in toasted coconut.

Frequently asked questions

Is carrot cake healthy?

Just because carrot cake has carrots in it, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. This recipe is a little healthier than a traditional carrot cake as it contains whole wheat flour and extra virgin olive oil, and leaves out the rich cream cheese frosting. But, as with all sweets, this one is also best enjoyed in moderation.

How do you store this cake?

If it’s unfrosted, you can store it covered at room temperature. Once frosted, the cake should be refrigerated.

Can you make this cake in advance?

You can make this cake a day or two in advance, and wait to frost it until a few hours before serving. The coconut milk frosting only maintains it’s texture for 2-3 days, so I wouldn’t recommend making the frosted cake too far in advance.

How long will it last?

If unfrosted, this cake will last 4-5 days at room temperature. With frosting, it will last 2-3 days in the fridge.

Can you freeze this cake?

While I don’t recommend freezing this cake with frosting, you can freeze it unfrosted. Just let it cool completely, wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. It should last for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake in the fridge or at room temperature before frosting.

Slices of cake arranged on white plates with forks.

Make this carrot bundt cake into carrot cupcakes

The recipe easily transforms into 24 cupcakes, or half the recipe to make 12 cupcakes. Just line your muffin tins with cupcake liners and fill them 3/4 full with batter. Bake at 350F for 17-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Let them cool, then frost and enjoy!

Recipe tips and substitutions

To keep this carrot cake vegan, make sure your vanilla and almond extracts are vegan.
To change things up, you can top the frosted cake with chopped walnuts, or even bake some into the cake.
If you don’t have cane sugar, you can use granulated sugar instead.
While I used almond milk, any nut milk will do. Just make sure it is unsweetened.

More carrot cake recipes

Baked Carrot Cake Donuts with cinnamon, toasted coconut and a white chocolate topping make a delicious snack or dessert.
Carrot Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches have a thick layer of dairy-free ice cream nestled between soft and chewy carrot cake cookies.
Carrot Cake Loaf with walnuts, raisins and cashew cream frosting.
And for a decadent treat with cream cheese frosting, try these Carrot Cake Cupcakes from Cooking for My Soul.

If you make this coconut carrot cake, please leave a comment and rating below to let me know how it turned out!

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