Name: Eggless Carrot Cake Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups All purpose flour (Maida); 1 teaspoon Baking powder; 1 teaspoon Baking soda; 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon Freshly grated nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon Salt; ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Oil (* use flavorless oil); ¾ cup White granulated sugar; ¼ cup Milk; ¼ cup Water; 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract; 1 cup Carrots (grated); 2-3 tablespoons Walnuts (or pecans, chopped (for Garnishing)); 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter (softened to room temperature); 113 grams or 4 oz Cream cheese (softened to room temperature); 1 cup Powdered sugar (Confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar); ½ teaspoon Pure vanilla extract

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This eggless carrot cake is soft, tender, perfectly moist and its sweet and balanced spice flavor is perfect. The velvety cream cheese frosting and crunchy walnuts are the perfect finishing touch. This is truly the BEST carrot cake made without eggs.

Eggless carrot cake with one slice on a cooling rack with a knife.

About This Recipe

If you are Indian or familiar with Indian food then you might know there is a popular, classic Indian sweet made with carrots. Yes, it is carrot halwa (Gajar ka halwa). Just like that carrots can be used in baking like cake, muffins, cupcakes, etc. It is equally delicious like halwa. Trust me, try it out yourself.

Those pretty looking orangy-red flakes of grated carrot in this eggless carrot cake cake give beautiful color and texture to the cake. It also provides sweetness and moisture to the cake.

The addition of cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg give spiced flavor to the cake. Trust me, spices are not overpowering at all. It has a balanced flavor of spice and sweetness.

Ingredient Notes

Flour: Just like any other cake, plain all purpose flour (aka maida in Hindi) is required.
Sugar: You’ll need regular white granulated sugar.
Leavening agents: You’ll need both baking powder and baking soda. They give the cake a lift and make it spongy.
Salt: A little amount is added to balance the flavor.
Nutmeg: Always use freshly grated nutmeg instead of buying readymade nutmeg powder.
Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg both adds a perfectly warm flavor to this eggless carrot cake.
Oil: I have used canola oil. I recommend using any flavorless oil like canola, corn, vegetable, safflower oil, etc. Do not use strong-flavored oil like olive oil.
Vanilla: Always use pure vanilla extract and stay away from imitation ones.
Milk: I always use full-fat milk. But if you have low-fat or fat-free on hand then you can use that.

Step By Step Photo Instructions

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) for at least 10 minutes.
Start by toasting the walnuts. Spread them on the baking sheet and bake for 5-6 minutes. Let them cool and the chop. Alternately, you can dry roast them in a pan on the stovetop.
Toasting nuts is purely optional. But I highly recommend toasting them. It gives a nice deep nutty flavor with some extra crunch.
Grease the 9-inch round cake pan with butter or oil. Or spay with nonstick cooking spray.

Making Eggless Carrot Cake:

1) Take dry ingredients (all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt) in a bowl.

2) Whisk well till everything is incorporated well. Or you can sift the dry ingredients. Keep it aside.

Collage of 2 images showing dry ingredients process pics.

3, 4) In another bowl, take oil and sugar. Whisk using wire whisk for few minutes, you will have a grainy mixture.

5, 6) Now add milk and water. Also, add pure vanilla extract and again whisk really well till everything is mixed and incorporated.

Collage of 4 images showing mixing wet ingredients.

7, 8) Now add half of the flour mixture. Mix using a whisk.

9) Then add remaining flour mixture.

10) Start mixing with a whisk and halfway through switch to a spatula and mix till everything comes together. Do scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl while mixing. Do not overmix.

11, 12) Now add grated carrots. Fold them in with a spatula.

Collage of 6 images showing adding dry to wet ingredients and making cake batter.

13) Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Spread the cake batter evenly using a spatula.

14) Bake into the preheated oven of 25-30 minutes. Check the cake by inserting a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean then the cake is ready. Remove it from the oven and let it cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then remove it from the pan by inverting on the rack. Let it cool down completely.

Collage of 2 images showing unbaked and baked cake pics.

15) While its cooling make the cream cheese frosting. Detail instructions in the recipe card below.

16) Make sure that cake is cooled completely before you start frosting. Spread the even layer and garnish with chopped walnuts. I have kept it casual by spreading on top only. You can cover the sides if you want.

Collage of 2 images showing cream cheese frosting and decorated eggless carrot cake.

Expert Tips

Preheat the oven first. Then prepare the cake pan. After that start making the batter. Because you don’t want the batter to sit longer while the oven is preheating. So as soon as the batter is ready, pour into the pan and it goes into the preheated oven for baking.
Walnut substitute: You can use pecans.
Adding nuts into the batter. Yes, you can add ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, almonds. Even you can add raisins. Add them along with carrots and fold them in.
Make it a double layer cake. Yes, we need a two-layer cake for birthdays, anniversary or special occasions. Double the recipe, divide into two cake pans and bake. Baking time will be more by about 2-3 minutes or so. Because we are baking two at a time. Also, double the frosting amount and decorate as you want.
Get a clean cut of the slice: First, use the sharp knife. Slice the cake once, dip it into the warm water and wipe it clean. Then make another cut. Voila, you will have a nice clean slice of cake. No more frosting ruining the looks of the slice. So every time you slice, dip the knife in warm water and wipe it dry.
Why does baking powder or baking soda give aftertaste? I got a few queries mentioning that they get the after taste of baking soda or baking powder. I can say, always use fresh soda and powder. If anything is older than 6 months, it might give the aftertaste. Please check the expiration taste before using in the recipe.

A slice of eggless carrot cake in a plate with fork.

Check out more eggless cake recipes
Eggless mango cake
Eggless chocolate cake
Tutti frutti cake
Eggless orange cake
Eggless lemon cake

Did you try this eggless carrot cake recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.