Make this easy, no-bake vegan carrot cake at home with simple, wholesome ingredients like carrots, nuts, and maple syrup! Naturally sweet and full of warm cinnamon flavor, this healthy dessert is topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and a touch of orange zest! Perfect for the holidays, or anytime of year.

WHY I MADE THIS HEALTHY RAW VEGAN CAKE

I grew up eating fruit cake every holiday season. My mom would start soaking the minced fruit in large vats of Jamaican overproof rum months ahead of Christmas. Just days before the big moment, she would focus on frosting each of the cakes, decorating them with white, pink, and green swirls before gifting them to our family and neighbors.

Fruit cake has a really bad reputation here in the States, but I’ve always liked fruit cake because it’s what I grew up enjoying. The holidays are here again, and as I’m thinking about the types of desserts and side dishes that I would love to see at my table, I kept thinking about how delicious it would be to have a fruit and nut cake this season. Something hearty, healthy, and lightly sweet.

And, what if it didn’t need to be baked? That’s how this healthy raw vegan cake came to be. The main ingredients are carrots, dates, pecans, and walnuts, because the combination of fruit and nuts here gives this cake such a lovely taste and texture that will change your mind about all raw cakes moving forward.

This cake pairs so well with cinnamon cream cheese frosting, and a cup of coffee or tea. This healthy cake is completely gluten free, refined sugar free, and can also be easily made dairy free! Dare I say that this is the healthiest cake you’ll eat this holiday season? It very well may be the tastiest!

MY RAW CARROT CAKE RECIPE

The full recipe for my raw carrot cake recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of how to make it. Be sure to scroll down though to view the full recipe and get all of the measurements and instructions!

Carrot Cake

• Add all of the Carrot Cake ingredients to a food processor or blender, and blend to create a thick, uniform dough. Make sure there are no large pieces left over.
• Spoon the dough into the loaf pan, pressing it down firmly so the cake is flat. Cover the cake and place it in the freezer for about 2 hours.

Cinnamon Frosting

• Mix all of the Cinnamon Frosting ingredients on low speed until smooth.
• Scoop the frosting on top of the cake, smoothing the top so it’s flat.
• Return the cake to the freezer for 30 minutes – 1 hour, and serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon and orange zest.

RAW HEALTHY CAKE KEY INGREDIENTS

The full ingredients list for this healthier holiday cake is in the recipe card below, but here is an overview:

Carrot Cake

• Carrots: Of course, this raw carrot cake needs carrots! Carrots are the main ingredient for this recipe because carrots blend beautifully, they don’t change their taste or texture very much after being left out (unlike bananas or apples), they’re naturally sweet, and they act as a great binder for all of our other ingredients. Carrots are a powerhouse in this recipe for a good reason!
• Walnuts and Pecans: I love the combination of walnuts and pecans in this cake, because they aren’t as gritty as almonds or cashews. These nuts are naturally softer and easier to break down, plus they have a more neutral flavor that pairs well with our other healthy cake ingredients.
• Medjool dates: Dates are one of nature’s greatest gifts… when I first discovered how versatile dates can be I haven’t turned back. They’re sweet, plump, and juicy, and you’ll definitely taste the fruitiness in every bite of this cake. Without dates, our cake would fall apart, and it wouldn’t be naturally sweet. I love medjool dates in particular because they are super juicy and soft, with a caramel-like flavor which makes them perfect for blending.
• Almond flour: Acts as an additional binder, and gives this cake a nice, soft “cookie dough” texture.

Cinnamon Frosting

• Cream Cheese: Instead of powdered sugar and butter, cream cheese is the base of our cinnamon frosting recipe. I like it because it gets super creamy, and has a neutral flavor that you can dress up with the addition of cinnamon and vanilla. If you’re vegan or dairy free, use vegan cream cheese instead!
• Maple Syrup: A natural source of sweetness. You only need a little bit to make our cinnamon frosting pleasantly sweet.
• Cinnamon and Vanilla: For flavor, yum!

HOW LONG DOES THIS HEALTHY CAKE TAKE TO MAKE?

The full recipe is below, but here’s the gist of it:

• Prepping and blending the ingredients: 10 minutes
• Making the frosting: 10 mins
• Bake time: None!

In total, this healthy holiday cake will take you about 20 minutes of active time to make. That’s super easy, if you ask me! This does not include the rest time for the cake, which will add about 3 additional hours to the total recipe time.

The freezer does all of the work, so this healthy cake recipe is a super easy and hands-off process, making it perfect for those who are new to the kitchen.

HOW TO STORE THIS VEGAN CARROT CAKE?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. I recommend storing the cake in individual slices so that you can just take out a slice or two when you’re ready to enjoy!

When ready to serve, allow the cake slices to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften.

HEALTHY HOLIDAY CAKE FAQ

1. Can I make this carrot cake completely vegan?
Yes! Simply use vegan cream cheese in the frosting. There are great options for vegan cream cheese made from cashews, almonds, or coconut. The rest of the ingredients are already vegan-friendly.

2. Do I need to bake this cake?
This cake is completely no bake!! It sets completely in the freezer, making it perfect for when you don’t want to turn on the oven.

3. How long does the cake need to chill before serving?
Freeze the cake for at least 2 hours to firm up before adding the frosting. Once frosted, chill it again for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.

4. Can I make this nut-free?
Yes! Replace the walnuts and pecans with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, and swap almond flour for oat flour. The texture will still be deliciously moist and chewy.

5. Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?
Yes, you can! If you’re not vegan, honey works fine. For a fully vegan option, stick to maple syrup, agave nectar, or date syrup.

6. Can I use something besides cream cheese?
Yes, you can use Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese in this recipe.

7. What pairs well with this carrot cake?
A cup of chai, coffee, or a latte complements the warm cinnamon and orange flavors beautifully.

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