This soft and moist eggless carrot cake is packed with fresh carrot flavor and topped with a tangy cream cheese glaze. It comes together easily in one bowl and bakes up with a tender, fluffy crumb.
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I love the simplicity of this eggless carrot cake! It has just the right amount of sweetness and a tender texture thanks to the shredded carrots. There is no need for extras like nuts or spices, but feel free to add them in like I do in my classic carrot cake or easy carrot coffee cake.
While this easy egg-free carrot cake is delicious on its own, I love how a cream cheese glaze adds the perfect creamy finish. If you prefer a thicker layer of frosting, you can swap the glaze for the one I use on my carrot cake muffins.
Ingredient Notes
- Cake or pastry flour: Lower in protein than all-purpose flour, it keeps the crumb soft and light which is especially important when baking without eggs.
- Shredded carrots: Freshly grated carrots add moisture and natural sweetness. Pre-shredded carrots can be too dry, so it’s best to grate them yourself.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps bind the batter. Whole or 2% milk works well, or use heavy milk for a richer cake.
- Sugars: A mix of granulated and brown sugar adds balanced sweetness and a hint of caramel flavor.
- Oil: Keeps the cake tender and moist. Choose a neutral vegetable oil or light olive oil so the flavor stays delicate. Melted butter can also be used but the cake texture will be more dense.Â
- Cream cheese glaze: A simple blend of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla makes a smooth, lightly sweet topping.
How to Make Eggless Carrot Cake
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until everything looks evenly mixed.
Pour in the milk, oil, and vanilla extract, then use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir until you don’t see any dry spots of flour. Gently fold in the shredded carrots so the batter looks thick and evenly combined.
Spoon cake batter into the prepared round cake pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake cools, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little milk until the glaze is creamy and easy to drizzle or if you prefer thicker as a frosting. Once the cake is cool, pour or spread the glaze/frosting over the top. Slice and enjoy!
recipe tips
- DIY cake flour: If you don’t have cake or pastry flour, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk well before using.
- Adjust the glaze: For a thicker glaze, use less milk. To thin it out, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it’s pourable.
- Line the pan:Â For easier removal, line the bottom of your cake pan with parchment paper before adding the batter.
- Double the batch: You can double this recipe and bake it in a 13×9-inch pan. Just keep an eye on the baking time as it may take a few extra minutes to cook through.
Variations
- Warm spices: Add a little freshly grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon to bring a cozy flavor to the eggless carrot cake.
- Mix-Ins: Fold in unsweetened shredded coconut, raisins, chopped walnuts, or pecans along with the carrots for extra texture.
- Dairy-free: Use non-dairy milk and swap the cream cheese glaze for a dairy-free frosting or a simple powdered sugar icing.
- Gluten-free: I haven’t tested this cake gluten-free, but a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend should work. The texture may be slightly different.
More Carrot Recipes
This eggless carrot cake is soft, moist, full of flavor and finished with a silky cream cheese glaze. It’s a simple yet elegant dessert that’s just right for any occasion. Enjoy!
- 1¼ cups cake/pastry flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3¼ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ tablespoons oil (vegetable, light olive oil or melted butter)
- ½ cup + 1½ tablespoons milk (whole/heavy or 2% milk) (140 grams total, if you double the recipe then double this amount)
- 1¾-2 cups shredded carrots
CREAM CHEESE GLAZE
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup butter (softened)
- ¾-1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons milk or cream
- ½-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Grease and flour or spray and 8 inch/20cm cake pan.
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In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugars. Add the vanilla, oil and milk, beat to combine, do not over mix. Fold in the carrots.
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Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes, test with a toothpick. Let cool in the pan, 20 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with the glaze and serve. Enjoy!
CREAM CHEESE GLAZE
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In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and butter, beat until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk or cream to start and the vanilla. Beat just to combine, to not over beat. If too thick add a bit more milk until you reach desired consistency. If you use cream it will be thicker (the first photo).
How to store the eggless carrot cake
Cover the cooled cake tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a bit before serving so the glaze softens.Â
How to freeze the cake
Wrap the unglazed cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then glaze before serving.
Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 2960IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 0.4mg | Phosphorus: 119mg
Recipe FAQs
Yes, just double the recipe and bake it in two 8-inch pans. Keep an eye on the baking time, as it may need a few extra minutes.
I don’t recommend it! Whole wheat flour will make the cake dense and heavy instead of light and tender.
Cover the cooled cake tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a bit before serving so the glaze softens.Â
Yes! Wrap the unglazed cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then glaze before serving.
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