Vegan Carrot & Orange Cake (No Flour, No Sugar)
🌱 Vegan Carrot & Orange Cake 🍊
This Vegan Carrot & Orange Cake is a moist, naturally sweet layer cake made without wheat flour and without refined sugar. Almond flour and oats do the structure. Dates and orange do the sweetness. There’s a glossy orange filling in the middle and a coconut-orange glaze on top.
I love how the carrot stays visible in the crumb and the orange zest makes the whole kitchen smell like citrus. Don’t overbake it — almond-flour cakes dry out if you wait for a bone-dry toothpick. 💚
Jump to Recipe ↓ 🌱
Why You’ll Love This Cake 💚
- 🌱 Completely vegan
- 🚫 No wheat flour
- 🚫 No refined sugar
- 🥕 Real grated carrot
- 🍊 Fresh orange zest
- 🥥 Coconut-orange topping
The Secret to a Cake That Isn’t Dry
Dates need to be soft. Soak them if they’re firm. The batter should look thick and wet, not like regular cake batter. Pull the layers when the center springs back. Cool completely before you add the orange filling or it slides.
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
Is oat flour allowed if it says no flour? 🌾
This version uses blended oats and almond flour — no wheat. Skip the oats and use all almond flour if you want it grain-free.
Can I use maple instead of dates? 🍁
Yes. Use ⅓ cup maple and reduce the orange juice a little so the batter isn’t runny.
How do I store it? 🧊
Fridge for 4 days. The glaze sets more as it chills.
🌱 Vegan Carrot & Orange Cake
Ingredients 🛒
For the Cake
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup oat flour (blended rolled oats)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup packed pitted dates, soaked and drained
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup oil or almond butter
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups grated carrot
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
For the Orange Filling & Topping
- ½ cup date-sweetened orange spread or thick orange chia jam
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Toasted coconut, extra zest, walnuts, and an orange slice
Instructions 👩🍳
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 6-inch pans or one 8-inch pan.
- Blend the dates, orange juice, applesauce, oil, zest, and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in almond flour, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in carrot and walnuts.
- Bake 28–34 minutes, until the center springs back. Cool completely.
- If using two layers, spread the orange filling between them.
- Whisk coconut cream with orange juice and zest. Spoon over the cake so it drips. Finish with coconut, zest, walnuts, and orange.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per slice (1/10) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 280 |
| Protein | 6g |
| Net carbohydrates | 18g |
| Total carbohydrates | 22g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Total fat | 20g |
| Sodium | 140mg |
Estimates based on almond flour, dates, carrot, and coconut topping. Exact numbers may vary by date size.
Notes & Tips 💡
- For a quick orange filling, simmer orange segments with mashed dates until thick.
- A 6-inch pan gives you the tall slice in the photo.
- This cake is even better the next day once the orange soaks in.
- Skip the walnuts if you need it nut-free on top — the crumb already uses almond flour.
This Vegan Carrot & Orange Cake is moist, citrusy, and sweetened with fruit instead of a sugar bag. A carrot cake that still feels like dessert. 🍊🌱
If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment or tag me!
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