With all the excitement of participating in the Vegan Month of Food, I sort of forgot to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Vegangela.com. Working on this blog has been such an enriching experience for me – and even if I were to stop blogging tomorrow, I know that my life has been forever changed by the incredible people that have supported me here and to whom I’ve looked up to for inspiration and guidance. The world can be a lonely place sometimes but it’s so nice to know that there’s this great little community out there that is there for me, and that in my small way, I’m contributing to as well. So thanks for everything, dearest readers, and here’s to many more years of blogging adventures!
On top of my recent blogiversary, my birthday was on Monday, so I decided to bake my all-time favorite cake. It’s moist, decadent, and pretty addicting. This is the cake that my mom makes me for me every year, but which I’ve been missing out on big time since moving to Sydney a couple years ago. I originally planned to make the cake but it requires two cake pans, and since I don’t even own one at the moment (and I’m moving in two months and leaving everything behind), I thought it best to halve the recipe and make cupcakes instead. The cupcakes are just as delicious and decadent as the cake, so I’ve included both options below.
Notes
- I used whole wheat flour and it worked wonderfully, and made me feel better about all that sugar!
- I store these in the fridge – the icing firms up and the cupcakes are cool yet moist…Mmm.
- I accidentally mixed the pineapple and pecan pieces right into the frosting, but you’re actually supposed to press them into the frosting separately – Oops!
Vegan Carrot-Praline Cake (or Cupcakes)
A deliciously moist vegan cake (or cupcakes) with creamy cream cheese icing
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 12-14 servings of cake or 18 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Cake/Cupcakes
- 1 tbsp vegan margarine
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1+1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 vegan egg replacements (such as Ener-G egg replacer)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (or 1 cup of each)
- 1+1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 can (8 oz / 227 g) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
- 2 cups shredded carrot
Frosting
- 1 package (8 oz/ 227 g) Tofutti cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups sifted confectioners sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 can (8 oz / 227 g) pineapple tidbits in syrup, drained
Garnish
- Pecan halves, toasted (optional)
Instructions
- For cake/cupcakes, melt margarine in a skillet; add 3 tablespoons sugar and cook over low heat until mixture bubbles. Stir in pecans; cook until pecans are coated and sugar begins to caramelize. Pour onto a sheet of waxed paper; cool. Break pralines into small pieces.
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C. In a mixing bowl, beat 1+1/4cups sugar, oil, and vanilla at medium speed of an electric mixer, 1 minute.
- Add vegan eggs; beat until blended.
- Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; add to oil mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
- Stir in pineapple, carrot, and praline pieces.
- If making a cake, pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans, otherwise, pour into lined muffin pans. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pans/muffin pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans/muffin pans; cool completely on wire racks.
- For frosting, beat cream cheese and margarine in a mixing bowl at medium speed until creamy; gradually add brown sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- If making a cake, spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Press chopped pecans into frosting on sides of cake. Press pineapple into frosting around top edge of cake. Garnish with pecan halves.
Notes
Adapted from: Carrot-Praline Cake, The Spirit of Christmas book, 2002
This was the third vegan carrot cake recipe I’ve tried… And the first to come up perfect!!! Thank you very much.
★★★★★
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for writing 🙂
These look ah-mazing! Best part: this was posted on my actual birthday! Scorpio shout-out!!
Woot! Scorpios rule 🙂
I made these cupcakes this evening. Oh my gosh, they were amazing. For the first time I can honestly say that nobody could tell they were vegan. With many vegan baking recipes I’ve tried, if I didn’t lknow they tasted ‘different’ to a non vegan baked good, at least one person eating it would. But these were 100% everything a carrot cupcake should be, the texture, rise, crumb, flavour, everything was perfect. I did make a couple of adjustments mainly due to a lack of some of the ingredients – I omitted the pineapple (will use next time just didn’t have any – can’t wait to see how much moister they will be as they were really moist already!), added a whole teaspoon of cinnamon plus 1 1/2 tsp allspice as I love the spices in carrot cake, made almond praline as was all I had and finally made a quick icing with icing sugar and hazelnut milk and topped with reserved praline. Fabulous, really recommend this recipe!! Thank you!
I’m so glad that you liked them. They’re great as a cake too. Definitely one of my all-time favorite desserts, and you’re right, no one would guess that it’s vegan!
OMG. I just made these on a whim for a vegan food swap and they are AMAZING. I initially burned the pralines–and burnt sugar smokes horribly–but once I got the pralines right (on my 2nd try: VERY important to keep the burner low), the rest was easy. Instead of shredding the carrots, I pulped them in my juicer and used them sans juice. The cake was moist enough from the pineapple, and I was surprised by how the pralines melted in the cupcakes. I’m about to try making the frosting, which looks pretty standard to me. Did you use dried pineapple as a garnish in the photos? It’s a wonderful recipe and such a surpriise that it’s been hidden in a book of Christmastime recipes–it seems like a great party cake any time pecans are in season. Thanks for adapting it!
Hi Amy – I’m so glad you liked this, it’s definitely my favorite vegan cake/cupcake recipe. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner on the icing. Yes, I used dried pineapple for the garnish. I agree with you, hiding this gem in a Christmas book is silly – this cake is great all year round!
happy birthday and blogiversary – that cake looks amazing – I have a particular weakness for pairing carrot with pineapple and for pralines – look forward to many more great ideas here!
Thanks very much Johanna 🙂
Happy birthday and happy blog birthday, dear Angela! How lovely of you to treat us to a present of such deliciousness when we should be pampering you 🙂 As you say, here’s to more magnificent years!
Thanks so much Hannah! 🙂
Happy Birthday! I had carrot cake for my birthday too but yours looks awesome! I’m bookmarking your recipe! 🙂
Hope your day was awesome!
xox
Happy Blog-a-versary and Birthday!! I’m a November baby too – but at the other end of the month (29th). 🙂
These cupcakes look delicious! I’m sorry you had to make your own birthday cake, but I think when you have creations this tasty, it’s probably okay. 🙂
Yay for November babies! You’re right about that – I’d die if someone made me a vegan cake, but I’m OK with doing it myself from time to time 🙂
Woo hoo, happy blog birthday, and real birthday! I don’t even know when I first began blogging, but I should probably go back and check. And it’s been far too long since I’ve done up the carrot cake – so good. Hope your birthday(s) were super enjoyable!
Thanks so much Allysia 🙂
I totally missed your actual birthday, son of a biscuit! So let me sing you a song:
Happy happy birthday,
this is your special day!
Happy happy birthday,
That’s why I’m hear to say…
Happy happy birthday,
may all your dreams come true!
Happy happy birthday
from Fork and Beans to YOU! <–clearly I worked at a restaurant in my day 🙂
Now I am nervous!!! You made these *awesome* cupcakes and now I have to actually make something for myself. Eek! Breathe, Cara, breathe. Okay. In honor of both of us AND your blog's birthday, I will do something.
P.S. Congrats on ONE YEAR!!! You deserve all of the attention and success that this blog attracts! I am so happy for you 🙂
AAWWWWW thanks so much Cara. You’re the best! 🙂
Happy Anniversary to Vegangela!!! Those cupcakes look amazing! Thx for the recipe =)
Thank you Debbie – let me know if you try them 🙂
looks yummy! Happy anniversary 🙂
Thank you!
Happy Blog Birthday AND Birthday Birthday! Those cakes look ridiculously moist! Many happy returns x
Thanks you so much! 🙂
Happy Anniversary to Vegangela!!!
These cupcakes are to die for!!! Love these yummy frostings with pecans!
Thanks so much Rika! 🙂
These look amazing!! I am currently baking gingerbread biscotti… it’s beginning to get to that point in Canada where all I want to do is bake sweet filling things and watch it snow. These are going on my list to bake this weekend!
Thanks Lexie 🙂 Let me know when you make them! Try to remember to sprinkle the pineapple and pecan bits on top, I bet they’ll look so lovely that way. Gingerbread biscotti sounds divine!
Hooray! Happy day 🙂 Yummo to the carrot cupcakes… I think carrot cake has gotta be my fav (it’s healthy, there are veges in it) They look delish.
Yes, I also think they’re healthier despite all that sugar!
Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday!!
The cakes look super moist and amazing 🙂
Thanks so much, I have eaten too many of them! 🙂