Eggless Carrot Cake with Buttercream Cheese Frosting! Discover how to make this scrumptious cake with step-by-step photos!

I’ve been experimenting with several eggless cake recipes lately, and this carrot cake has become a favorite in our household. It’s made a regular appearance at our birthday celebrations, and I even baked it for my son’s birthday this year! I finally managed to snap some pictures, and I’m excited to share them with you.
Although carrot cake is often associated with spring, it’s truly a treat for any time of the year—thanks to the year-round availability of carrots. This cake is ideal for any celebration, and the rich buttercream cheese frosting with a subtle hint of ginger takes it to the next level.
This cake was inspired by a recipe I found online, but I made a few tweaks—using regular milk and going with a buttercream cheese frosting. Honestly, I can’t imagine a carrot cake without that creamy, tangy frosting; it’s truly a match made in heaven! That said, if you’re looking to reduce the sugar, you can skip the frosting altogether and bake it as a simple loaf—similar to banana bread.
Ingredients required
Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, and a pinch of salt! Make sure the baking powder is fresh and that all ingredients are at room temperature.
Sugar: A combination of regular and brown sugar adds both depth of flavor and moisture.
Carrots & Walnuts: Use fresh, sweet carrots—peeled and finely grated. Chop the walnuts into small, even pieces so there are no large chunks.
Wet Ingredients: You’ll need butter, milk, and a splash of vanilla extract.
Buttercream Frosting: For the rich frosting, I’ve used cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and added a little extra grated carrot and ginger for that subtle zing.
Check the recipe card below for detailed measurements.
Dietary Notes & Storage Tips
This carrot cake is egg-free, but it does contain nuts and dairy. Because the cream cheese frosting is perishable, it’s best stored in the refrigerator. I usually keep it in an airtight container or cake box. It stays fresh for about 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
Before serving, let the cake sit out for about 30 minutes, so it softens and the frosting becomes creamy again. If you’re in a hurry, a quick microwave burst of 15 to 20 seconds will do the trick—don’t overdo it!
VVK Tips
- Always let the cake cool completely before frosting. You can even refrigerate it—make sure it’s well-wrapped to prevent drying out.
- Use ingredients that are at room temperature, and double-check that everything is within its expiration date.
- Avoid overbaking. Oven temperatures vary, so start checking your cake 5 to 10 minutes early to prevent dryness.
How to make eggless carrot cake
- In a mixing bowl, add butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
- Cream together until the mixture is crumbly, then add the milk. Continue creaming until well combined—but don’t overbeat, as the butter might curdle.
- Sift in all-purpose flour, cinnamon powder, and baking powder.
- Add in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts, then gently mix into the sugar mixture.
- Pour the batter into a greased 7×3-inch round pan. Sprinkle a little milk on top to keep the crust soft.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (I also tested my newer oven at 325°F for 35 minutes, which worked beautifully!) Baking at 350°F gives a slightly crisp crust on top.
- Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then gently loosen the edges with a knife and flip it out of the pan.
- Let it cool for another 15 minutes before slicing, or cool it for 1–2 hours if you plan to decorate. I wrapped mine after an hour and refrigerated it overnight for the best results.
- For the frosting, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and butter.
- Mix until all the ingredients are well-combined and lump-free using an electric hand mix.
- Next add the grated carrot and ginger and mix.
- Decorate the cake as you like. Here is how I decorated the cake (I am not a pro; I am still learning how to decorate a cake). I added ¾ of the frosting to the cake and spread it evenly(ok, not-so-evenly) using an angled cake spatula.
- Then, I put the remaining ¼ of the frosting into my piping bag with a star tip and piped a few stars on the top and sides. Finally, sprinkle some confetti on top.
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to use any milk of your choice.
- You can substitute butter with vegetable shortening or oil, but I recommend butter for carrot cake—it adds amazing flavor.
- There is no need for special ingredients—I just pulsed regular sugar in a blender for a finer texture and used it in the frosting, too.
- Use full-fat cream cheese and about 1 cup of powdered sugar for a rich, smooth frosting.
- Frosting is optional—this cake tastes amazingly warm on its own or served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
More eggless bakes
PS: If you try this eggless carrot cake, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it A.S.A.P. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.
📖 Recipe
Eggless Carrot Cake with Buttercream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml ; 1 tsp = 5ml;
For the cake-
- 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 cup grated carrots finely grated
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- ½ cup butter at room temperature
- ¼ cup milk + 2 tbsps
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup regular sugar
For the frosting-
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp grated carrot
- 1 tsp grated ginger
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
- Cream together until the mixture is crumbly, then add the milk and vanilla essence. Continue creaming until well combined—but don't overbeat, as the butter might curdle.
- Sift in all-purpose flour, cinnamon powder, and baking powder.
- Add the grated carrots and chopped walnuts and gently mix.
- Pour the batter into a greased 7×3-inch round pan. Sprinkle a little milk on top to keep the crust soft.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (I also tested my newer oven at 325°F for 35 minutes, which worked beautifully!) Baking at 350°F gives a slightly crisp crust on top. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then gently loosen the edges with a knife and flip it out of the pan. Let it cool for another 15 minutes before slicing, or cool it for 1–2 hours if you plan to decorate. I wrapped mine after an hour and refrigerated it overnight for the best results.
- For the frosting, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and butter. Mix until all the ingredients are well-combined and lump-free using an electric hand mix. Next add the grated carrot and ginger and mix. Decorate the cake as you like. Here is how I decorated the cake (I am not a pro; I am still learning how to decorate a cake). I added ¾ of the frosting to the cake and spread it evenly(ok, not-so-evenly) using an angled cake spatula. Then, I put the remaining ¼ of the frosting into my piping bag with a star tip and piped a few stars on the top and sides. Finally, sprinkle some confetti on top.
Notes
- Feel free to use any milk of your choice.
- You can substitute butter with vegetable shortening or oil, but I recommend butter for carrot cake—it adds amazing flavor.
- There is no need for special ingredients—I just pulsed regular sugar in a blender for a finer texture and used it in the frosting, too.
- Use full-fat cream cheese and about 1 cup of powdered sugar for a rich, smooth frosting.
- Frosting is optional—this cake tastes amazingly warm on its own or served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Update notes: Earlier posted in 2015. Now updated the post with new pics and recipe card, step-wise pictures and nutritional information.
What a soft & yummy looking carrot cake.
Thanks Pavani
The cake looks so soft and moist…
Thanks
A healthy and delicious cake..
Thanks
delicious cake!!! very tempting..
Thanks :-)
Perfect cakes for all the bunnies at home! Looks lovely :)
he he yeah.. :-)
Very nicely done Srividhya..
Thanks
The cake looks nice and healthy.
Thanks Vaishali
Nice!I wanted a carrot cake recipe to try. My main issue is my food processor makes very thick and long gratings only. So I dont mind for cheese but for carrot, beetroot etc for baking recipes and halwa its awful to have such thick gratings. Might have to buy another attachment for finer grating before I try.
Yeah agreed. But for this recipe you need only two carrots. So try with the regular one itself.
Love carrots in cake, wish i get a slice..
I wish I could send one :-)
Nice way to sneak in veggies.Cake sounds delicious….
yup. Thanks
Healthy and delicious cake Sri
Thanks Pa
Carrot cake has been on my to bake list for a long time. This looks moist and yummy
Thanks Usha. It was pretty simple only.
Another eggless one. Looks very nice
Yup.. trying to keep all eggless
These kind of cakes taste good without the frosting too.
Yeah thanks :-)
These recipes are great when you have a few carrots or other veggies to use up. And tastes great too. Good one.
Yeah agreed Varada.
What a great idea! And it looks incredibly yummy also.
Thanks for sharing this creative recipe, cheers!
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And again Thanks for share this recipe ..
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