Kenike's Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is my very favorite cake and I always ask for it on my birthday. It took me a couple of years before I was able to veganize it. I tried it once when I first went vegan, and failed because I just didn't have the experience with baking, much less vegan baking, to successfully convert 4 eggs so that it tasted just like my family recipe. Eggs are really the hardest things to replace, but there are quite a few different ways to do it, and luckily for all of us The PostPunk Kitchen has all the info we need. After two years of vegan baking experience under my belt, I tried it again et voila!

Kenike's Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

CAKE
Ingredients:
2 cups flour¹
2 cups grated carrots
2 cups vegan sugar²
1 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1/2 cup firm tofu (blended)
3 tablespoons applesauce (plain, natural)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:
Blend tofu in food processor until creamy and lump-free. Mix all ingredients together in large mixing bowl until well-combined. Pour into lightly greased 9x13 rectangle cake pan (typical size).

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Let cool completely and then frost.

Tip: Ovens vary the cooking time. Use a toothpick to check it periodically after about 30 minutes to see if it is done in the middle. If it still needs cooking in the middle but the top is looking done, put a piece of foil over the cake so it doesn’t burn and let cook until finished. Do not overcook…the edges will become dried out. If you are making cupcakes, decrease the cook time appropriately.

FROSTING
Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) vegan margarine³
1 package (8 oz) vegan cream cheese⁴
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 pound (16 oz) powdered sugar⁵

Directions
Blend the vegan cream cheese and vegan margarine in a mixing bowl. A hand mixer or standing mixer work best for this. Then add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. This should make plenty of frosting for the entire cake, and maybe a little extra. If you are simply frosting cupcakes, you can cut this recipe in half.

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My preferred products and where you can find them:

1. Bob's Red Mill Unbleached White Flour- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Fry's Marketplace

2. a. 365 Vegan Cane Sugar- Whole Foods
b. Florida Crystals Cane Sugar- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Fry's Marketplace

3. a. Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sunflower Farmers Market
b. Earth Balance Vegan Original Natural Buttery Spread- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sunflower Farmers Market

4. Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese (plain)- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Fry's Marketplace

5. Wholesome Sweeteners Powdered Sugar- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Fry's Marketplace