I’ve been experimenting with summer fruit Bundt cakes lately, working with stone fruit combinations such as peach and cherry. And whenever I’m experimenting, I often look back to review what I did in the past. Perhaps to draw inspiration from, but more realistically, not to repeat the same ideas, especially since all my recipes tend to get mixed-up and run together in my head (imagine the mishmash of a steak martini or a coffeecake pizza).

Anyway, while taking a walk down the memory lane of my past recipe development, I came across an oldie but goodie that I completely forgot about. A vegan carrot Bundt cake, which I developed back in my Fine Cooking Magazine days for one of our advertisers, Oatly Oatmilk.

I remember toiling diligently over this recipe, wanting it to taste delicious, have just the right texture and mouthfeel, pop out of the pan whole, with a drizzle of thick vegan cream cheese glaze that was lip-smacking and memorable. A pretty tall order for a poor little Bundt cake, as I recall.

I kept telling myself I was up for this challenge. So, sleep-deprived me worked vigilantly on perfecting this recipe for months, testing and retesting, thinking I could make it better with another little tweak, or two, or three, until about 20 tests later, when I was finally satisfied.

Perhaps I’ll share the peach-cherry Bundt cake recipe with you when it’s complete, but for now, my mind is back on this ultimate vegan carrot cake. If you try it, give me a shout and let me know how you liked it. And don’t forget to read through the entire recipe first. I’m always here to answer your questions.

Oatly Vegan Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1/4 cup organic golden flaxseed meal
• 3/4 cup Oatly Barista Oatmilk
• 12 oz. (about 1-1/2 cups) organic cane or granulated sugar
• 10 oz. (about 2-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 oz. (about 1/4 cup) cornstarch
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. ground Aleppo pepper
• 3 oz. sweetened shredded coconut (about 1 cup)
• 3 oz. raw walnuts, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 8-1/2 oz. carrots, grated on the large holes of box grater (about 3 cups)
• 3/4 cups sunflower or other neutral oil
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
• Baking spray with flour

For the glaze

• 6 oz. vegan cream cheese-style spread at room temperature (about 3/4 cup)
• 4 to 6 Tbs. Oatly Barista Oatmilk
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, more as needed
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Pinch kosher salt

Preparation

Make the cake

1. In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed meal and Oatly Barista Oatmilk, and let sit until thickened, whisking occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt, allspice, Aleppo pepper, coconut, and walnuts in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined.
3. In a separate medium bowl, combine the carrots, oil, and vanilla, and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the carrot mixture and the flaxseed mixture to the stand mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until the mixture is well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Let sit in the stand mixer for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Sift the baking powder over the cake batter, and mix on low for 30 to 45 seconds. Generously spray a 12-cup standard Bundt pan with the baking spray, coating all folds and the center funnel. Scrape the batter into the pan with a silicone spatula, and smooth the top. Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until the cake is golden and a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Transfer the pan from the sheet tray to a rack, and let cool in the pan for 1 hour. Turn the pan over onto a plate, and tap lightly with a spoon to release the cake. Carefully remove the pan, and let cool completely before glazing.

Make the glaze

1. Put the cream cheese spread in a medium bowl, and beat with an electric hand mixer until creamy and soft. Add 2 Tbs. of the Oatly Barista Oatmilk, and beat until combined. Add half the confectioners’ sugar, and beat until combined. Add an additional 2 Tbs. of the Oatly Barista Oatmilk and the remaining confectioners’ sugar, and beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until the mixture is very thick and coats the back of a spoon. Adjust the consistency to your liking by adding more Oatly Barista Oatmilk or confectioners’ sugar.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Let sit 30 minutes or until the glaze sets before serving.

Some interesting facts about Bundt pans:
Did you know that the word Bundt (German in its root) refers to a fluted ring-shaped type of tube pan? These pans are usually reserved for desserts containing fairly heavy ingredients, such as fruit, rum, and carrot cakes. The sculpted shape of the pan allows the baker to keep cake decorating to a minimum. The cake requires nothing fancy, and most times, a simple glaze or dusting of confectioners’ sugar or cocoa is enough.

A word of advice:
Be sure to grease all the pan’s nooks and crannies extremely well. And for this particular cake, keep it to a classic, simple shape for maximum results.

Since the Fine Cooking website was shut down, you can email me@chefdianaandrews.com for the recipe. Also, consider joining the Fine Cooking Community group on Facebook!

—Chef Diana

Giving credit where credit is due:
Fabulous food styling: Suzanne Lenzer,
Incredible photography: Mike Yamin