Just because you can’t have gluten, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite holiday and seasonal desserts! Has Spring had you craving carrot cake? If so, you’ll love this gluten-free version of classic carrot cake. It got thumbs up all around from a dozen gluten-eaters this weekend!
I surveyed many friends before making carrot cake to see what people’s preferences were on extra ingredients. There were only a few people that wanted nuts; most were adamant that there not be nuts. Some liked raisins inside, some didn’t. A few liked coconut. Almost everyone said to definitely NOT include pineapple. Ultimately, I decided to go for making a simple, moist cake, full of spice flavor and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. If you like coconut, nuts, raisins, or pineapple, feel free to add in any of those!
Recipe adapted from my fellow food bloggers: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (cake) and Sally’s Baking Addiction (icing).
Carrot Cake {Gluten-free}
Feel free to add your favorite mix-ins like raisins, coconut or nuts, to this classic moist carrot cake.
Ingredients
- 12.5 ounces all-purpose gluten-free flour* (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum (omit if flour blend has xanthan)
- 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter (or oil)
- 3 cups finely shredded carrots (from about 1 lb. carrots)
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp. heavy cream or half and half
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. I used a glass Pyrex pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your standing mixer, beat sugar, brown sugar and eggs on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds.
- Reduce speed to low, and slowly add the applesauce, oil, and melted butter. Mix on high for one minute, or until mixture is well mixed and light in color.
- Turn off mixer and stir in by hand the carrots and dry ingredients until no loose flour remains.
- Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. (Mine took 37 minutes.)
- Let cake cool, in pan, on a wire rack.
When cake is cool, mix up cream cheese icing:
- In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and butter for 3 minutes, or until soft, creamy and combined thoroughly.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until well mixed.
- Add the heavy cream or half and half, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add an additional 1/2 to 1 cup of powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired thickness and taste.
- Use a spatula or icing knife to spread frosting evenly over cooled cake.
Recipe Notes
Josef Rosenfeld says
just shared on the Orgran USA Facebook page
Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen says
Thanks Josef!
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says
Michelle, your cake looks truly wonderful! And the timing is perfect as I’ve been working on a Carrot Cake roundup for All Gluten-Free Desserts and am behind schedule. Now I can add your recipe link as well! Sometimes being behind schedule works out beautifully. 😉 Btw, it’s interesting to read folks’ preferences. I’m one who says no raisins, no pineapple, but absolutely yes on nuts. Hehe.
Thanks!
Shirley
Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen says
Thanks Shirley! I did find it so interesting to see everyone’s preferences. I surveyed our small home group from church, as well as my Facebook friends, and it was sure all over the place in preferences. What was funny to me was how passionate everyone was about those preferences too!
I’m so glad I’ll get to be included in your Carrot Cake roundup! Fun! My readers will love that!
lori says
Any substitute for sugar
Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen says
Lori,
I haven’t tried any sugar substitutes in this recipe. The one I would feel comfortable recommending the most is coconut sugar. I’ve used it a few times in other recipes with great results. Hope that helps! Feel free to try any sugar substitutions that have worked well for you in other cake recipes.
Tina says
Made this today for Easter dinner…was yummy. My dad loved it, and he doesn’t normally try gluten free desserts. He didn’t even know the difference. The only change I will try next time is to swap out the oil with more applesauce, and cut back on the sugar, maybe even substitute with honey. I put pineapple in and it was great, next time will add raisins, coconut and walnuts too! Thanks!
Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen says
Tina,
I’m so glad that your Dad loved it too! Great ideas for substitutions for next time! I love when people can just take my recipe and customize to their liking! Enjoy!
Heather says
Absolutely delish! Made it for Easter dinner and it was a huge hit! So moist and yummy. Honestly better than my old carrot cake recipe that wasn’t GF.
Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen says
Heather,
Thanks so much for the comment! I’m thrilled that you loved it and thought it was better than what you had before. See, we can do this gluten-free thing with all sorts of deliciousness! No missing out for us! 🙂
stephanie c says
I made this for Easter and it was soooo good! The whole family ate it and couldn’t even tell it was GF. Thanks for the recipe.
Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen says
Stephanie,
So glad that your family all enjoyed this for Easter! Yay for you for making it for everyone! Let me know what you recipe you try next! I definitely recommend the Texas sheet cake on here!
Gail says
How long should you bake if you use batter for muffins instead of cake? Also how much pineapple and / or apples can you add to this recipe?
Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen says
Gail, If you do these as cupcakes/muffins, I’d start checking them for doneness at 18 minutes and then keep checking every minute or two until toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
I haven’t tried those additions but I think they would be great. The pineapple would definitely add some moisture, so I’d be careful not to use too much. Maybe 1 cup to start with?
Marg Walker says
I have been asked to make a cake for a 25th wedd’. ann’. Think your gluton free carrot cake would fit the bill. I want to cook it on a sheet pan so am wondering is this recipe is large enough for 20 people.
Marg Walker says
I have been asked to make a cake for a 25th wedd. Ann. Your gluten free carrot cake sounds wonderful. If I double the recipe and cook it on a sheet pan would it be big enough to feed 20 people?
Melanie says
I would like to make this in 9″ round cake pans. Is it enough batter for 2 cake pans? Or maybe one thick cake? Thanks.
Joanna says
Since this is a gluten-free recipe, how would you recommend to store this cake? Frosted or unfrosted? Freezer or is refrigerator okay? I need to make this the night before and I don’t want it to get dried out or the frosting to get all weird. Any suggestions are welcomed!