Gluten Free Carrot Cake
A gluten-free carrot cake made with almond flour, shredded carrot, and a cream cheese frosting.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?3 cups 290 galmond flour
- ?1 teaspoonground cinnamon
- ?1/2 teaspoonground ginger
- ?1/4 teaspoonground nutmeg
- ??teaspoonground cloves
- ?1/2 teaspoonsalt
- ?1 teaspoonbaking powder
- ?1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
- ?5 eggsat room temperature
- ?2 teaspoonspure vanilla extract
- ?1 cup 160 gbrown sugar
- ?2 cups 180 gshredded carrot
- ?1 cupwalnutsor pecans roughly chopped
- ?1/2 cupsunflower oilvegetable canola, corn, or sunflower
- ?8 ounces 225 gcream cheesesoftened to room temperature
- ?1 tablespoonbuttersoftened to room temperature
- ?2 1/2 cupspowdered sugar
- ?1 teaspoonpure vanilla extract
- ?1/4 teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C / 160°C fan). Grease your cake pans with softened butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Make sure the eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature before you begin.
- In a large bowl, combine the almond flour with the ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir with a whisk or spatula until evenly mixed.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar for 4–5 minutes, until the mixture is noticeably lighter in color and slightly thickened. Mix in the vanilla extract and the sunflower (or other) oil until combined.
- Add the dry almond flour mixture to the egg mixture. Use a spatula to fold until combined and there are no pockets of dry flour. Fold in the shredded carrot and the roughly chopped walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter evenly between 2 or 3 prepared cake pans. Bake until set: about 25–30 minutes if using 2 pans, or 20–22 minutes if using 3 pans. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs when done.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10–15 minutes. Turn the layers out onto a wire rack, remove the parchment, and let the layers cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese with the softened butter, vanilla extract, and salt until very smooth. Add the powdered sugar in three additions, beating well (about 2–3 minutes) after each addition until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Assemble the cake: place the first cooled cake layer upside down on your serving plate and spread some of the frosting on top. Add the next layer (also upside down). Apply a thin layer of frosting around the outside of the cake to seal in crumbs (crumb coat), then chill the cake in the refrigerator for 15–30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and finish frosting with the remaining frosting, smoothing the sides and top as desired. Sprinkle with additional crushed walnuts or pecans if desired.
- Chill the finished cake briefly (about 20–30 minutes) to help the frosting set before slicing and serving.
Equipment
- 2x 8-inch cake pans
Notes
Grating carrots is easy, just use a standard box grater then measure in cups packed firmly. Or use an electric scales if that’s easier.
Feel free to add fourth a cup of desiccated coconut to the batter.
The walnuts or pecans can be omitted, but they add a great crunch and flavor to the cake.
Make sure that the cream cheese that you’re using is softened to room temperature, I just take mine out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking.
To make this cake dairy-free, use dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting.
Slice the cake into 12 pieces, and serve at room temperature for the best result.
Nutrition value is calculated per serving including the frosting.
Make ahead:You can bake the cake layers 1-2 days in advance, and store them at room temperature wrapped in parchment paper then in plastic wrap. The cream cheese frosting can also be made 1-2 days in advance, and store in the fridge. If making a frosted cake ahead, it can be made up to 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
Fridge: Store the leftover cake covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezer: Freeze individual slices in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Feel free to add fourth a cup of desiccated coconut to the batter.
The walnuts or pecans can be omitted, but they add a great crunch and flavor to the cake.
Make sure that the cream cheese that you’re using is softened to room temperature, I just take mine out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking.
To make this cake dairy-free, use dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting.
Slice the cake into 12 pieces, and serve at room temperature for the best result.
Nutrition value is calculated per serving including the frosting.
Make ahead:You can bake the cake layers 1-2 days in advance, and store them at room temperature wrapped in parchment paper then in plastic wrap. The cream cheese frosting can also be made 1-2 days in advance, and store in the fridge. If making a frosted cake ahead, it can be made up to 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
Fridge: Store the leftover cake covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezer: Freeze individual slices in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.