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    Home » Desserts » Gluten Free Carrot Cake

    Gluten Free Carrot Cake

    March 1, 2021 / by Claire Cary / 12 Comments

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclaimer here.

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This truly is the best gluten free carrot cake recipe! It’s made in one bowl, incredibly moist, full of fresh flavor and so easy to make. Top it off with a dairy free cream cheese buttercream frosting.

    three plates with slices of the gluten free carrot cake with a fork on the side

    I told ya’ll I was on a major cake kick, so next up is this gluten free carrot cake! It’s seriously moist, full of fresh spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and finished off with a simple dairy free cream cheese buttercream.

    I’m seriously obsessed with this recipe, and know you will be too. I probably say this about every gluten free cake I make, but you TRULY would never know this is gluten free.

    It’s made with both gluten free all purpose flour to provide structure and a classic cake texture, plus a bit of almond flour for moisture and because it keeps the cake light and airy and not dense. We’ll be using a generous amount of apple sauce to provide natural sweetness, and it pairs SO well with the spices in this cake.

    Before we get started, how do you feel about nuts in carrot cake? Personally, it’s a no for me. In carrot muffins or a carrot loaf, I can definitely see adding chopped walnuts, but I think it can ruin the texture and experience of cake! You are welcome to throw some into the batter, however, if that’s your thing 🙂

    gluten free carrot cake with caramel drips on a marble cake stand

    How to make this recipe

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Peel your carrots and cut into large chunks. Add to a food processor and process until grated, this should only take a few seconds, just make sure there are no large chunks in there. You can also grate by hand, but I find the food processor makes it much easier! Set aside.

    Line two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper. I like using these parchment rounds.

    In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat together all wet ingredients until well combined and the egg is completely broken up.

    whisking the ingredients for the batter

    Beat in the dry ingredients (aside from the carrot), making sure to spoon and level the flours. Once combined, fold in the carrots until evenly incorporated. If you’re using walnuts or raisins, fold them in now!

    Divide the batter among your prepared cake pans and place in the center of the oven. For 8 inch pans, bake for 38-42 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cakes made in 9 inch pans will be a bit thinner, so bake time will be shorter, check around 35 minutes for doneness.

    Remove from the oven, let cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

    Make the cream cheese frosting and frost the cakes once completely cool. I usually use about 1 cup of frosting between each layer, one cup on top, then the rest for the sides.

    cake batter in pans

    How to keep this cake moist

    One question I get a lot is, “how do I keep my gluten free cake moist?” People seem to think that gluten free cakes are dry, but I promise, this cake is far from it.

    The apple sauce, oil, sugars and almond flour in the recipe will keep it moist for several days, so you can easily prep it in advance.

    With that said, please do not sub the almond flour for almond meal. Almond meal is made from whole almonds, whereas almond flour is made from blanched almonds and contributes to the light and fluffy texture of the cake.

    knife slathering buttercream over the three layers of cake

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make this vegan or dairy free? This cake is naturally dairy free (as are all of my recipes!). But you can use regular cream cheese or dairy free cream cheese in the frosting. Since this recipe uses 4 eggs, that is above my limit for safely subbing a egg replacer, so I do not recommend making this cake vegan. I’d recommend an already vegan and gluten free carrot cake like Gimme Some Oven.

    Can I make a sheet cake? Yes! This recipe makes a two layer 8 or 9 inch round cake, (I just made an extra layer for the photos), but you can easily make a sheet cake instead. However, a sheet cake will require a longer baking time, probably about 45-50 minutes. If you try it, let me know!

    Can I make it in advance? Yes! I would suggest making this cake up to 24 hours in advance, letting the cakes cool completely, then carefully but tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge until you’re ready to frost!

    three layer gluten free carrot cake on a cake stand with milk in the back

    Can I make it nut-free? This recipe does call for almond flour, but you can make it nut free if needed. You cannot swap almond flour for all purpose flour 1:1. However, you can swap the one cup of almond flour for ½ cup more gluten free all purpose flour.

    Does it keep? Yes! Because this gluten free carrot cake is naturally so moist, it stores really well. Once made, frosted and sliced, just store it in a container for 3-5 days, or a bit longer if storing in the fridge. Because of the generous amount of apple sauce in the cake, it doesn’t do well in a totally air tight container. It can get a bit too moist if totally sealed off. Keep the lid slightly ajar or just cover with foil for best results.

    Can I use store bought shredded carrots? You can but I don’t recommend it! If you use a food processor the process of grating is SO easy. I promise it will be worth it in the final cake.

    Can I make it refined sugar free? You can swap the white sugar and light brown sugar for coconut sugar if you want a refined sugar free option. However, the cake will be very dark and the texture may be slightly different. I do not recommend a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup.

    slice of gluten free carrot cake with a fork taking a bite

    Try these cake recipes next!

    • Red Velvet Cake
    • Paleo Chocolate Cake
    • One Bowl Vanilla Cake
    • Gluten Free Marble Pound Cake
    • Banana Cake

    Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram and leave a comment below!

    Gluten Free Carrot Cake

    This truly is the best gluten free carrot cake recipe! It's made in one bowl, incredibly moist, full of fresh flavor and so easy to make. Top it off with a dairy free cream cheese buttercream frosting.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 14 servings
    Author: Claire Cary

    Ingredients
     

    US Customary – Metric

    Wet

    • 4 eggs
    • 1 scant cup unsweetened apple sauce (essentially, one barely level cup, make sure it's not over-flowing )
    • ⅔ cup oil (any neutral oil will work)
    • ¾ cup granulated cane sugar
    • ¾ cup light brown sugar
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract

    Dry

    • 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour)
    • 1 cup almond flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 ¾ tsp cinnamon
    • ¾ tsp ground ginger
    • ¼ tsp nutmeg
    • ¼ tsp cloves
    • 3 cups finely grated/shredded carrots (about 5 large carrots)
    • 1 batch cream cheese frosting (click for recipe)

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Peel your carrots and cut into large chunks. Add to a food processor and process until grated, this should only take a few seconds, just make sure there are no large chunks in there. You can also grate by hand, but I find the food processor makes it much easier! Set aside.
    • Line two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans (I used 8 inch and made an extra layer) with parchment paper. I like using these parchment rounds.
    • In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat together all wet ingredients until well combined and the egg is completely broken up.
    • Beat in the dry ingredients (aside from the carrot), making sure to spoon and level the flours, don't pack them in.
    • Once combined, fold in the carrots until evenly incorporated.
    • Divide the batter among your prepared cake pans and place in the center of the oven. For 8 inch pans, bake for 38-43 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (I do 40 in my oven). Cakes made in 9 inch pans will be a bit thinner, so bake time will be shorter, check around 35 minutes for doneness.
    • Remove from the oven, let cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
    • Make the cream cheese frosting and frost the cakes once completely cool. I usually use about 1 cup of frosting between each layer, one cup on top, then the rest for the sides.

    Notes

    I highly recommend using fresh carrots for this recipe, not store bought grated carrot. The texture and flavor is much better with fresh!
    This recipe does call for almond flour, but you can make it nut free if needed. You cannot swap almond flour for all purpose flour 1:1, but you can swap the one cup of almond flour for ½ cup more gluten free all purpose flour, so use 2 ½ cups total of GF all purpose. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g
    did you try this recipe?Mention @eatwithclarity or tag #eatwithclarity!
    Keyword: carrot cake, gluten free cake, gluten free carrot cake

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brooke

      April 05, 2021 at 3:56 pm

      5 stars
      I have Celiac Disease so I bake everything gluten-free, and when I went hunting for an Easter dessert this year I knew I could count on Eat With Clarity’s amazing recipes! This carrot cake is truly unreal, and one of the best desserts I have ever baked in my own kitchen. The ingredients are simple and the steps are very easy to follow, and it doesn’t take too long to make. I always worry about GF baked goods being too dry, but the applesauce and carrots in this recipe give this cake the perfect moist texture. And the cream cheese buttercream was so simple but enhanced the cake so well. My whole family DEVOURED this cake and most of them don’t eat gluten-free. My brother said he could eat the whole thing in one night – it was truly amazing! Thank you for another great GF recipe Claire!

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        April 06, 2021 at 7:29 pm

        Thank you Brooke, you’re the best! I think most people worry gluten free recipes will be dry, but I’m always trying to prove people wrong with mine! So happy it was a hit!

        Reply
    2. Julia

      April 04, 2021 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      this recipe was great! i added one heaping cup of a mixture of raisins and chopped walnuts and it was perfect.

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        April 06, 2021 at 6:00 pm

        Perfect! So happy you enjoyed it Julia!

        Reply
    3. Olivia

      March 14, 2021 at 8:19 pm

      5 stars
      This carrot cake was awesome! I made it for my husband’s birthday, and he said it was the best he’s ever had! The icing was a little sweet for me, but I also don’t really like icing that much to begin with. It was a super easy recipe too! I will definitely be making it again!

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        March 15, 2021 at 2:25 pm

        Yay so happy to hear that, thanks Olivia! There’s unfortunately not a good way to make the icing less sweet since it’s mostly just sugar and butter, but maybe a smaller amount will do the trick! So happy you both enjoyed it!

        Reply
    4. Jenn Saldutti

      March 08, 2021 at 8:52 pm

      Is that Carmel drizzled on the top? Do you have a recipe for that?

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        March 08, 2021 at 10:08 pm

        yes! Find that here.

        Reply
    5. OLive

      March 01, 2021 at 12:12 pm

      5 stars
      YUM! That is all i have to say! This carrot cake is so moist and delicious! You photos are amazing!

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        March 01, 2021 at 1:59 pm

        Thanks Olivia you’re a sweetheart : )

        Reply
    6. Trina

      March 01, 2021 at 11:00 am

      Hi I was wondering if I could add some pineapple to the cake and how much would you recommend. I love pineapple in carrot cake.

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        March 01, 2021 at 7:56 pm

        I think that would work! This cake has a lot of moisture as is, so I would suggest using 1 cup of crushed pineapple, drain it, but decrease the apple sauce to 1/2 cup. I haven’t tried this myself so I can’t guarantee the result, but let me know if you try it!

        Reply

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    Welcome to Eat With Clarity! After my Celiac Disease diagnosis, I made it my mission to create gluten-free recipes that are just as good as the real thing! With plenty of vegan & paleo options, there is something here for everyone. More about me here!

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