Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

This Gluten-Free Carrot Cake will become a go-to recipe when you’re in need of a quickly and easily prepared cake which people will love. This is a simple, one-layer cake, perfect for many occasions. Grated carrots are, of course, the star ingredient. As well as providing beautiful colour and natural sweetness, they make this cake deliciously moist and tender.

Why we love this recipe:

This gluten-free cake is gently spiced and has a beautiful texture.  It is suitable for many occasions; serve it for morning tea, for dessert, take on a picnic or to a potluck. It is a cake that you will receive many a request for!

You can confidently serve this cake to people who don’t need to avoid gluten. They will never know; we do not sacrifice the flavour and texture to make this cake suitable for people who are unable to eat gluten. 

One of the great advantages of this cake is that you can make it a day ahead and it will still be deliciously moist. 

As well, the moist textured, gently spiced cake is embellished by a luxurious, rich, cream cheese frosting. It is, of course, optional. If you prefer, you could keep the cake dairy free and give it a light dusting of icing/confectioners’ sugar. 

Many carrot cakes contain walnuts. I have chosen to make the cake nut-free, but you could add nuts if you like to add some texture.

Ingredients in this recipe:

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

Oil – the oil adds moisture to the cake. Use a neutral flavoured oil; I used grapeseed.

Caster/superfine sugar – this sugar dissolves more readily than granulated sugar.          

Vanilla extract – use good quality which has been naturally extracted from the vanilla bean and not synthetically produced. 

Eggs – I use large free-range eggs.

Grated carrot – adds flavour, colour and moisture to the cake. Be sure to grate your carrots fresh.

Sultanas/golden raisins – these are dried, seedless, white grapes which add another flavour and texture dimension.

Gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour – I have used a commercial gluten-free flour which is made from a blend of naturally occurring gluten-free flours. Our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes.

Gluten-free baking powder – always check labels to ensure ingredients are gluten-free.

Ground cinnamon – adds gentle spice which complements the creamy frosting.

Cream cheese – I use full fat cream cheese which is readily available in supermarkets.

Icing/confectioners’ sugar – I use pure icing/confectioners’ sugar, sometimes known as powdered sugar. If you use a blend, ensure that it is gluten-free. 

Step by step instructions:

To begin, grease the sides and line the base of a 21cm/8 ¼ inch ring tin or 19 cm/7 ½ inch springform tin. Then, preheat your oven to 180 degrees C/355 F.

Be sure to have all your ingredients prepared before you start making the Gluten-Free Carrot Cake. 

1. Place oil, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or into a bowl to use hand-held electric beaters. Beat until they are well combined.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, and continue to beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. The eggs will emulsify with the oil.
3. Stir through the grated carrot and sultanas.
4. Gradually sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon over the bowl and fold in gently using a spatula to avoid knocking out the air.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. After standing about 10 minutes, turn the cake onto a rack. Remove the baking paper and leave to cool completely. 
6. To make the frosting, place cream cheese and vanilla in a small bowl and mix well together until smooth.
7. Sift the icing sugar to remove any lumps, add to the cream cheese and mix until it forms a smooth, creamy frosting. 
8. Spread onto the top of the cake and decorate with chopped walnuts if using.

Tips for success and FAQs:

Without gluten, your cake does not have the strength of regular wheat-based flour. This can cause some cakes to sink in the middle – but, I have several tips to avoid this happening.

First, if you have a ring tin, use that – the cake will cook evenly as there is no centre to sink. Cakes sometimes sink as too much air has been incorporated. Be sure to not overbeat the mixture. And, always fold in the flour gently. Always put the cake in the oven as soon as the mixture is ready, and be sure to not open the door before the cake mixture has set.

One of the most common reasons that cakes sink in the middle is that the cake has not cooked long enough. Be sure to check it carefully.

If you have used a springform tin and the cake has sunk slightly in the middle, turn it upside down. This way, you will have a flat base on which to apply your cream cheese frosting.