The Best Recipe For Gluten Free Carrot Cake
You’ll love this recipe because it’s gorgeous (yet easy), can be made in one bowl, and has tons of amazing flavor. I add a lot of spices to my carrot cakes, and it makes your kitchen smell AMAZING when it’s baking in the oven. Another great thing about this gluten free cake recipe is that it can be made a day ahead. In fact, I think it tastes even better that way! For those who prefer to cook with weight instead of cups - click the button below to toggle to metric.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend I like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1, but Cup4Cup or my own flour blend recipe works well too.
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your flour blend already contains it
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup prune puree
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or sunflower seed oil, olive oil, or any other light oil of your choice
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 medium carrots grated on the smallest side of a box grater - about 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Buttercream:
- 1 8 oz. block of cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup of salted butter at room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 3, 6-inch cake pans (or 2, 8-inch cake pans) and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, xanthan (if using), baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Add the prune puree, buttermilk, oil, and eggs and whisk well until the batter is smooth. Stir in the grated carrots and vanilla extract.
- Evenly distribute the batter between the pans and tap them on the counter a few times to settle the batter. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until they spring back in the middle when lightly pressed, or a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for a few minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cakes and carefully invert them onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.
- Make the buttercream. Beat the cream cheese with the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add half of the sugar and mix lightly to combine. Pour in the milk and beat until the buttercream is smooth. Add the remaining sugar, vanilla, and sea salt. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. If it seems too stiff, add another tablespoon or 2 of milk.
- Once cakes are cool, frost as desired. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Here's how to make prune puree:
Combine 16 ounces of prunes with 1/2 cup of very hot water in a blender. Let sit for about 10 minutes to soften, then blend until totally smooth. The mixture should be thick like caramel, but still slightly pourable. If it's too thick, add an additional 1/4 cup of water and blend again. Any leftover puree should be stored in the refrigerator.
If you aren't convinced that prune puree is for you, swap the puree for additional brown sugar.
How to make carrot rosettes:
It’s easier than it looks to decorate this cake! To make the carrot roses or rosettes, I like to use rainbow carrots for added color, but regular bright orange carrots look great too.
- Simply peel the carrots all the way around, discarding the outer peel. Then using your peeler, cut long strips from the carrots and place on a damp paper towel on a large plate.
- When you have as many as you would like, cover with another damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds, or until the strips are soft and pliable.
- Then roll up the carrot peel strips and arrange on top of the cake.
- Pinch off leaves from the carrot tops and arrange around your carrot roses. That’s it!
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 974kcalCarbohydrates: 152gProtein: 9gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 679mgPotassium: 309mgFiber: 5gSugar: 123gVitamin A: 4847IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 194mgIron: 2mg
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