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An easy recipe for gluten-free carrot cake. This super moist gluten-free carrot cake is deliciously spiced and is topped with cream cheese frosting.
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Making a homemade gluten-free carrot cake is easier than you think! All you only need a few simple ingredients to make this super moist cake. It’s a perfect balance of sweet carrots, raisins, chopped pecans, juicy pineapple, and sweetened coconut. It is also topped with the best thick and creamy cream cheese frosting.
This cake can be made ahead of time and is freezer friendly too. You can see just how easy this gluten-free carrot cake is to make in the detailed recipe step photos or the recipe video.
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Ingredients
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour with Xanthan Gum: This recipe was developed with Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the brand of gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: These help the cake rise and aid in giving the cake a nice soft crumb.
- Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg, Ground Cloves, Ground Allspice, Salt, and Pure Vanilla Extract: These give the carrot cake its classic spiced flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Gives the cake its sweetness and it helps keep the cake moist.
- Eggs: The binder ingredient also adds moisture to the cake.
- Applesauce: This is a replacement for the oil used in most cake recipes. As a shortcut, I keep applesauce snack cups in my pantry. They are ½ cup portions.
- Grated Carrots, Raisins, Shredded Sweetened Coconut, Chopped Pecans, Crushed Pineapple: Not only do these ingredients add to the flavor of the carrot cake, but they also help keep this cake super moist.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Butter & Cream Cheese: It gives this frosting its thick and creamy texture.
- Powdered Sugar: This is what gives frosting its sweetness and firmness.
- Lemon Juice & Pure Vanilla Extract: These two give the frosting its bright flavor.
How To Make The Best Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Cut the parchment paper for the bottoms of your two 9″ cake pans. Place the circles in the bottom of the pans and spray with gluten-free cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl stir together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. (photo 1)
- In a large bowl mix together the applesauce, sugar, and eggs until fully combined. (photo 2 & 3)
- Stir in the carrots, coconut, pineapple, raisins, pecans, and pure vanilla extract into the sugar and egg mixture. (photo 4)
- Add the flour mixture to the batter and mix until fully combined. (photo 5)
- Pour half of the batter in the first greased 9″ cake pan and then pour the rest of the batter into the second greased 9″ cake pan. (photo 6)
- Bake on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes. The edges of the cake will start to pull away from the sides of the pan. This is a very moist cake, so insert a toothpick to make sure it’s done. Please watch your cake because all ovens are different.
- Cool the cakes completely in the pans for before frosting. (photo 7)
- I like my carrot best served cold. Once the cakes are completely cooled I cover the cake pans with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, up to overnight before I frost the cake.
How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl on medium speed with a mixer until smooth and creamy. (photo 8)
- Beat in the powdered sugar one cup at a time. (photo 9)
- Lastly, beat in the lemon juice and pure vanilla extract. (photo 10)
- Try not to eat all the frosting before you put it on the cake. Yes, it is that good!
Baking Tips
- As a shortcut, you can buy bagged shredded carrots. I use an OXO grater to grate the carrots.
- To keep this super moist cake from sticking to the bottoms of your pan add parchment paper before spraying with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray. Trace the bottoms of the cake pans with a pencil and cut them out with scissors to have them fit perfectly! Doing this step also makes removing the cakes from the pan super easy.
- It’s best to measure the gluten-free flour with the “spoon & level” method. This keeps you from getting too much flour in the recipe.
- Bake the cakes on the middle rack.
- Check the centers of the cakes with a toothpick to see if it’s done. This carrot cake will have a little cake stuck to the toothpick because it’s super moist, but it should not be wet.
- Also, the cakes will start to pull away from the side of the pans a little when they are finished baking and the edges will start to brown. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different. You do not want to over-bake a gluten-free cake, because it will cause it to be a drier cake. If you underbake the cake, the centers will be gummy. My 9″ cakes took 40 minutes to bake.
- Allow the cakes to completely cool in the pans before frosting. Once the cakes are completely cooled I cover the cake pans with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, up to overnight before I frost the cake. I like carrot cake served really cold.
- You can easily make this recipe dairy-free. For the dairy-free option, I used Smart Balance butter and Kite Hill dairy-free cream cheese.
Tips For Frosting A Cake
- Make sure the cake is completely cooled.
- Place the first cake round with the shiny side down on a plate or cake platter.
- Frost the top of the first cake. This will be the frosting in the middle of your cake.
- Place the second cake on top of the frosted first cake with the shiny side down.
- Frost the top and then with the remaining frosting frost the sides.
- I decorated the top with shredded coconut, chopped pecans, and frosting flowers using a Wilton 1M tip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave out the pineapple, raisins, shredded coconut, or pecans?
This gluten-free carrot cake can be easily modified. I have made the carrot cake without the raisins and the pecans, but not the shredded coconut. The crushed pineapple is one of the reasons this cake is so moist. I have never tried this recipe without it.
Can I make this carrot cake in a 9×13 pan?
Yes, you can easily make this cake in a baking dish or a sheet pan! Most of the time I make the carrot cake in a 9×13 glass pan for my family. You will need to adjust the baking time to 45-55 minutes. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different.
Can I make this cake into cupcakes?
This gluten-free carrot cake can be easily made into cupcakes. Add the batter to lined muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes. My cupcakes come out perfectly at 20 minutes, but, please watch your oven because all ovens are different.
Storage Tips
To Store: This carrot cake and cream cheese frosting can also be made in advance. Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days. The cream cheese frosting can be in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To Freeze: After the cakes have completely cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place each wrapped layer in a plastic freezer bag. The cakes can be frozen for up to one month. Defrost the cake in the refrigerator overnight. The frosting can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Easy Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Recipe
This gluten-free carrot cake is super easy to make. It has the perfect balance of spices to complement the sweetness of the carrots, pineapple, and coconut. You are also going to love the light hint of lemon flavor in the cream cheese frosting.
This gluten-free carrot cake would be perfect to make for your next special event or Easter celebration. No one will know that this cake is gluten-free!
More Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes To Try!
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Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum , I like Pillsbury gluten-free. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups applesauce, As a shortcut, I keep applesauce snack cups in my pantry. They are 1/2 cup portions.
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup crushed pineapple in juice, not syrup; do not drain
- 2 cups grated carrots, 2 -3 large carrots
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup butter, softened,
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened,
- 2 cups powdered sugar, If you want a firmer frosting, add an additional 1-2 cups of powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the parchment paper for the bottom of your two 9" cake pans. Place the circles in teh bottom of the pans and spray with gluten-free cooking spray.
- In a large bowl mix together the sugar, eggs, and applesauce until fully combined.
- In a medium-sized bowl stir together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
- Stir in the carrots, coconut, pineapple, raisins, pecans, and pure vanilla extract into the sugar and egg mixture.
- Add the flour mixture to the batter and mix until fully combined.
- Pour half of the batter in the first greased 9" cake pan and then pour the rest of the batter in the second 9" greased cake pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. The edges of the cake will start to brown and pull away from the sides of the pan. This is a very moist cake, so insert a toothpick to make sure it's done. Please watch your cake because all ovens are different.
- Cool the cakes completely in the pans before frosting. I cover the cooled cakes with plastic wrap and then place them in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight. I like my carrot cake really cold. ou can also partially cool in the pans for 15-20 minutes, and then place the cakes on a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl beat the softened butter and cream cheese together with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the powdered sugar one cup at a time.
- Lastly, beat in the lemon juice and pure vanilla extract.
- Try not to eat all the frosting before you put it on the cake. Yes, it is that good!
Video
Notes
- This gluten-free carrot cake recipe was developed with Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- The best way to measure gluten-free flour is the “spoon & level” method. Using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup. After you’ve spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup. Please do not scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup or you can get more flour than the recipe calls for.
- For dairy-free: I used frosting used Smart Balance and Kite Hill dairy-free cream cheese. Every brand of dairy-free cream cheese is different in texture. If your dairy-free cream cheese is really soft you will need to add more powdered sugar.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- The carrot cake and cream cheese frosting can be made in advance. Store in an air-tight container for 2-3 days. The cream cheese frosting can be in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- To freeze: After completely cooling the cakes, wrap them in plastic or aluminum foil and stick each layer in a plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to one month. The frosting can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- Mama says, “Always check your labels!”
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the best GF Carrot Cake ever!
I use cranberries instead of raisins and I top it with toasted pecans.
one word…DELIOUS!!!
Fantastic! The recipe was easy to follow and came out so tasty and moist. I did have some trouble with the icing being too runny but after some research it looks like the brand of vegan cream cheese can be the problem. Will absolutely be trying this again!
I substituted monk fruit (Lakanto brand) which has zero calories. I used the classic monk fruit in the cake and powder monk fruit that I made myself in my vitamix (You can buy it too, I just like to make my own). My cake had 3096 less calories and 800 less carbs per cake, and 194 calories and 50 carbs less per slice (based on 16 slices per cake). My gluten free and processed sugar free cake was a hit! Can’t tell! There is still natural sugar from the carrots, applesauce, raisins and pineapple, but much less sugar overall. I also add orange peel in the frosting.
Hello! Looks terrific I’m about to make it and I have a question? I don’t see any eggs. I just want to be sure that I didn’t miss that in the recipe?
Hi Kelly, there are 3 large eggs in this recipe! They are the 10th ingredient down in the recipe card.
Hi Audrey, I just made this cake for my son’s birthday tomorrow. I was tired and forgot to add the salt because it wasn’t in the directions. Hopefully it will be ok.You might want to edit it. I’ll write another review and let you know how it came out. I sprinkled a little sea salt on top. I’m pretty hopeful.Thanks.
excellent excellent recipe my husband madde this for my birthday just as your recipe directions say and it was so delicious. thank you I have. celiac and miss good homemade cake .
THE BEST carrot cake EVER! Made this for Easter and it was a huge win! Very moist, super tasty. I would give it 10 stars!
I just made this for Easter. Instead of layering it I made two 9 inch cakes, one with the coconuts and nuts (but no raisans) for half my family and one without coconuts and raisans for the other half of my family. It took longer than expected to bake, and the top of the cake came out sticky wet once the cake cooled, so I was worried about texture. However, once I cut into it the texture was pretty good, and the cake was moist as promised. I also didn’t care about the sticky top once I iced the cake.
Overall, the cake with the coconut and nuts was *far* superior. Not only was there a textural benefit, but it turns out that even sweetened coconut cuts the sweet once baked. The one without the coconut and nuts was far too cloying in its sweetness for my tastes. In the future I may try skipping the pineapple. I have long included crushed pineapple in my carrot cakes, but in this one the pineapple was too “forward.” I didn’t really want to taste it. I also think I will go for a less rich and sweet cream cheese frosting to lighten it up. I look forward to experimenting with this recipe again!
The cake was easy to assemble, moist almost to fault, held its shape well when frosting. Everyone loved the cake. My only critique would be the spice profile seems a bit off. I’m not sure the clove worked. I recognize it’s a personal thing. As a suggestion, I’ve used 1 t. cinnamon and 2 t. Chinese Five Spice, ¼ t nutmeg for “regular” carrot cake and will definitely use this combo when I make her another GF one.
To be certain, all the recipes I’ve tried here have been a lifesaver for my granddaughter. Even those who are not GF advocates love the recipes I’ve tried.
This cake is delicious but prep time is more than 10 minutes. You have to grate carrots, cool the cake, make icing for the cake, etc. Not sure why recipes underestimate prep times.
Could you make this as cupcakes? How would you adjust the recipe or baking instructions?
Hi Brielle, we think that would work! Start with a 15-minute bake time, then test with a toothpick to see if they need more time!
I’ve used this recipe for cupcakes for the past two Easters. My DIL is GF and DF. We freeze the cupcakes and she’s a happy camper for several weeks. It is delicious and you’d never know it isn’t a traditional recipe.
Do you know if I sub coconut sugar in place of all or part of the regular sugar in your recipe? This type of spiced carrot cake complete with the extra fruit & cream cheese frosting, is simply one of my favorite things in life! 🥰
Hi Debi! You should be able to substitute the sugar for coconut sugar in this recipe very successfully. Start with a 1:1 substitution and then adjust the sweetness level to taste if needed.
I love this cake & it’s a go to for my family. I use coconut sugar with a substitution of 1/2 coconut sugar to 1 white sugar. Still sweet enough & love the caramel richness it adds. Not that it needs anything as so good as is! Sadly I’m leaving out the nuts as a granddaughter is allergic, cooking now, so hopefully we won’t miss them. Thanks for all your recipes. If I’m looking for something & mama knows gluten free comes up, I look no further 🥰
I made this recipe for my dear friend on her birthday, and it is ABSOLUTLEY THE BEST carrot cake we have ever tasted !!!!!!!! Super moist ! Crazy Delicious ! You will not be disappointed !!!!!!
This recipe is sooo delicious. I make this for my kids & husband who are not gluten free or dairy free and they can’t tell a difference. Sooo moist and great flavors. I do not put coconut or pineapple from this recipe and it’s just perfect to our tasting. Use this and share this recipe with so many friends & family. I highly recommend it!
Delish! I made the recipe and baked in 2 8×8 square pans. One half with only raisins for those with allergies. Then added the coconut and nuts to the second half of the batter. Best GF carrot recipe that I have tried.
Made this for my son’s college graduation, he is GF/DF and it turned out fantastic. I didn’t use coconut or raisins, the cake s hot moist. One challenge I a with the non dairy cream cheese frosting, after making it and putting in vanilla and Lemon Juice the frosting seemed too runny.,,, do you have any suggestions to make the frosting thicker? Other then the frosting being runny, everything tasted amazing
Thank you so much for this recipe. My husband loves the taste! I baked this cake for 40 minutes in 2-9 inch pans and the tester came out clean, however, when I cut cut the cake it was so moist it is almost wet . Can you please tell me if this is the normal consistency or is it under baked?
Absolutely delicious!
Fantastic recipe! I made it into cupcakes and was able to freeze half of them for another time. Great website too! Thank you!
Excellent recipe! I chose it because I love recipes that I can serve to both those with and without allergies and everyone enjoys it equally. I only changed two things. I had unsweetened coconut on hand so used that, and I will repeat. Helps to have a little less sugar because there is a lot in this recipe. My icing was lumpy, maybe because of the type of non-dairy cream cheese I chose, so I blended it to get it super smooth and creamy.
I made this cake for Thanksgiving what a hit! Everyone loved it thanks MKGF for sharing this recipe.
Could I substitute more applesauce or apples for the pineapple? This sounds and looks amazing!!!
Thank you so much Joanne! I have not baked it without the pineapple, but I know that other readers have.
excellent cake. cannot tell it’s gluten free. Delicious
absolutely the most divine carrot cake recipe 💛 I made it for my daughters 21st birthday recently and everyone adored it! Thank you! Due to intolerance i subbed the pineapple for a tin of pie apple and the pecans with chopped dried apricots.
Literally the best carrot cake I’ve ever had!! I made this for my husbands birthday and it was absolutely delicious!! You definitely could not tell it was gluten free!! I did leave out the raisins and coconut and added more carrots and nuts and it was just so good. I really think I’m going to make another one this weekend just because 🙂 Also just used canned Pillsbury cream cheese frosting!
No one can ever believe this recipe is gluten free. It’s a huge hit, my sister (who isn’t GF) even requests it for her Birthday. Super Moist and delicious.
This carrot cake is delicious! The best I’ve ever had – gf or not! Everyone loved it! Now making as cupcakes. It is quite a bit of work to make, but well worth the effort for special occasions.
Va va boom , great recipe , had a request for GF dairy free carrot cake, I read so many recipes, this one was the easiest and truly delightful , I didn’t have any pineapple but re constituted my sultanas in boiling water , still deliciously moist … thanks Monica CoCouture Chocolates
This recipe made an outstanding wedding cake! I made the two layer cake (dairy-free version) the week before the wedding as a test. (The bride, our granddaughter, is GF/DF) The whole family loved it and opined that it didn’t taste or feel as if they were missing anything – the cake was moist, nicely dense with a nice mouthfeel. The frosting was delicious. For the actual wedding cake I made the layers and cut the layers to fit the cute little cake stand I’d bought for the wedding. I used all the brands of flour, butter and cream cheese substitutes recommended. The frosting needed to be refrigerated before frosting the cake. It gets too soft during the making if it and will just slide off the cake and squish out between the layers. Once I made the frosting, I put it back in the fridge for an hour or so before frosting the cold cake and immediately putting it all back in the fridge to stay. Highly recommend!!
Thank you for such a wonderful gluten and dairy free carrot cake/cupcakes recipe! I just made this recipe with and without chopped walnuts – and using cinnamon applesauce and just a tablespoon of coconut oil melted…and coconut extract instead of vanilla (didn’t have any in hand!)! I’m thrilled with the results —my first time making gluten or dairy free anything! These will be for my daughter’s bday once I figure out frosting! Whoo hoo! 😃😃😃
I made this recipe as cupcakes and everyone loved them! It made a lot. I made 1/2 without coconut, 1/2 with. As some people don’t care for coconut. The ones with coconut were definitely moister. But both were delish, and disappeared. I’m lactose intolerant so I didn’t make the cream cheese frosting, just a good buttercream made with heavy cream, but no one noticed. The cupcakes took longer to bake than I expected, due in part to my lowering the temperature for dark pans. Next time I’ll try it at your suggested temp. It was a labor of love, but worth it.
Loved this Gluten & Dairy Free carrot cake. Everyone at our Easter gathering raved about it!! Will definitely be making this again🤗
Initially was a little concerned because it did rise as high as other cakes, but oh boy was it delicious. Made it for my daughter’s birthday and was asked for the recipe by multiple people. Caution, don’t sample the frosting or there might not be any left to frost the cake with. I used 9 inch springform pans with 9 in precut parchment circles. Made it super easy to get the cakes out.
We Love this Carrot Cake. I made it using extra carrots and no Coconut or Nuts. It came out delicious. Was a big hit for our Easter Dessert.Love all your recipes Audrey. Thank you so much.
Made this for Easter and received A+ ratings from every family member. They’re always nervous about how “gluten free” the food will taste, but they all said it was super moist, delicious, and exactly how a carrot cake should taste! And my gluten free family member was thrilled to have such a special dessert! Thank you!
I made this cake for Easter, and everyone loved it – even those who are not gluten-free! It is so moist and flavorful, and the dairy-free frosting is simply luscious. Thank you for this awesome recipe, Audrey!
I received this recipe last year and have it made it MONTHLY for the past 12 months. It’s an every season moist, flavorful, perfect cake full of yummy healthy things like nuts and carrots. 🙂 Seriously, this cake is amazing! Actually, I am so grateful for all of Audrey’s amazing recipes – being GF for the past 7 years has been a challenge when it comes to bakery items. However, with Audrey’s great recipes, I have converted others to see the other side of gluten for bakery items. Thanks Audrey!
Catie you just made my day! Thank you so much for the amazing recipe review. You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes I make for my family and helping others.
I made this recipe last Easter! My family and I loved it! I am making it again this Easter!
If I could give this recipe 6/5 I would. It is incredible. Sooo moist and delish! No one can believe it is gluten free, that’s how good it is! Thank you for the recipe!
Best carrot cake ever! Also cream cheese frosting is excellent! We are a family of ten. Only my daughter is gluten free. I always get comments about gluten free cakes being to dry. Not this cake! It is super moist. My other daughter, who is not gluten free, wanted the recipe. Now that says how moist and tasty the cake is. I wrote down the recipe to keep it in my recipe book.
My son in law has been gluten free since he has been 5. He says this is the best cake and he asked for this to be his birthday cake this year! We all loved this cake
My daughter made this cake ( DF version) and it was truly the best carrot cake I have ever tasted!!! I was skeptical because it was GF, but it was DELICIOUS!!! So moist and flavorful I had to get the recipe!
This is now my absolute go-to for every special occasion…And when I crave something ultra-moist, sweet, (mostly) healthy and superb! It’s pretty easy to make, freezes well, and comes out perfect every time! Finding a gluten-free diet has radically changed my life, the sacrifice is worth the wellness benefits. This GF carrot cake makes it worth passing up every other dessert!!
You really should warn a person. This was the best carrot cake, gluten free or not, I have ever tasted. I did not want to share it with my family for Thanksgiving dinner. And that icing! I wanted to eat it with a spoon. I’m terribly sorry, but I will have to follow, like, stalk, and harass you now, as you are the queen of carrot cakes and I bow before your baking prowess. (Just kidding about the stalking. I really don’t have the time).PS – the whole family agrees with me!
Made them into cupcakes (18 with this recipe) I did not add coconut or pecans. I added one more cup of carrots instead. I also cut sugar in half to 1 cup and added 1/2 cup maple syrup. Turned out amazing!
Yummmmmmm it was awesome!!!!
Holy cats!!! This is, by far, the best GF cake I’ve ever made or eaten. I needed to make a GF and dairy free dinner tonight and thought dessert would be nice too. Found this recipe at noon and went to town. So good. The frosting? OMG, to die for. This one goes in my recipe box. ❤️
Excellent carrot cake. Easy to put together, comes out moist. My husband does not like gluten free bake goods, but loved this cake. I made half a recipe of the frosting and it was plenty. I made a 9×13 pan and it took a good 50 minutes to bake. Thanks for the idea to put parchment paper on bottom. Glade I found you, I’ll be checking out more of your recipes.
Truly outstanding! I will make this again for special occasions. I gave it 5 stars as it is so delicious AND no one would guess it’s gluten-free! I must ask though why prep time says 10 minutes? My guess is that assembling the ingredients and measuring them into separate containers isn’t included in the prep time as all that took me about one hour. That didn’t include the time to prepare the frosting.
I normally don’t like pineapple in things, but I gave this a try – I loved it! And, it was a huge hit with all ten people at my brother’s birthday (of whom only I am GF!). I used three cake pans to make it an impressive three layers and it was perfect. It even turned out using the off-brand GF blend I was starting to blame for several other recipes not turning out well, so that was a relief! I used a dairy-free ‘cream cheese’ that turned out to be rather moist, so although I used only half the amount of vegan butter and vegan cream cheese, I had to add almost three cups of powdered sugar to make it barely thick enough to not slide off the cake – I even used lemon zest instead of lemon juice so it didn’t get even softer… but it was still delicious :-). Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Best carrot cake EVER – gluten free or not! My family asks for this cake on birthdays and holidays. Yum!
A family favorite! My family requests this cake for every get together. It is so moist, full of texture and delicious.
This is hands down THE BEST GF recipe I have ever tried. Make it often for special occasions (so I don’t eat the whole thing myself!). It comes out perfectly every time!!
Made this weekend and it is so moist and tasty! I didn’t even frost it. We are eating it as is and it’s still super tasty. I will definitely be making it again.
Made GF & DF for Easter 2021. Was yummy, yummy, delicious., delicious. 5***** Had only 3 people so made half the recipe. Was perfect!
Fabulous recipe! So moist and yummy without the greasiness of some carrot cake recipes. This is definitely a keeper!
Hi, Mine is in the oven right now! So excited to serve this for Easter. I have poured the batter into a greased/floured Bundt pan and have my fingers crossed that it gets done and will come out of the pan. Have timed for 40 mins, but we’ll see if that’s enough. Thanks for such a great GF recipe!
I think that this was the best carrot cake ever whether gluten free or not. I didn’t put the coconut in because some don’t like it. The icing was superb and easily spreadable.
Have made this three times now and each time it was a hit! It’s SO good, and my entire family LOVES it, as well as sooo many of your other recipes. Your site and recipes are go to’s in my home!
Easy for even a teenager to make. The recipe is great and the instructions anyone could follow. I have made many gluten free recipes before, and mamaknowsglutenfree is my go-to blog. I would also HIGHLY recommend Audrey’s cookbook: The Everything Gluten Free & Dairy Free Cookbook. Check it out, it has many great recipes like this one.
HOW DO I GIVE THIS TEN STARS? I made this for my new roommates during Easter. The ENTIRE, HUGE, MOIST, and delectable cake for three people. We destroyed it within 48 hours. I don’t even feel an ounce of shame. I suggest you make this for everyone you know – they’ll love you til the day they die. Hats off to the chef!
I have made this cake twice. It is Ah.Maz.Ing. The family liked it. Friends at work liked it and my mom said it was the best ever. It is now in my personal cookbook (gluten, dairy and soy free). Thank you so much!
Hi! Made this carrot cake earlier today, and it was a HIT!! Everyone went for seconds. Also, I absolutely LOVE that this has 0 oz of oil in it, everyone was amazed that this cake was oil-free! It was YUMMY and had a beautiful texture & crumb! Thank you so much for your recipe!!
This carrot cake recipe is AMAZING! Great texture and taste. It is worthy of a good plate licking…?. It’s definitely on my Holiday Dessert Table for sure!
FANTASTIC!! I’m not typically a carrot cake lover, but my son is and wanted one for his birthday. This is BY FAR the best carrot cake I’ve ever eaten! Even my mom, who is a much better baker than I am, agreed that this is the best carrot cake she’s ever tasted!
Thank you so much Casey for the awesome 5-star recipe review, this really made my day! I am so happy that it was the best carrot cake you have ever had (and your Mom agreed). It really made my heart happy to know that your son enjoyed it for his birthday. Thank you again!
I often chose recipes based on their reviews, but never review myself however I think your recipes deserve 5*. I’ve made the carrot cake, cheesecake and chocolate brownies, all of them came out great and I love the ingredients that you have chosen to use. It comes across that you have really thought about what goes into these desserts both in terms of flavour and for quality – that’s what makes them delicious! (Consistently!) they are not overly complicated or random. My husband is gluten free and health conscious, so birthdays your website is my ‘go to’. Another plus is that you can convert the measurements to metric.. I’m in the UK and converting cups causes mayhem in my kitchen. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Love this cake I made before, Can I use Pillsbury Gluten Free Premium Cake Mix ?
I was recently diagnosed with some thyroid issues, causing me to eat entirely gluten free. I made this for Thanksgiving, and my family is still talking about it! I didn’t even mention it was gluten free! This is the most delicious cake. The texture and flavors were so perfect! I did add a couple of things…
1) To the cream cheese, I used fresh orange juice instead of lemon and I also included orange zest. We are big on citrus flavor, and it was just the perfect amount to cut the sweetness of the cake! 2) My mom and I have always loved Costco’s carrot cake for including an apricot layer. So, I concocted a mixture of apricot preserves, orange marmalade, and honey to gloss the middle layer. It added a bit of extra tartness. 3) Across the side of the cake, I added chopped pecans. I also decorated the top layer with whole pecans. The extra crunch is soooo worth it!
I foresee making this recipe for many celebrations to come! Thanks so much!
Thank you Hanna for the amazing 5-star recipe review, this really made my night! I am so happy that everyone enjoyed the carrot cake. WOW! Thank you for sharing your modifications. I love the addition of apricot and orange marmalade layer, I am going to have to try that. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family and helping others. Thank you again!
So great, so moist. Best cake ever. Mom and sister have an allergy to gluten and dairy . It still tasted so good. Big hit try it out. I LOVE this recipe.
Love this recipe! Best gluten-free carrot cake ever! Thanks Audrey, and my family thanks you.
Thank you for a wonderful recipe. Carrot cakes my favorite! I had to go gluten free, dairy free because of my health. My two youngest daughters also have the problem. The cake was fantastic.
Best carrot cake I have ever made – hands down! The texture was so velvety that my husband didn’t believe it was GF! So fresh, tasty, and moist. Kept well in the fridge for 4 days. Thank you!
You did it again, Audrey! This was absolutely perfect. I have never, ever liked carrot cake icing – but, as usual, you made a convert out of me. I confess to eating the icing straight out of the bowl. It *was* that delicious.
My super picky, super taster husband loved it. It was better than any regular one that we have ever had. And, Audrey, I have been cooking from scratch three meals a day for my daughter on an AIP diet for years. We have done several intensive gluten free diets in the last ten years. He has loved very few recipes, so this was a home run on Father’s day.
Thank you SO much!!!
Holy cow. This is the best cake and I don’t even have to be gluten free. The frosting is to die for. So light and fluffy. I used craisins since we don’t like raisins in this house. My husband was like WOW! Thanks for new go to carrot cake recipe.
This carrot cake is so delicious; I love all of the extra add-ins!
Loved this carrot cake! Would never know it’s GF!
I baked it ion a 9X13 cake pan. Put half of it away in the freezer for another
day. I will definitely be baking this cake again.
Excellent. Would never know it was gluten free. Everyone came back for seconds!!!
Hi I am allergic to pineapple is there anything I could substitute?
Hi Sara! I have never tried the recipe without pineapple before. You could probably add more applesauce to give the moisture that the pineapple gives. I’m not sure how much to add since I have never tried it. Maybe 1/2 cup of apple sauce in place of the crushed pineapple. If you try it will you please let me know how it works out?
Hi Audrey!
Do you know of a natural sugar substitute that would work in your recipe? coconut sugar ?Thanks! Maria
Hi Maria! I have never tried this recipe with non-refined sugar before. I have baked with coconut sugar, pure maple syrup, and honey. If you try it will you please let me know how it turns out? Thanks!
Looks delicious! One question, my son has a nut allergy. Can I safely leave out the coconut?
Hi Hallie! Yes you can leave out the coconut with no problems. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you so much!
Thank You for sharing this recipe!!
I’ve been searching for a dessert I can eat at Easter Dinner this year. I made this cake ( 17 deep dish cupcakes) today. They came out beautifully. Nice carrot cake coloring and the texture you’d never know was gluten/dairy free. They tasted great too, although next time I do believe I’ll add a bit more on the spices. I’m so happy I found this recipe!!!!
Hi I am eager to try this recipe soon as carrot cake is my absolute fav. Not huge on raisins so can I just omit or do I need to add something in its place?
Thank you.
Shelly
Hi Shelly! Carrot cake is my all-time favorite cake. You can just leave the raisins out and you don’t need to replace it with anything. I hope you enjoy the carrot cake!
And the oil ?
Hi Lupita! There is no oil used in this carrot cake recipe. The apple sauce gives the cake its moisture instead of using oil. I hope you enjoy the carrot cake!
5 STARS – This was an AWESOME cake! It tasted great both with and without icing. I cut the recipe in half to make it just for me. I had to make a few changes:
– Due to a carrot allergy, I subbed them for butternut squash. I didn’t have applesauce so I pureed an apple (cooked it in microwave for 3 min) and added a bit of lemon juice so it didn’t oxidize. I mixed my own GF flour: 1 C rice flour, + 1T potato starch + 1T tapioca-cornstarch mix (double these amounts for original measurements) I used fresh pineapple instead of canned subbed sugar with a combo of erythritol, stevia & monk fruit powdered sugar. Instead of icing, I made a coconut cream & cream cheese sauce (cream solids from coconut milk + vanilla + same sugar sub I used for cake mixed) and poured over each slice.I panicked after putting batter in pan thinking that I forgot the oil. I had to review list of ingredients twice when I finally realized that there was no oil in recipe (I assume reason for using applesauce – very clever!)
Thank you so much Suzanne for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! Wow! Your cake sounds amazing. I’ve never tried baking with sugar-free products, I really need to try it. I am so happy that you enjoyed the cake and was able to modify the recipe according to your carrot allergy. Thank you again!
I would like to make cup cakes. Is there anything special that I need to Know?
Hi Cathy! I would check the cupackes to see if they are done at 20 minutes. If they are not done yet, allow to cook for another 5 minutes and then recheck. Please watch your cupackes because all ovens are differnt. I hoep you enjoy the carrot cake cupcakes!
Delicious. I started checking at 15 min. 20 min was the magic #. Thanks
Thank you so much Cathy for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that the cupcakes baked easily to 15 minutes, you are so welcome. I hope you enjoy them!
I made this for Easter it was DELICIOUS! Have you made this without eggs? I need a substitute for someone with a egg allergy.
Hi Tabatha! I am so happy that you enjoyed the cake for Easter. I have not tried this recipe egg-free, but I have done egg-free baking using Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer. If you try it will you please let me know how it turns out?
Amazingly delicious!!!!
Would this be considered soy free as well? My Mother has to eat gluten & soy free and carrot cake is her favorite. I would love to be able to make this for her birthday!
Hi Kathy! As long as you use soy-free products, it will be soy-free. The ingredients listed are naturally soy-free. Make sure the gluten-free flour that you choose does not have soy listed in the ingredients. I hope your mom enjoys the carrot cake.