Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

4.96 from 86 votes

This gluten-free carrot cake is one of my absolute favorites. It’s incredibly easy to make, yet it tastes like something straight out of a bakery. The warm blend of spices perfectly complements the natural sweetness of the carrots, pineapple, and coconut, creating a rich, moist texture that no one will ever guess is gluten-free.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Baking, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free carrot cake

Servings: servings

Author: Audrey Roberts

Equipment

2 9x9-inch cake pans

Ingredients

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 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 pecans chopped
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 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 the 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 overnight. I like my carrot cake really cold. You can also partially cool in the pans for 15-20 minutes and then place the cakes on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Don’t forget to add the parchment paper to the bottom of the pan and then coat it with cooking spray. This cake is moist, which means it will be more prone to sticking to the pan.
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.
I always use a toothpick to check if the cakes are done. This carrot cake is moist, so a small amount of cake may stick to the toothpick, but it should not be wet. This ensures the cake is baked perfectly.
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.
For the dairy-free option, I used Kite Hill dairy-free cream cheese.
I decorated the top with shredded coconut, chopped pecans, and frosting flowers using a Wilton 1M tip.
I’ve made this carrot cake without raisins or pecans before, but I’ve never skipped the shredded coconut. Additionally, the crushed pineapple is one of the key ingredients that makes this cake so moist. I haven’t tried this recipe without it because it’s such an important part of the texture and flavor.
If you’d like to make this recipe into cupcakes, simply add the batter to lined muffin tins and bake them for 15–20 minutes. In my experience, the cupcakes turn out perfectly at 20 minutes, but make sure to keep an eye on your oven, as baking times can vary depending on your oven’s performance.

Nutrition