This gluten-free carrot cake has been a reader favorite for years! It’s made with three layers of perfectly spiced carrot cake and just the right amount of cream cheese frosting for a deliciously sweet bite.
Why You’ll Love This Carrot Cake
A carrot cake with cream cheese frosting has always been one of my favorite desserts to indulge in. And when I set out to create this gluten-free version years ago, it did take a bit of trial and error. But it’s been absolutely perfect for over a decade now, and I make this recipe at least twice a year, for Easter and Thanksgiving, plus special birthdays. The triple layers are unbelievably moist, filled with warm spices, and packed with plenty of freshly grated carrots. Is the cake itself healthy? Well, that might be a bit of a stretch. But I did go light on the ultra-creamy cream cheese frosting, so I’m calling that balance! I also love that this recipe is:
- Really easy to make. And foolproof! The layers always bake flat and don’t need any trimming on top.
- Sweet but not too sweet. After a big holiday meal of honey baked ham or prime rib, it’s the perfect after-dinner dessert that’s not overly sweet.
- A great make-ahead dessert. It stores well in the fridge, so I usually make it a day or two in advance.
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Ingredients
For the carrot cake base, you’ll need:
- Almond Flour: I always use blanched almond flour for the finest texture.
- Tapioca Flour: A little bit of tapioca flour helps to create that lighter, fluffier texture.
- Coconut Sugar: The subtle caramel undertones of coconut sugar are perfect in this cake.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger are the ultimate carrot cake spice mix.
- Baking Soda and Cream of Tartar: The baking soda gives lift, and the cream of tartar is the acid that activates it. You can swap both for baking powder if that’s easier.
- Eggs: While it may seem like 5 eggs is a lot, keep in mind that extra eggs are needed because of the gluten-free flours.
- Butter: I’m using butter, but ghee also works great!
- Applesauce: This is my secret ingredient for keeping this carrot cake extra moist!
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a smidge of sweetness to the overall base.
- Shredded Carrots: The star ingredient is carrots! And I’ve got extra tips below for how to grate them quickly and easily.
- Pecans: I love sprinkling chopped pecans on top for that nutty crunch. But you could always swap in walnuts or another nut.
And here’s what you’ll need for the cream cheese frosting:
- Cream Cheese: Its thick texture and tangy flavor make it perfect for the ultimate creamy frosting.
- Butter: Again, you can also use ghee here if desired.
- Powdered Sugar: I use organic powdered sugar for that classic sweet, fluffy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: For a little touch of sweetness.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Ways to Shred Carrots
I usually use my KitchenAid shredding attachment because it makes grating carrots incredibly fast and easy. But if you don’t have one, no worries. You can simply peel the carrots and use a box grater or a hand grater. It takes a little more effort, but it works perfectly fine.
Another quick option is using a food processor with the shredding blade attached. Just peel the carrots, cut them into 3-inch pieces, and let the machine do the work. No matter which method you use, freshly shredded carrots will give you the best moisture and texture in this cake.
How To Make Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
To get started, grease your pans and line them with parchment paper (I love these pre-cut rounds). That little bit of prep makes removal so much easier later! Then the rest comes together quickly.
Next, make the carrot cake batter. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. You can use a whisk, but I usually grab my hand mixer and blend on medium speed for about 30 seconds to make it extra smooth. Then, add the dry mixture to the wet and blend for another minute until fully combined. Once the batter is smooth, gently fold in the shredded carrots and pecans.
Then, pour the batter into pans and bake. Then smooth the tops with a spatula. Note that they’ll only be about ¼ full, and that’s okay. Bake the cakes at 325°F for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Once they’re done, let them cool for about 15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Finally, make the frosting by blending the ingredients in a large bowl with a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Divide the frosting between the cake layers, saving some frosting for the top and sides. Lastly, don’t forget the chopped pecans for that final crunchy touch!
My Baking Tips and Substitutions
- If you don’t eat dairy, the cake itself can easily be made dairy-free by using ghee or coconut oil. And honestly, it’s delicious even without frosting. You could also make a dairy-free buttercream.
- Feel free to customize this cake with classic add-ins. I love adding raisins, shredded coconut, or even crushed pineapple!
- If you don’t have three 8-inch pans, you can use two 9-inch pans instead. These will take a bit longer to cook, so do keep an eye on them.
- If I’m making this cake in advance, I’ll wrap the cooled, unfrosted layers tightly in plastic wrap. Then, I’ll refrigerate them for a couple of days or freeze them for a couple of weeks. Once they’re thawed back to room temperature, it’s easy to add frosting to the layers before serving!
- You can also store the fully frosted cake at room temperature or in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Because this is a “rustic” cake with minimal frosting on the sides, just be aware that it can dry out a bit faster than a fully frosted cake.
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
- Paleo Chocolate Cake: The best ever chocolate cake.
- Almond Cake: A light cake to pair with coffee or tea.
- Paleo Lemon Blueberry Cake: This is a springtime favorite.
- Flourless Chocolate Cake: It’s light and fluffy.
- Berry Sheet Cake: Perfect for serving a crowd.
If you try this gluten-free carrot cake recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re looking for more healthy food inspiration, join my free newsletter here or follow me on Pinterest!
Description
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- 2 ½ cups almond flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3 teaspoons cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup butter, ghee, or coconut oil, melted and room temperature
- ½ cup applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped pecans, plus extra for garnish
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, or more as needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grease the pans. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease three 8-inch pans and line the bottom of each with a circle of parchment paper.
- Make the carrot cake batter. In a medium bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and whisk together. In a separate large bowl, add the eggs, butter, applesauce and vanilla extract. With a whisk or hand mixer on medium speed, blend together for 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and blend for another minute, until well combined. Fold in the shredded carrots and chopped pecans.
- Bake the cakes. Evenly divide the cake batter between the three 8-inchpans. They'll only be about ¼ full and that's okay. Use a spatula to flatten them on top or gently tap them on the counter. Cook the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once done, let the cakes cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then remove them from the pan and continue cooling them on a cooling rack.
- Make the cream cheese frosting. While the cakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Add the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla together to the bowl of a stand mixer and blend on medium speed, until creamy. Alternatively, you can use a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed.
- Frost the cakes. Divide the frosting between the layers and add a thin layer of frosting to the outside edge. Use a spatula to scrape any excess off, as you would if you were crumb coating a cake. Add a sprinkle of chopped pecans on top.
Lisa’s Tips
- Pan options: You can bake this in two 9-inch pans instead of three 8-inch pans. Just note that they may take 5 to 10 minutes longer to cook, though do keep an eye on them.
- Dairy-free option: Swap the butter for ghee or coconut oil. The cake itself is delicious even without frosting. And for the frosting, you can use your favorite dairy-free buttercream.
- Make-ahead tip: Wrap cooled, unfrosted layers tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks. Frost after thawing.
- Storing frosted cake: Store covered at room temperature or in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
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Recipe originally published April 2017, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
Behind The Scenes
I have made this gluten-free carrot cake so many times I’ve lost count! It’s just one of those foolproof cake recipes that turns out perfectly every time. And my type-A side loves that the cake layers always bake perfectly flat. The cake itself is a more rustic looking cake, which I love, but it should also go without saying that if there’s even a smidge of leftover cream cheese frosting that I’ve scrapped off to get that look… it instantly goes right into my mouth!
I made your gluten free carrot cake for Easter. My family loved it! All 8 adults and 7 teenage kids! It was so moist and yummy. No one could have guesses it was gluten free. My daughter in law really appreciated me considering her needs.
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed this cake so much, Bev!
Hello from Europe! I made this cake and unfortunately, I can’t stop eating it! I already had 3 slices! It’s absolutely amazing! Next time I would use less sugar for the frosting, but that just it! Thank you for the most delicious recipes! 🤗
Hi Andrea! So happy to hear you’re loving this carrot cake recipe so much!
Best carrot cake ever! Made this for my daughter’s baptism & it was a hit. My in laws are gluten free & they hadn’t had carrot cake in years & absolutely loved it (as did the guests who are not gluten free). Whether or not you’re gluten free, it is definitely worth making. Delicious & easy, this recipe is a keeper!
Thrilled to hear this was the perfect cake for your daughter’s baptism, Kelly!
I made this cake for Easter dinner. All 11 of us loved it. It has a lovely flavour, and density. The icing was also very tasty. The picture only shows when partly served as I remembered to take picture; i only had a little left over. I’m glad I took the picture as I sent it to several people as a recommendation. It took me a little longer to prep what with melting butter and waiting til room temp to use. A great cake and I will make it again.
Thrilled to hear everyone loved this carrot cake for Easter! Definitely bookmark this one for future ocassions :)
Oh. My. Goodness. This is the best carrot cake! I made it for our Easter celebration substituting honey for the coconut sugar and it turned out amazing. I didn’t have round cake pans and baked it in a 9×13 glass pan. 48 minutes was perfect. Also needing to substitute the powdered sugar, I used honey, increased the butter and decreased the cream cheese. It was so tasty. I will be making this again and again. Thank you, Lisa, for all the wonderful recipes you share. BTW, I made the pea salad too but will review it on the pea salad recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thrilled to hear you loved this carrot cake, Terri! I’m so glad it turned out perfectly.
This is an excellent gluten free recipe!! I made this in a 9×13 pan and baked it at the recommended temperature for about 35 mins. I then cut the cake in half and layered it, so I got a 2 layer, rectangular shaped cake. 12 servings is very accurate – that is exactly what I got. It came out PERFECT. I feel like ovens can vary greatly in temperature, so I would recommend testing the cake with a toothpick to make sure it’s done if you are using a different size pan than what is recommended. Everyone said the cake looked and tasted professional – and I am far from a professional baker! The frosting was enough to fully frost the entire cake, plus floral piping all around the top rim. Thank you very much for this recipe! :)
Hi Danielle – Thrilled to hear this carrot cake turned out perfectly for you! Love how you added floral piping as well :)
Hello, I’m making this for Easter and would like to add crushed pineapple. If I do this, should I omit the applesauce?
Thanks!
Hi Kelly – Yes, if you’re adding crushed pineapple, I’d reduce or omit the applesauce. Both add moisture, so keeping both can make the cake a bit too wet or dense. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for the tip for crushed pineapple. I used the pineapple instead of applesauce, and it turned out great. My gluten eating husband said it was much better than the one I used to make years ago (before celiac). It’s also so easy to make. This is a 5 star recipe!
Yay, so happy to hear it turned out perfectly for you!
Hello, Beautiful cake! I would like to prepare this recipe for someone who is GF and almond-sensitive. Is there a substitute you might recommend for the almond flour? Would oat flour work? Thank you!
Hi Lucy – Unfortunately no, as all gluten-free flours bake differently. Though hazelnut flour is quite similar to almond flour, so if it’s just an almond sensitivity, you could try swapping that in 1:1.