This recipe is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. This is carrot cake at its best!
Fully loaded with a kitchen sink of mix-ins. Topped off with a lavish slather of cream cheese frosting. Indisputably moist and tender, yet substantial enough to hold a slice, just as carrot cake should.
My goal with this recipe was twofold. First and foremost, I wanted to bake a killer carrot cake, one that would fill my heart with optimistic feelings of springtime and taste like a happy, celebratory moment. Second, I wanted my carrot cake to be gluten free, without actually tasting gluten free. I mean no disrespect to the great GF bakers out there; the problem is that gluten free cakes disappoint more often than they should. This one does not. It tastes like a truly, super-duper, incredibly perfect carrot cake! This carrot cake recipe is made with almond flour (no all-purpose flour is used), so if you are having trouble getting a hold of all-purpose flour right now, no matter your dietary needs it’s a fantastic option that you’ll be thrilled you tried.
Not only did this recipe turn out to be a stellar gluten free carrot cake, if you use a non-dairy cream cheese frosting recipe, it is a slam-dunk dairy-free AND gluten free carrot cake. That means more carrot cake for all, regardless of your dietary restrictions (or pantry situation). Everyone deserves to have a fabulous carrot cake in their lives. At the moment, this is mine. I hope it will be yours too!
How to Make Gluten Free Carrot Cake
The first thing you’ll notice about this recipe (and what makes it gluten free) is that instead of all-purpose flour, I made this carrot cake with almond flour. I’ve eaten my share of carrot cakes (Healthy Carrot Cake) and carrot-cake inspired recipes (Carrot Cookies; Carrot Cake Muffins), and I think the almond flour actually makes carrot cake taste even better. Almond flour’s subtle, nutty flavor was made to be incorporated into carrot cake, which traditionally calls for nuts anyway. It’s as if the two were destined to be together all along. Almond flour is heavier than all-purpose flour (you can’t substitute almond flour directly in a recipe calling for all-purpose flour), so my biggest obstacle with this recipe was ensuring the carrot cake came out tender and fluffy, not dense. Beating the eggs for several minutes first proved to be the trick, a tip I picked up from Bon Appetit.
The Ingredients
Almond Flour. A fantastic ingredient for gluten free and everyday baking. Almond flour is made of ground almonds, so it maintains the same health benefits that almonds do, such as vitamin E, protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
Quality here matters—I buy and recommend Bob’s Red Mill. The quality and consistency of almond flour can vary, and Bob’s never lets me down. I also appreciate that Bob’s puts a priority on how it sources and processes its ingredients to ensure they maintain the maximum nutritional value possible.
Carrots. The other star ingredient in our carrot cake! Carrots make the cake naturally sweet, keep the batter moist, and their flavor is further enhanced by the warm spices and maple syrup. Plus, carrots are packed with Vitamin-A and potassium. Carrot cake for breakfast? It’s looking like a good idea. Coconut. Another naturally sweet element that also adds texture. Nuts. Toasted pecans or walnuts add a nice crunch and savory complement to the sweet flavors in this cake. Maple Syrup. Instead of using only refined sugar, I wanted to naturally sweeten this cake with some maple syrup too. The flavor of maple syrup is incredible paired with the warm spices and nuttiness of the almond flour. Raisins. I love adding raisins to carrot cake for their chewy texture and sweet flavor. If you’re not into them (they’re decisive, I know!) you can try golden raisins (which are sweeter), dried cranberries, or simply omit them. Spices. A spiced carrot cake is a happy carrot cake. I used a classic combination of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for warmth and rich, deep flavors.
The Directions
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
To Make Ahead. Cake layers can be baked 1 day in advance. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature. The frosting can also be made a day in advance; store it in the refrigerator, then frost the cake a few hours before serving. To Store. Cover the cake, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let come to near room temperature prior to serving. To Freeze. Cut your cake into slices, and individually freeze each slice in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 2 months. Remove and thaw slices as desired in the refrigerator. You also can freeze the whole cake or freeze individual layers.
More Favorite Almond Flour Recipes
It’s worth buying a bag of almond flour! You can use it in any of these almond flour recipes. Here are a few delicious recipe picks to get your started:
Almond Flour Bread Almond Flour Cookies Almond Flour Cake with Lemon Strawberry Almond Skillet Cake
I had originally hoped to bake this gluten free carrot cake recipe for my family at Easter—none of whom have a dietary restriction but all of whom love a good carrot cake—but we’re putting our get-together on hold for the time being. Ben and I will be having a quiet Easter brunch at home to ourselves. While I thought baking an entire carrot cake might be a bit excessive for just two the two of us, I honestly don’t think I’ll be able to resist! This cake saves well (see tips above to store and/or freeze) and tastes so magnificent, I know we’ll be delighted to enjoy the leftovers in the days and weeks that follow. I hope this carrot cake brings a sense of peace, comfort, and optimism to your table too. I am sharing this post in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands and companies that make it possible for me to continue to create quality content for you! For more healthy recipe inspiration, coupons, or to find a store that carries Bob’s Red Mill products near you, visit bobsredmill.com.
