Description
This Gluten-Free Carrot Cake is a moist and flavorful dessert made with almond and tapioca flours, sweetened naturally with coconut sugar and applesauce. Infused with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and packed with shredded carrots and pecans, it’s topped with a creamy, classic cream cheese frosting. Perfect for anyone seeking a gluten-free treat that doesn’t compromise on taste or texture.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 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
Wet Ingredients for Cake
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup butter, ghee, or coconut oil (melted and room temperature)
- ½ cup applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped pecans (plus extra for garnish)
Frosting Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (or more as needed)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare pans and oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles to prevent sticking.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, baking soda, cream of tartar, and kosher salt until evenly mixed.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, use a whisk or hand mixer on medium speed to blend eggs, melted butter (or ghee/coconut oil), applesauce, and vanilla extract for about 30 seconds until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and blend on medium speed for about 1 minute until well incorporated.
- Fold in carrots and pecans: Gently fold shredded carrots and chopped pecans into the batter using a spatula to maintain texture and even distribution.
- Fill pans and bake: Evenly divide the batter among the three prepared pans; the batter will fill only about a quarter of each pan. Smooth the tops with a spatula or tap pans gently on the counter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes: Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove them from the pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make cream cheese frosting: In a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Adjust powdered sugar quantity if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Assemble and frost: Once cakes are fully cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly between each layer. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to the cake’s outside edges, smoothing with a spatula and scraping off excess. Garnish the top with additional chopped pecans.
Notes
- Using parchment paper in the pans ensures the cakes release easily without breaking.
- The cake layers will be thin due to the batter volume; this results in more manageable, multi-layer cake stacking.
- For a nut-free version, omit pecans and consider adding sunflower seeds or leaving them out entirely.
- If you prefer a sweeter frosting, gradually increase powdered sugar to taste while mixing.
- Ensure all wet ingredients are at room temperature for best batter consistency.
- Store the cake refrigerated, covered, for up to 5 days, or freeze layers for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American