Hands down the best gluten-free carrot cake around! Easy to make with everyday ingredients and topped with a blanket of fluffy cream cheese frosting. Nobody will guess this is gluten-free!
Easter dinner isn’t complete without a delicious carrot cake for dessert! I’ve been making this homemade gluten-free carrot cake recipe for a few years now and it’s always an unbelievable hit. It is light and moist with the perfect tender crumb and hint of spice.
The traditional cream cheese frosting is just the right amount of sweet. It’s whipped until it’s fluffy so it makes a blanket of frosting over the cake. Nobody will guess this great recipe is gluten-free!
I love how easy it is to make sheet cakes! (Like this easy gluten-free chocolate cake.) No stacking layers precariously with frosting. No worrying it will tip over on the car ride over to a friends house.
Just easy-peasy cake made in a 9×13 pan that is no-fuss, portable and always a crowd-pleaser. (However, you could make this a layer cake, if you really wanted to!) For another easy sheet cake try this gluten-free banana cake.
For more gluten-free cake recipes, try this gluten-free lemon cake, gluten-free birthday cake, gluten-free pineapple upside down cake, gluten-free red velvet cake or these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes. You also might like these gluten-free pumpkin bars for the fall.
Why You’ll Love this Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Great for special occasions (like Easter)
- Easy to make, no-fuss recipe
- Topped with cream cream cheese frosting (that isn’t too sweet)
- Always light, fluffy, and moist
Check out this collection of gluten-free Easter desserts for more recipes!
How to Make Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
This carrot cake is surprisingly easy to make-it’s made with simple ingredients, and it’s no different than making a regular carrot sheet cake! The ingredients are basically the same (eggs, sugar, oil, carrots, spices, etc.) except you use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. This is also sometimes called measure-for-measure flour.
Just be sure to pick a flour that contains xanthan gum that acts as a binder. I like using King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour and a little bit of almond flour for the dry ingredients in this recipe.
There are a few tricks for making gluten-free cake in general. For this reason I highly recommend using recipes that are designed specifically to be gluten-free rather than swapping in gluten-free flour for regular flour in a standard recipe.
STEP 1: You start by beating together the eggs, white sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. You can use the bowl of a stand mixer or a hand mixer for this – either will work!
STEP 2: Slowly add the oil in a steady stream while beating until fully incorporated. Then whip the whole mixer until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients, grated carrots, and pecans into the large bowl. I shred my carrots in the food processor to speed up the process. You can omit the pecans if you like but I love the little bit of texture! However if you ask me, golden raisins and pineapple have no place in a carrot cake! I like the nice light texture of a cake without the other mix-ins.
STEP 4: Mix the dry and wet ingredients until incorporated, then pour the cake batter into a 9×13 pan.
TIP: Shred carrots in the food processor to save time.
STEP 5: Make the luscious cream cheese frosting! This is my very favorite recipe for gluten free cream cheese frosting. It really makes a difference to whip the powdered sugar and other ingredients together for a few minutes for a nice fluffy texture. I also like this cream cheese frosting because it uses a little less sugar than other recipes and isn’t overwhelmingly sweet.
STEP 6: Spread the frosting over the cooled gluten-free carrot cake. Refrigerate until serving if needed. Let the cake come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving, then enjoy the perfect gluten-free treat!
Storage Instructions
Store your cake by covering the pan in plastic wrap, or by placing leftovers in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to two days.
Tips for Making Gluten-Free Cake
This recipe is perfectly designed to work as written with gluten-free flour. (Like this gluten-free angel food cake!) I highly recommend seeking out recipes that are specifically designed to be gluten-free. However, here are few tips for making cake gluten-free if you’re adapting a regular flour recipe.
Use a high-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour: I like King Arthur Flour. I also usually reduce the amount of flour slightly as gluten-free flour tends to be denser than regular flour.
Reduce the amount of oil slightly: Gluten-free flours aren’t as absorptive as regular flour so sometimes you need to cut back on the vegetable or canola oil slightly.
Add an extra egg: Eggs can give gluten-free baked goods an extra lift and needed structure.
Bake the cake longer: Gluten-free cakes often need longer in the oven than regular cakes. Be sure to test the center with a toothpick to ensure it’s cooked through.
Use parchment paper: If you want to be able to easily remove the whole cake from the prepared pan, line it with parchment paper and let some hang off the sides.
You also might like this gluten-free coconut cake or gluten-free coffee cake.
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
I hope you love this gluten-free carrot cake recipe as much as we do! Leave a comment/rating below if you try this recipe. I’d love to hear from you!
Easy Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Video
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour 310 grams
- 1/2 cup almond flour 55 grams, or substitute with 1/4 cup more measure-for-measure flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound carrots 450 grams, peeled and grated
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 1 cup brown sugar 200 grams
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pecans toasted and chopped (optional – plus more for topping finished cake if desired)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 ounces brick-style cream cheese 452 grams, softened to room temperature
- 10 tablespoons butter 140 grams, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar 340 grams
Instructions
- For the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Grate the carrots in a food processor (this way is the easiest!) or by hand. In a medium bowl, add the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat until frothy and combined. Slowly pour in the oil while mixing and whip until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the flour mixture, carrots and nuts and mix everything together with a spatula until well-combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until set and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
- For the Frosting: Mix the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream at medium-high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using handheld mixer) until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
- Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat on low speed for 10-15 seconds, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 1-2 minutes until very fluffy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and top with more pecans if desired.
- Refrigerate until serving if needed. Let the cake come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Do you think I could make the cake 2 days in advance & then ice it the day I need it? Wondering if it’ll “keep” ok.
Hi Jen, this cake can be stored in the fridge for up to two days. Make sure to cover the pan in plastic wrap. Thanks for your question!
I’m going to try this recipe sounds great and the reviews. We don’t use canola or vegetable oil, I’m going to try avocado oil or olive oil, have you ever tried another oil ???
Hi Donna, we commonly use grapeseed oil or avocado oil in recipes. They are two good neutral oils. We hope you enjoy the carrot cake!
Do leftovers need to stay refrigerated? Looks yummy!!
Hi Alisa, yes leftovers should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or with the pan covered in plastic wrap. It will keep for up to two days if refrigerated. We hope you enjoy the carrot cake!
Can I substitute Coconut Oil for the vegetable oil?
Hi Linda, thanks for your question! We haven’t tried coconut oil in this recipe. We commonly use grapeseed oil or avocado oil in recipes. They are two good neutral oils and might be worth a try if you don’t want to use vegetable oil. We hope you enjoy the carrot cake!
Baked this cake for my Sister’s Birthday party and she loved it ! . I used Bobs Red Mill flour 1 to 1 baking flour because I had it in my pantry already and it came out fluffy, moist, and so delicious! Thank you for this recipe
My mom’s favorite dessert is carrot cake, so I had to try this! It was so easy (I did a two layer round cake) and everyone went on and on about how good it turned out! You would never guess it’s gluten free. And the icing – absolute perfection!
I’m happy it turned out for you all! Great to know it worked well as a two layer cake.
Oh awesome! Did you use 8 inch round pans and baked for how long? I’ve made this cake so many times but not in round pans. Thanks!
You are very good at gluten free baking. Your cakes taste like the real deal. No one can tell a difference. Delicious! Do you have a recipe for a gluten free spice cake that can be made as a layer cake?
Hi Erin- love your recipes. Question , on the back of KA Measure for measure bag, had a recipe calling for two cups of flour and it was 250 grams, but you note 310 grams??
Hi Mia, this is a very common question that comes up! We find that 1 cup of KAF weighs much closer to 150 grams. At the end of the day a cup measurement is subjective – and we think the manufacturer doesn’t realize gluten-free flour is denser than traditional wheat flour. Traditional wheat flour is 120 grams/cup. Erin likes to make her recipes so they will turn out for both people using cup measurements and grams measurements. It is her way of doing it on this website (it’s consistent through all her recipes) even if it’s not the same as KAF. We hope this helps!
Wow, just wow! Thank you Erin! This recipe is divine! I made it for my sister’s milestone birthday (she suffers from Celiac disease) and it was a hit! No one knew besides a few of us that it was GF. I got so many compliments! And to top it off, I made it for a potluck with over 40 people, and one of our friends, who happens to be a chef extraordinaire married to another chef, texted me to rave about it, wanted the recipe, and couldn’t believe it was GF! There’s zero dryness, but plenty of moisture and perfect flavor! 20 out of 10!!!
That’s the best! I’m so glad your chef friend and your sister all enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Hi Erin – this is my third time making this particular cake. It’s unbelievably good, and I’ve rated it previously. One thing I just noticed in the directions, and it probably doesn’t really make a difference, but adding the vanilla is listed in two different parts of making the frosting. Just thought I’d let you know.
I’m so honored you’ve made the cake 3 times! 🙂 Thanks so much for pointing that out. I just fixed the recipe. Always helpful to know when there’s a mistake!
Unbelievably delicious!! My honey is a carrot cake aficionado- and he rates this right up there with his favorite (non-gluten free) bakery cake! So good – don’t change a thing! Use the almond flour!
I’m so honored he rated it with his favorite non-GF bakery cake! Hooray! Glad it turned out for you 🙂
Can I make this into a layer cake? Or does it need to be a 13×9 because of the recipe?
You can make it into 2 8-inch round cakes if you prefer! Just decrease the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
Can I replace a cup of oil with a cup of sour cream or yogurt for gluten free baking
That won’t work in this recipe! It might work in others but it depends on the recipe.
Wow! This cake is fantastic! So moist and delicious. I am the only gluten free person in my family, but everyone loved this cake. Comes together pretty quickly. I halved the frosting for my 13×9 cake and it was the perfect amount.
I haven’t made this yet, but would like to know if I can use this cake in a Bundt pan?
That might work but I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for sure!
Any idea on how long to bake carrot cupcakes?
I would bake cupcakes at 350F for 20-25 minutes. I hope this helps! 🙂
Can this recipe be cut in half and use 9inch round pan? It sounds amazing
Hi Peggy, this recipe will make enough batter for two 9″ round pans so you could definitely try cutting it in half if you only want one single layer 9″ round cake. Thanks for your question!
Is there a sugar free version, or at least low sugar? Want to make it for a holiday (Easter) party of 45-50 ppl where 1/4 are vegans, and nearly 1/2 are vegetarian, most limit sugar. Thanks!
Hi Cynthia, thanks for your question! We haven’t tried sugar free or reduced sugar for this recipe. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
This cake and icing are for the double-win. I followed the recipe exactly with no alterations. No one could believe it was GF. This is the second cake recipe I’ve made from your site; the first was at Christmas with the gingerbread cake. Both have been absolute winners. My son-in-law, who is a runner, ate three pieces (meaning he can afford better than most). I also did a course shredding with the carrots as you suggested to one of the people who asked on the site.
Hooray! I’m so glad you and your family have enjoyed the cakes! Course shredding the carrots definitely works best. Happy to hear the recipe was a win for you!
I’ve rated this recipe before , but will give another 5 stars! Everyone I make this for raves about it and don’t believe me when I tell them it’s gluten free! The only thing I changed with this recipe is that I add coconut oil and seems to make it even more moist.
Thank you for the 5 stars, Olga! We really appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate this recipe. Here’s to more carrot cake in the future!
This cake was fabulous! I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour in the blue and white bag. So good. Most people who ate it had no idea it was gluten free – you could not tell at all. I increased the cinnamon to 1 1/2 tsp and added 1 tsp vanilla extract for more flavor. I also added 1 c raisins. I didn’t like the idea of this frosting with all the added butter and sour cream, so I used a simple recipe of 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened (at least 1 hour or more out of fridge), 2 1/2 c powdered sugar, 1-2 T. Milk, 1 tsp vanilla. I didn’t even use it all. It was a little thinner than a real stiff frosting which we loved!
That sounds like a lovely frosting adaptation! Thanks for sharing! I bet the raisins were good too. Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment!