Gluten free carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

The best cake I have ever eaten is from a bakery close to where I live called McKinney and Doyle. They hands down make the most heavenly cream cheese carrot cake you could eat. It’s rich, creamy and soft yet full of so much flavor from the carrots and spices that I could knock out a few slices in one sitting. But, it’s been 6 + years since I’ve had it. You know why, because of my gluten allergy. 🙁

Transitioning to living life gluten free wasn’t hard for me. I quickly adapted to the changes and took them with open arms. Sure there were things I would miss but my health was more important. With that being said, the one thing that was the hardest for me to let go of was their carrot cake. I so badly wanted to order it but alas that was no a feasible option. So for 6+ long years I just lived without it. That was until I started baking/cooking.

Flashback to 2020 Father’s Day and I was wandering my mind looking for a cake to make, then it popped into my head! I was going to take the big task upon myself to recreate my all time favorite cake, just make it gluten free! This took some time. The first go around the texture was too dry, second time it was too dense but finally the third time with the help of Google (to measure baking times) and my new and improved baking pans, I was able to create the perfect consistency. Now time for the frosting, the biggest and let’s be honest, best part of the cake. 🙂 Now McKinney and a Doyle’s cream cheese frosting wasn’t just your run of the mill icing. It was special. So recreating this seemed impossible. Then again that was until I found the secret ingredient to make it the perfect combination of rich and smooth, the more vanilla extract the better. 🙂

I had finally done it! I created a gluten free version of my all time #1 cake and now it’s time for you to try it out! This is my favorite recipe I have ever made to date and it’s one that I will definitely be making at parties, for friends or just as a weekend treat. 🙂

Substitutions

This cake is gluten free and can also be made dairy free. Just replace the cream cheese and other dairy ingredients with your favorite vegan or non dairy substitute. If there are any questions about this then leave a comment below and I would be happy to help.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 1/2 cup gluten-free flour
• 1 1/4 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp all spice
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter – melted
• 3 cups finely shredded carrots

Frosting:

• 10 ounces cream cheese
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter – softened
• 3 cups + 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp heavy cream (add more if frosting is still too thick)
• 3 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and coat cake pans (circular). You can either use butter or cooking spray to grease.
2. In a bowl mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves, all spice, cinnamon and salt.
3. In a second bowl add sugar, brown sugar, eggs and beat until completely combined.
4. Add in apple sauce, oil and melted butter – reduce speed and beat on low until thoroughly combined. About 10 seconds.
5. Turn off mixer and add in dry ingredients from first bowl and the carrots to 2nd bowl. Mix by hand until all the flour is incorporated.
6. Pour and divide batter into greased cake pans and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Mine took about 40 minutes.
7. Take cakes out and let them cool.
8. While cakes are cooling prepare frosting.

Frosting directions:

• In a mixing bowl add softened cream cheese, butter and beat until combined – about 4 minutes.
• Add in powdered sugar and beat until well mixed.
• Add in heavy cream and vanilla extract. – Mix until it reaches your desired texture. Add in more heavy cream if frosting is still too thick.
• Frost your cooled cake slices. ENJOY 🙂

Make this recipe and leave a comment below this post with your thoughts! AND use the hashtag #theresahealeycooking and tag @gluten.free.t on Instagram to share your creation! 

Gluten-free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

diylifestyle.co

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Servings 10 people

Ingredients

  

• Cake:
• 2 1/2 cup gluten-free flour
• 1 1/4 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp all spice
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter – melted
• 3 cups finely shredded carrots
• Frosting:
• 10 ounces cream cheese
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter – softened
• 3 cups + 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp heavy cream add more if frosting is still too thick
• 3 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and coat cake pans (circular). You can either use butter or cooking spray to grease.
• In a bowl mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves, all spice, cinnamon and salt.
• In a second bowl add sugar, brown sugar, eggs and beat until completely combined.
• Add in apple sauce, oil and melted butter – reduce speed and beat on low until thoroughly combined. About 10 seconds. Turn off mixer and add in dry ingredients from first bowl and the carrots to 2nd bowl. Mix by hand until all the flour is incorporated.
• Pour and divide batter into greased cake pans and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Mine took about 40 minutes.
• Take cakes out and let them cool.
• While cakes are cooling prepare frosting.
• Frosting directions:
• In a mixing bowl add softened cream cheese, butter and beat until combined – about 4 minutes.
• Add in powdered sugar and beat until well mixed.
• Add in heavy cream and vanilla extract. – Mix until it reaches your desired texture.
• Add in more heavy cream if frosting is still too thick.
• Frost your cooled cake slices. ENJOY 🙂

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Thank you so much for reading today’s post! Have a wonderful week! 🙂

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