This is the carrot cake recipe I bring to every family gathering, and it’s the one people constantly tell me is the best carrot cake they’ve ever had, even when they don’t need to eat gluten-free. My carrot cake cupcakes have been a fan favorite on this site for years, so I finally created a layer cake version that you can frost and decorate.
This recipe makes an incredibly moist gluten-free carrot cake packed with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. The secret to keeping it so moist is using oil instead of butter. Oil is a liquid fat, which means this cake stays soft even straight from the refrigerator. No waiting for it to come to room temperature. You can slice and serve it cold and it’s still perfectly tender.
The cream cheese frosting is tangy and not too sweet, which balances out the spiced cake perfectly. While this makes a beautiful Easter dessert, it’s really great for any occasion.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Both work perfectly and already contain xanthan gum, so you don’t need to add extra. I haven’t tested other blends, so I can’t guarantee results with different brands.
- Fresh Shredded Carrots – Use carrots you shred yourself, not pre-shredded bags from the store. Pre-shredded carrots are too dry and won’t give you that perfectly moist cake.You can shred your carrots with a box grater or using a food processor fitted with the grater attachment.
- Oil instead of butter – Oil creates a lighter, more tender crumb than butter. It also keeps this cake incredibly moist and helps it stay soft longer.
- Applesauce – This is one of my favorite secrets for making moist carrot cake. The applesauce adds moisture without making the cake heavy or greasy. Since you’re only using 3/4 cup, I find it easier to have the single-serve cups on hand for baking recipes.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Just a small amount reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise and stay tender. You won’t taste it in the finished cake.
Why I Include Metric Measurements
Measuring ingredients by weight gives you consistent results every single time. I’ve included grams for everything, even the carrots, so you don’t have to guess how many carrots to shred. Just weigh as you go. Once you start baking by weight, you’ll never go back to cups.
How to Decorate
The piped carrot decorations are completely optional—they’re just fun for special occasions like Easter or birthdays! You can keep it simple with a smooth frosted cake, add a border with a star tip, sprinkle on chopped walnuts, or get creative with your own design. The cake is delicious however you decorate it.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The cake itself is already dairy-free since it uses oil and applesauce instead of butter. Just swap the cream cheese frosting for a dairy-free version.
Absolutely! You can stir up to 2 cups total of mix-ins into the batter. Try chopped walnuts or pecans (1 cup), raisins (3/4 cup), drained crushed pineapple (8 oz can), or shredded coconut (1/2 cup). Use one or combine several—just don’t exceed 2 cups total.
For cupcakes, I have a tested gluten-free carrot cake cupcake recipe with slightly different ratios. For a sheet cake, pour into a 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes.
While cream cheese frosting is classic, you can also try chocolate cream cheese frosting, brown butter cream cheese frosting, maple frosting, or cinnamon buttercream.
Expert Tips
Storage & Make Ahead Tips
Make Ahead
This cake tastes even better the next day! The flavors have time to develop and the texture stays perfectly moist. Bake the cake layers, let them cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight. Make the frosting and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Let the frosting come to room temperature before using, then frost the next day.
Storage
Store leftover carrot cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Freezing
Freeze individual slices for up to 3 months. Slice the cake first, then place slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour until solid. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to know! Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also share your pictures and tag @adashofmegnut on Instagram.
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Ingredients
For the carrot cake:
- 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, in the blue bag which already contains xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (210 g) brown sugar
- 3 (150 g) large eggs
- 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil - or other neutral tasting oil like avocado oil (125mL)
- 3/4 cup (183 g) unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups (250 g) finely shredded carrots - from about 2-3 large carrots
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 Tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- 16 oz (453.59 g) cream cheese - softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
For decorations (optional):
- ½ cup (58.5 g) chopped walnuts
- orange food coloring - or combination of red and yellow food coloring
- green food coloring
**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!
Instructions
For the carrot cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl, add 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (210 g) brown sugar, and 3 (150 g) large eggs. Beat together for 2 minutes, until thoroughly combined and light in color.
- Add in 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil, 3/4 cup (183 g) unsweetened applesauce, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Mix until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring in between, until no streaks of white remain.
- Stir in 2 cups (250 g) finely shredded carrots.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, filling each equally.
- Bake at 350F for 33-37 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- Add 8 Tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter and 16 oz (453.59 g) cream cheese to a large bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer until completely smooth.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
- Gradually add in 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar, a little at a time, and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add 4 to 5 cups in total, until your desired consistency is reached and the cream cheese frosting is thick and smooth.
- Set aside 1 cup of cream cheese frosting. Use remaining frosting to frost the cake. Place one layer of carrot cake on a plate or platter. Frost the top with cream cheese frosting and smooth with a spatula.
- Place the other carrot cake layer on top of the frosting.
- Then, do a thin layer of frosting on the cake to trap in all of the crumbs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to make it easier to frost. Then, go back and frost the cake with a thicker layer of frosting. Pipe any decorations on top with a 1M star frosting tip, if desired.
For the decorations (optional):
- Sprinkle ½ cup (58.5 g) chopped walnuts on the top and sides of the cake, if desired.
- To make the carrot decorations, divide the reserved 1 cup of frosting into two small bowls.
- Add the orange food coloring to one bowl, and green food coloring to the other. Mix until your desired colors are reached. Place the colored frosting into piping bags either fitted with a small round tip or snip off the end of the piping bag without a tip. The hole should be the size of a marker.
- With the orange, pipe long triangles all over the cake for the carrots. Use the green to make the carrot tops. Pipe any cream cheese frosting decorations along the edge with a 1M star frosting tip, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour: This recipe was tested with both Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Baking Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Both of these flours already contain xanthan gum, so additional xanthan gum is not needed. If your blend does not contain xanthan gum, you will want to use the amount specified in the recipe.
- Metric Measurements: For the most accurate results, I recommend using the metric measurements provided in the recipe. If you measure the gluten-free flour in cups, be sure to not use the measuring cup to scoop the floor. This will result in too much flour and a dense cake. Instead, spoon flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight object.
- Storage: To store leftovers in the refrigerator, place the cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the cake for up to 3 months. First, slice the cake into individual portions. Freeze them on a lined baking sheet for one hour until solid. Then, tightly wrap individual slices and place in a freezer safe container or bag.
Can you make this with egg replacer like flax meal egg replacer
I have made this recipe before and each time it seems better and better. It is addicting from the first bite!