The Best Gluten Free Carrot Cake Ever
#1 Gluten Free Carrot Cake
I can’t be modest when I’m talking about my carrot cake. It’s very nice and moist inside. Cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg are the defining flavors in it. Many people who follow a gluten free diet use gluten free flour mix for baking. Unfortunately, most of the flour mixes contain corn and rice flour. I do not use these flours. Almond flour’s flavor and texture are perfect for this gluten free cake. The other big advantage, almond flour is low in carbs and fits perfectly into the keto diet. I do not use refined sugar, I only use honey.
Make it Paleo
Lactose free cream cheese is not acceptable in paleo diet, because it’s not dairy free. This filling and topping are just an extra in this cake. I promise it’s very delicious without it as well. I made it many times without cream cheese, and everybody loved. It is completely up to you, depending on your diet. When I make the paleo version without cream cheese I use a square springform and I cut the cake into squares.
Young Carrot vs. Winter Carrot
I make sure to use older or adult carrot for this cake. Older carrots have enough moisture to make the cake soft without making it too sticky. Young carrots on the other hand are too juicy. It will release too much moisture and the cake will not turn out great. And of course, you want to make the best gluten free carrot cake. In my experience winter carrots are the best for this cake. But this kind of carrot is not available everywhere. The winter carrot is a large, fleshy carrot with a bright orange color. The first carrots were cultivated in the Netherlands and Belgium in the 15th century. Two centuries later, carrot and its several hybrids, like winter carrot too, were spread around Europe.
The Best Gluten Free Carrot Cake Ever
Ingredients
Paleo Carrot Cake
- 300 gram almond flour blanched
- 100 gram walnut ground
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour
- 140 gram raisins or sultanas
- 300 gram carrot grated
- 5 large eggs
- 60 ml apricot kernel oil
- 5 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp cinnamon ground
- 1 tsp nutmeg ground
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Frosting Optional*
- 400 gram lactose free cream cheese
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon ground
- 2 tbsp honey
- 6 pcs walnuts cleaned and halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C.
- Line the bottom of the 19-20 cm springform with parchment paper.
- Mix eggs, apricot kernel oil and honey with electric hand-mixer in a bowl.
- With a spoon mix walnut, raisins and carrot in another bowl.
- Put almond flour, tapioca flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt into big bowl and combine them.
- Add eggs mixture to almond flour mixture and combine with kitchen spoon.
- Add carrot mixture and use kitchen spoon to mix them. Pour the batter into the lined springform and bake it for 45 minutes. Test the cake for doneness with a toothpick. Add 5 minutes more if necessary but be careful, do not dry it out, it has to be moist inside!
- Let the carrot cake cool completely. About 2 hours.
- While the cake cools, make the frosting. Mix the cream cheese, cinnamon and honey in a bowl.
- Cut the cold carrot cake into 3 exactly same thick layers horizontally.
- Divide the cheese frosting into 3 parts and spread the layers and the top with it.
- Decorate with the halved walnuts.
- Put it into the fridge to set for at least 2 hours before serving.