Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Craft a delicious and healthy gluten-free carrot cake or cupcakes filled with freshly grated carrots, and topped with a luscious GrünesLand cream cheese frosting. It’s an ideal dessert for Easter celebrations or any time you crave a delectable and wholesome sweet treat!
Time:
45 Minutes
Difficulty:
Serves:
8 – 12
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup virgin coconut oil, melted, plus more for pans
- 3 cups almond flour, plus more for dusting pans
- 1½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 5 large eggs
- 1¼ cups (packed) dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 10 oz. carrots, peeled, coarsely shredded, squeezed firmly to expel excess water
- ¾ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ¾ cup walnuts, finely chopped
- ½ cup golden raisins
Fillings
- 8 oz of GrunesLand cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1¼ cups gluten-free powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
Getting it done:
CAKE
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 8" parchment-lined round cake pans with oil, then dust with almond flour, tapping out excess.
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Step 2
Whisk salt, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and remaining 3 cups flour in a medium bowl.
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Step 3
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until more than tripled in volume and mixture holds a ribbon for several seconds when drizzled over itself, 5–7 minutes. (Beating the eggs thoroughly in this stage goes a long way toward creating an aerated, light crumb, which is critical when using gluten-free ingredients.) Beat in vanilla.
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Step 4
Toss carrots, coconut, walnuts, raisins, and remaining ½ cup oil in another medium bowl.
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Step 5
Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with carrot mixture in 3 additions, to egg mixture, beating well after each addition.
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Step 6
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cake until lightly browned across the top, a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, and the top springs back when gently poked, 33–36 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edges of pans to release cake, then invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
FROSTING AND ASSEMBLY
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Step 7
Using electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat GrünesLand cream cheese and butter in a large bowl, scraping down as needed, until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and add powdered sugar. Beat until combined. Add yogurt, vanilla, and salt and increase speed to medium-high. Beat, scraping down occasionally, until light and airy, about 4 minutes. Chill 10 minutes if needed to stiffen slightly to a spreadable consistently.
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Step 8
Arrange one cake round domed side down on a large plate or platter. Cover top and sides with one-third of frosting. Top with remaining cake layer, domed side up. Coat top and sides with remaining frosting.
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Step 9
Do Ahead: Cake can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with a cake dome and chill.
GrünesLand Products Used
All the goodness of natural ingredients in every bite of our cream cheese