Carrot cake has been around for ages, literally, in fact, there is even a reference to George Washington being served carrot cake back in 1783…but I digress!
One of my favorite things to do is take a traditional recipe and tweak it so that it’s gluten-free and healthier, and this one is a winner. Make this for your family, take it to a party (when we are allowed out of our homes again;) or just make this now as we sit in our homes in quarantine – because this cake does not disappoint!
We usually have a lot of carrots on hand, but this time I took a shortcut that works just as well (if not better) by baking this carrot cake using a secret ingredient, baby food. Yep – you read that right, I used a few jars of pureed carrots for babies to eat. Why you might ask? Because it’s a LOT easier and faster. This carrot cake can certainly be made by cooking carrots on the stove, then pureeing them in a food processor, but I didn’t feel like going to all of that trouble. Instead, I grabbed a few jars of organic baby food and baked this cake in no time at all!
Health Benefits of the Humble Carrot:
- Carrots are high in Beta Carotene which is converted by the body into Vitamin A, and plays an important role in your vision, the growth and development of the body and protect our immune system as well as has been shown to lower the risks of certain cancers
- Good source of Biotin which is a water-soluble B vitamin that helps us metabolize fat and protein
- Have a good amount of Vitamin K which our bones need as well as we need this in order for our blood to coagulate naturally
- Are a good source of Potassium, an essential mineral and important to our blood pressure
- A diet high in deep orange colors has been shown to lower the risks of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
Enough of the science bit – go make this cake and enjoy!!
Oh, by the way, I provide vegan options in the notes section of the recipe below but if you are looking for a recipe that was written to be vegan, try this Raw Carrot Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Icing or there is a Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffin Recipe also.
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The Best One-Bowl Gluten-Free Carrot Cake!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Total Time: 70-80 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: One-Bowl
- Cuisine: Cake
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This one-bowl carrot cake is delicious, gluten-free and comes together in no time at all!
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose gluten-free flour (I like Bob’s 1:1 or Better Batter)*
1 cup of coconut sugar
1 cup of organic white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons Ceylon Cinnamon
Wet Ingredients:
3/4 cup mild tasting oil, I used avocado oil
1/4 cup applesauce
3 large organic free-range large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten**
2 teaspoons quality vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup pureed carrots or 3-4 jars of pureed carrots baby food depending on how many oz. in the jar
3/4 cup of canned crushed pineapple
Optional:
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
Cream Cheese Icing:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature***
3 Tablespoons organic unsalted grass-fed butter, softened
1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted to remove any lumps
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
1.) Preheat your oven to 350°. Line a 13 x 9 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2.) In a large bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together. You can also use a whisk, just make sure all the clumps are broken up.
3.) Stir in the oil, eggs and vanilla – keep string to combine.
4.) Fold in the purred carrots, pineapple, and if using, the coconut and nuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5.) Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert it onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely before adding the frosting.
6.) While the cake is cooling, prepare the icing. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together.
7.) Slowly start adding the powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, blending until there are no more lumps. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.
8.) Gently apply the icing to the cooled carrot cake and enjoy!!
Notes
*If you are not gluten-free, regular AP flour will work here as well as I imagine whole wheat flour or oat flour would taste delicious or even a combination of both.
**If you are vegan, I think flax eggs would make a delicious substitution or I’ve even read where 1/4 cup of carbonated water equals one egg. I have not tried either of these yet though – if you try them, please let me know how it turns out!
***If you are dairy-free, try using the vegan cream cheese and vegan butter – I bet it will taste delicious!
