This reader-favorite gluten-free carrot cake gets a moist, tender, springy crumb from a blend of gluten-free flours: sweet rice, oat, millet, and tapioca. Gently spiced with cinnamon and ginger and slathered with tangy, less-sweet cream cheese frosting (or fluffy vegan cream cheese frosting for dairy-free), this single-layer cake takes 1 bowl and less than 1 hour to make.
It's easy enough to bake on a weeknight; or dress it up with carrot ribbons for an elevated dessert for guests. Thanks to Bob's Red Mill for sponsoring this post!
I've been obsessed with carrot cake since I was a kid, and I'm thrilled to share my favorite gluten-free version here today.
I used to buy squares of carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting and wrapped in cellophane at our local grocer after school. To my young self, they were sheer heaven – tender, soft, gently spiced, and slathered in tangy frosting. I would take this cake over just about any other goody (because apparently I've always been middle-aged at heart LOL). This memory is the metric to which I measure all carrot cakes.
When it came time to develop a gluten-free carrot cake recipe of my own, I wanted it to taste and feel exactly how I remembered those after-school treats of my childhood, but made with whole-food and gluten-free ingredients. After testing many versions, I finally hit upon this formula. As I took my first bite I thought to myself, "I wish all gluten-free cakes had this moist, springy texture!"
If you try it, I hope you feel the same as this happy reader:
5-Star Reader Review
“This was truly one of the best cakes I’ve ever made! The fact that it’s GF blew my mind. It wasn’t at all heavy or dense, which is how GF cakes usually turn out in my kitchen. Thank you for a wonderful recipe! This one’s a keeper.”
—Jennifer
This moist and floofy gluten-free carrot cake can be in and out of the oven in under an hour meaning that you can have carrot cake any night of the week. But dress it up in curls of rainbow carrot ribbons and it stars at any gathering, anytime of year.
Gluten-Free Flours FTW
I first developed this gluten-free carrot cake recipe for my Alternative Baking column in Gluten-Free Forever Magazine in 2016, the same year my gluten-free flours cookbook was released. The issue featured oat flour, and though this cake also uses rice and millet flours, the warm, earthy flavor of the oat flour is what stands out the most.
Here, all three flours combine to create a wheat-like texture you'd never guess was gluten-free. But it's more moist and tender than most wheat-based cakes. And if you don't have these exact flours on hand or can't tolerate one of them, I've shared substitution suggestions in the recipe notes below. Or you can try my grain-free paleo carrot cake made with almond flour instead.
And you can learn more about combining individual flours, including all my tips and tricks, in my guide to baking with gluten-free flours.
What makes this carrot cake so special?
I began testing this carrot cake recipe with 1 egg and half a cup of buttermilk, but it was too crumbly. Since eggs increase both structure and fluffiness in cakes, I added an additional egg and decreased the buttermilk to 1/4 cup. But it still wasn't perfect.
Finally, I tried omitting the buttermilk altogether and using three eggs. This version was the clear winner – sturdy enough to slice and the floofiest of the bunch. It also made the cake dairy-free and cut out an additional ingredient, so you don't have to buy a whole carton of buttermilk just to use a quarter cup.
Great texture + easy ingredients + naturally dairy-free = win win win!
I love this formula so much, I've developed other quickbread recipes and gluten-free cake recipes with the same ratios.
Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions
This cake comes together with simple, whole-food ingredients for a cake that no one will guess is gluten-free and dairy-free.
Flours
This recipe features a blend of Bob's Red Mill gluten free flours. I use this combination in many recipes here on TBG and in my cookbook. It acts similarly to a blend of whole wheat and all purpose flour – versatile, but with a lovely earthy flavor.
- Oat flour – adds loft and fluffiness, plus a nutty, earthy taste. You can sub sorghum flour or teff flour.
- Millet flour – neutral flavor and fine, powdery texture makes the cake pillow-soft. You can sub sorghum flour or almond flour.
- Sweet rice flour – fine, sticky texture that helps the cake hold together. You can sub cassava flour or a GF AP blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1.
- Tapioca flour – makes batter more extensible, trapping air bubbles and making the cake extra soft and fluffy. You can sub arrowroot flour or corn starch.
Other Key Ingredients
- Organic granulated sugar keeps the color of the cake brighter than brown sugar, and the cake still has plenty of flavor. You can sub by weight coconut sugar or maple sugar. Or try the variation using maple syrup if you prefer.
- Eggs fluff up and set the cake beautifully. Since the eggs are important for the texture of this cake, I don't recommend swapping them out if you can help it.
- Oil moistens the cake and keeps it soft even when chilled. Sunflower oil is my go-to neutral oil, but you can use anything you prefer such as canola, grapeseed, or even a light olive oil.
- Cinnamon and ginger add subtle spice. Feel free to add in some cardamom for a masala chai-spiced carrot cake (yum!)
- I like a handful of toasted walnuts in my carrot cake, but if they aren't your jam, you can absolutely leave them out. A friend of mine also suggested adding raisins soaked in rum or brandy, which sounds amazing!
Method
This single-layer cake is so easy to whip up with one bowl in under an hour of active time. It makes one 9-inch round cake, serving 10.
For a layer cake or sheet cake, double the recipe and divide the batter between two 9-inch round pans, three 8-inch round pans, or one 9x12-inch baking pan.
You're the Top(ping)
Here are some favorite carrot cake toppings, with dairy-free and paleo options as well as more traditional dairy-full frostings:
- My Go-To Cream Cheese Frosting: made with traditional ingredients (powdered sugar, cream cheese, and butter) but one-fourth the sugar of most recipes for a balanced topping that won't make your teeth ache.
- Honey Cream Cheese Frosting: honey sweetens this frosting, adding lovely floral notes and bright acidity for an extra-silky finish.
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting (shown here): dairy-free cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar make a luscious dairy-free icing.
- Paleo cream cheese frosting: made with coconut yogurt, cashew butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup, with lemon juice for tang. You'll never know it's DF, vegan, and paleo.
- Mascarpone frosting: another reader-favorite recipe, made by whipping mascarpone and heavy cream with just a touch of sweetener for a cheesecake vibe.
Carrot Cake Deco
Ribbons cut with a vegetable peeler from rainbow carrots make a pretty, natural decoration for the top of this cake. I was inspired by a few recipes around the web (here, here, and here) to make a carrot ribbon ombré on top.
Just peel the carrots, then lay a carrot down and begin peeling big strips from just one side of the carrot to form wide ribbons. I prefer using a T-shaped peeler for more control. You can use whatever color of carrots you like, or get a rainbow-hued bunch like I did here.
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes and Carrot Muffins
If little gluten-free carrot cupcakes are what you're after, divide the batter among muffin tins lined with paper cups and decrease the baking time as needed. You should get 10-12 carrot cupcakes or muffins out of one recipe.
For muffins, leave off the frosting and top the unbaked batter with an extra handful of walnuts. For gluten free carrot cupcakes, use a piping bag to pipe pretty swirls of frosting on top.
Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten free dairy free carrot cake, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.
Floofy Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Oat Flour
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegan butter or coconut oil, for the pan
- 8 ounces carrots (about 4 medium), grated on smallest holes of box grater (1¼ cups packed)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (130 g) organic granulated sugar*
- ½ cup sunflower oil (or other neutral vegetable oil)
Dry Ingredients
- ½ cup (75 g) Bob's Red Mill sweet rice flour
- ½ cup (50 g) Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oat flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (50 g) Bob's Red Mill millet flour
- 2 tablespoons (14 g) Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup (50 g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans, plus more for sprinkling (optional)
Topping:
- 1 recipe Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting (or Classic Cream Cheese Frosting if preferred, linked in the notes)
- 1 bunch rainbow carrots (or a couple of regular carrots) (optional)
- A few sprigs carrot greens or parsley
Instructions
Prepare Things
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF.
- Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper cut to fit.
Batter
- In a large bowl, stir together the grated carrots, eggs, sugar, and oil until combined.
- Place a medium mesh strainer over the bowl and add the oat, sweet rice, millet, and tapioca flours along with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring until combined. Stir in the walnuts.
Bake
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
- Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, 22-30 minutes. board to cool completely.
- Remove from the oven and let cool 20 minutes in the pan. Turn the cake out onto a serving
Top
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake. Chill briefly if the frosting is overly soft.
- Optionally decorate with carrot ribbons: Peel the carrots. Lay a carrot on a cutting board and begin peeling long, wide strips from one side. Repeat with the other carrots; you’ll have more carrot ribbons than you need for one cake. (Throw them in a salad!) Use your fingers to curl the ribbons into rounds and stick them into the frosting; the frosting will hold them in place. Sprinkle the cake with finely chopped walnuts and decorate with carrot greens.
- If the frosting is soft, chill the cake until firm enough to slice, 30 minutes and up to several hours, then cut into wedges. Let the cake slices stand at room temperature to soften the frosting and serve. Leftover cake keeps well, refrigerated airtight, for up to 4 days.
Notes
- For sugar, sub by weight coconut or maple sugar
- For rice flour, sub by weight cassava flour or GF AP blend
- For oat flour, sub by weight sorghum or teff flour
- For millet flour, sub by weight sorghum or almond flour
- For tapioca flour, sub by weight arrowroot flour or corn starch
- The cake can be baked and stored, covered, at room temperature for 1 day, refrigerated for up to 3 days, or wrapped and frozen for up to several months.
- The frosted cake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- Leftover cake keeps beautifully, refrigerated airtight, for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Amanda Paa says
Such a pleasure to eat this cake with you and the girls! The best gf carrot cake I've ever tasted, both flavor and texture. And just love the carrot curl decorations. xo
Alanna says
Awwww thanks for your help making the prototype! <3
Jay Doane says
Also makes great birthday cake!
(Review provided by my husband Jay who is a whole human being in his own right.)
Alanna says
Aw so glad you liked it!
Kyra says
I’ve been craving carrot cake and was inspired to make a double batch of this today in a big rectangular pan. I decorated it with the multi-color carrot slices which were a nice touch. (I forgot to peel them first so let’s say they had a more earthy appearance. Good thing no one looked too closely! I also completely forgot to take photos. Next time!)
Tango class heartily approved! Ratings included “This is the best- the most moist- carrot cake I’ve ever had!” and “How is this frosting vegan? It’s so good!”
One woman found me to tell me the frosting was so deliciously tangy she didn’t want to stop eating it. I agree!
It is another winner. <3 Keeping it in the repertoire.
Alanna says
Amazing!! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for all the sweet comments - makes my day! <333
Janet Fazio says
I could eat carrot cake every day too! I interested in trying out baking with oat flour. I'm starting to see more recipes using that.
Alanna says
It's one of my favorites - so tender and earthy!
Sarah | Well and Full says
This carrot cake is absolutely stunning! I love how you styled the carrot ribbons on top :)
Alanna says
Aw thanks Sarah! I had way too much fun. :)
Emily R says
I needed a fairly last minute cake to bring to a dinner party, and just happened to have all the ingredients in my fridge. This was super yummy--thank you! I also justified having the left overs for breakfast the next morning because it had so many carrots in it.
I don't own a 9-inch cake pan, so I multiplied all the ingredients by 0.78 to make an 8-inch version. This seemed to work out fine (same cooking time). I used your dairy-full cream cheese frosting, although I'm interested to try out your maple cream frosting from the GFF recipe next. :)
Alanna says
Yay I'm so glad you liked it!
Terri says
What a lovely and informative post! I have a bad habit of simply skimming through blog posts and jumping straight to the recipe - but this was full of useful information on types of flour (how they impact cake), leaveners and appreciate the comment on oil vs. butter. For years, I tried to make vegetable based loaf cake/muffins with butter thinking it would be better tasting, but I completely agree with your conclusions - oil is best for these recipes. Also, I was thrilled to see the amounts of sugar and oil really are "healthy-ish" as far as cakes go. Often I see a recipe claiming to be healthy because it has reduced the fat but added 2 cups of sugar to compensate or vice versa. Can't wait to try this!!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you found the post useful! Yes I can't stand the taste of overly-sweet desserts. Gag me! I always try to keep the sugar on the low side in my recipes while making sure the taste and texture still feel like a treat. Please let me know how you like this cake!
Suellyn says
My husband LOVES carrot cake but can’t have eggs... would an egg substitute work?
Alanna says
That’s a great question. Eggs are tricky to substitute, especially here where there are a lot of them! Some common ones are aquafaba, flax egg, applesauce, sour cream, pumpkin, Just Egg, and egg replacer. One of my readers is egg-free and has had luck using half applesauce and half sour cream in my cake recipes. She says it's often best to use a couple of different substitutes rather than just one. Let me know if you experiment and I’ll do the same!
Diana Law says
Made this for a friend's birthday and it was a hit. I attempted your decorative skills and didn't quite get there, but still got oohs and aahhs. :)
Alanna says
Aw I'm so glad it was a hit!! Thanks a bunch for the sweet note!
Monisha Mittal says
I am curious: if I wanted to add dates or raisins or something would I need to change anything in the recipe? Also (and I'm sure this might cause a groan), any suggestions on how to substitute the egg? I will make it as is to start since I can have egg but really want to share it with a toddler who can't have them (or dairy or soy). Thanks as always. love carrot cake with cream cheese frosting but now need to be dairy free so grateful for this.
Alanna says
Hi Monisha! I think you could add dried fruit without altering the recipe, although they might suck up a little moisture as the cake bakes. Substituting for egg is tricky here because there are quite a few, but one of my readers has had success using equal parts sour cream and applesauce in my cake recipes. You could try a dairy-free yogurt instead of sour cream? Please let me know if you experiment!
Irina says
Hello! Do you think I can sub the rice and millet flour for cassava? or any other paleo friendly flours? Thanks in advance!
Alanna says
Hi Irina,
I haven't experimented much with cassava and other paleo-friendly flours. I might try a paleo all-purpose flour mix if I were you. You might want to experiment with a half recipe in case you don't love the results. Please let know what you try and how it goes!
Irina says
Thank you! Will do)
Ruthie says
Hi, I read about turning into muffins and would love to try this method. Anyone else try this? thanks
Rama says
Cake looks so delicious. I would like to know if I can substitute gluten free flour for all the flours mentioned.
Alanna says
Hi Rama, I haven't tested it that way but I'm pretty sure it will work. Best to sub by weight if you can! I usually recommend Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour since it's based on sweet rice flour. Please let me know what you try and how it goes!
Alene says
Thank you for the Passover version! I do try! Lol!
Alanna says
Haha, you're better than me in that case! Please let me know if you make it. :)
Maya says
So good! I have made a lot of GF carrot cakes and this one is so fluffy and great. I wanted to make it more of a snack cake so did about 80g of sugar and 12 oz carrots (shredded in the food processor) and it turned out well!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked it! Oooh I will definitely try your less-sweet version next time. I could imagine it being nice as a carrot muffin too!
Kristen says
I had some leftover carrots and the urge to bake a cake for New Year's at the last minute. I've been moving away from using all purpose gf flours, so I'm glad I had all of the ingredients in my pantry already. The cake was absolutely delightful, and delicious with or without frosting. I added 1/4 tsp of cardamom as well since I've been experimenting with it. I may add 1/2 tsp next time. I also nixed the nuts because I do not like nuts in cake. I found this recipe to be one of the better gf cake recipes - moist, flavorful, and a really nice texture. Even with grating the carrots, it comes together so quickly!
Lonio says
Carrot cake is one of my absolute favorite cakes, so much so that I used to request it every year for my birthday as the dessert. I had actually forgotten about it as an option since so much of life has gone GF and diet restricted. Recently, I hadn't been able to get it out of my mind, and knew I could check on your recipe array to find something that might work. I ended up supplementing some 'need to be used' parsnips in my fridge for 70% of the carrots in this recipe, and it truly turned into a to-die for cake. Soft, fluffy, sweet and balanced, with a hint of richness, it was the PERFECT ending for a long day of Winter/Early Spring Garden work.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe and it is going RIGHT into my 'absolute favorites' binder of treats and bakes from your selection. I love your work and hope you enjoy your bakes as much as I do. You inspire me to be a more adventurous alternative baker, Alanna <3
Alene says
Hi! Hope you are well! What could I do if I wanted to use your original version and just substitute the rice flour for something? You'd think I would know already. More oat flour and tapioca? Guessing here.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Alene! Yeah, I would try maybe 2 tablespoons more tapioca flour, and then 30 grams more oat flour and 30 grams more millet flour. Let me know what you try!
Alene says
Hi! I made it just as you suggested. The crumb was perfect and cake-like but it did fall apart a little when I cut a piece. My husband has had 2 pieces already. I did think it could be a little sweeter, but I always think that. My husband said no, it didn't need to be sweeter. What do you think could stop the falling apart? More tapioca or a little xanthan gum? This is day 2, by the way, and it's still fine. Thank you so much!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad it worked and that you two are enjoying it! Yes, I would swap in some more tapioca in place of some millet or oat flour. Or you could try adding a little xanthan gum, that would work too! I try avoid xanthan gum as I've heard it can be hard on the gut lining, but if that's not an issue for you, you could try adding 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon. A little ground flax seed or psyllium could be other options to make it stickier. Let me know what you try!
Jennifer Kohl says
This was an absolutely wonderful recipe! Even family members who aren’t big fans of gluten free “healthy” cakes absolutely loved it! The frosting is a dream! Thank you!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Woohoo! I'm so glad it was a hit. Thanks a bunch for the note and rating!
Michelle says
Hello! I am wondering your thoughts about making this into a 2-layer (birthday) cake. Haven’t made the original version yet and wondering if you have a sense for whether it would be better to slice the single cake into 2 layers, or make a double batch in 2 pans? Thanks for any advice!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Michelle! Yes this cake will work beautifully as a layer cake. I think it's easiest to make a double batch of the batter and divide it between two pans. If you have a scale you can weight the batter to be sure the layers are even. Please let me know how it turns out!
Michelle says
Thank you so much for your advice! I made the double layer as recommended and it turned out great! (Well, the first time around I didn’t trust my instincts and took the cake out too early - my unreliable oven needed a longer cooking time - but the second try worked perfectly!) Served it for my parents’ bdays last weekend and everyone loved it. Thanks so much sharing your skills and creativity! My sister Lindsay knew you as the friend of a friend in SF and gave me Alternative Baker a few years back. We love everything I have made from it!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad the cake was a hit! (At least the second time around - sorry the first time was underdone!) Aw I'd love to know which friend Lindsay and I share? How sweet of her to gift you my book! So glad you've been enjoying it. :)
Jennifer Resnick says
This was truly one of the best cakes I’ve ever made! The fact that it’s GF blew my mind. It wasn’t at all heavy or dense, which is how GF cakes usually turn out in my kitchen. Thank you for a wonderful recipe! This one’s a keeper.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad you loved it! Thanks so much for the kind note :)
Angela says
How long would I bake if making cupcakes?
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Great question! I haven't tried this myself, but I would start testing the cupcakes for doneness at around 10 or 12 minutes, but they might take closer to 15-20 minutes. Please let me know if you try it and I can add the time to the recipe notes! :)
Angela says
I made the cupcakes today and it took about 22-25 minutes. I did a toothpick check at 20 minutes and they weren't done. I pulled them out at 24 minutes and they were perfect, so moist and delicious. I did use the 1/2 cup maple syrup, you suggested, instead of the sugar, so perhaps that added some time.
By the way, THANK YOU for your recipes! Your delicious Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies are a staple in our house. My husband said they're the best chocolate chip cookies he's ever had, gf or not. I've made your Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies, Blueberry Almond Flour Scones, GF Sugar Cookies, Raspberry Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches (Amazing!) and your Brownie Cookies (I couldn't get the crackle on the top, but still yummy) and they were all extraordinary! You are a truly talented chef and baker. Thank you for sharing! Your site is one of my favorites!!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Angela,
Thank you so much for testing the cupcakes! So you tried the original version with grain flours, but used maple syrup for the sweetener, correct? I'm so glad it worked out well! Thanks very much for reporting back.
And thank you for trying so many of my recipes – it absolutely made my day to read your sweet note! I'm especially thrilled that the paleo CCCs are such a hit in your home; I worked really hard on that recipe and they're one of my favorites too. :D
xoxo,
A
Angela says
Yes, I used all the original grains from your recipe. I forgot to mention also how fluffy and light the cupcakes were, so the combination of the grains and other ingredients is perfect! Thanks for all the research and experimenting and time you put into your recipes. We are reaping the benefits and it’s being put to good use. THANK YOU!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Awww thank you for saying such sweet things – it's totally my pleasure, and I'm thrilled when my nerdery is appreciated by others as well. I'm excited to try this recipe with the grain flours but sweetened with maple syrup – so glad to know that that works!
xo,
A
Channa says
Hi,
Can the millet flour be replaced by anything?
Thanks
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Channa,
Definitely! You can sub by weight sorghum flour (might have a slightly coarser texture), more oat flour (might be a bit more delicate) or teff flour (brown teff will have a slightly deeper flavor whereas ivory teff will be closer to millet). Almond flour could also work, though it may not be as absorbent. Or you can try the paleo variation in the recipe notes which uses cassava and coconut flours.
Please let me know what you try!
-Alanna
Meg says
My new go-to carrot cake recipe! Made this outstanding cake for a friend’s birthday and everyone went crazy over it! Many asked for a second piece :-) sadly for me there were no leftovers. Definitely a keeper, as are all the recipes I have tried from this site! Thank you for the time you put into testing and making sure everything is a solid winner 🥰.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Yay, I'm so glad the cake was a hit!! It's one of my all-time favorite recipes and one that I make for my husband's April birthday every year too. Appreciate the lovely feedback!