Deliciously Moist Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake is my absolute favorite cake.  It took me a while to figure out a good and moist carrot cake recipe, especially a gluten-free recipe. This recipe is easy to follow, and you will thoroughly enjoy it. I also added a (lactose-free) cream cheese frosting/icing recipe. Delicious!

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour blend (President’s Choice gluten free flour blend is what I use)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil (or any oil of your choice)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (gluten free)
• 1 tsp baking powder (gluten free – Purest Natural Baking Powder is what I use)
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 2 cups freshly grated carrots
• ½ cup of walnuts (optional)

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING/ICING

• 250g/8oz cream cheese (lactose free)
• 125ml or ½ cup of butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (gluten free)
• 2 cups of powdered sugar (add more powered sugar if you prefer it sweeter and thicker)

In a medium size bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Slowly add the powered sugar, one cup at a time and beat well. You can store the frosting/icing for up to a week in the refrigerator or what I do is freeze it if want to use it much later (more than a week).

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven at 350° F or 180° C. Put oven rack in center of oven. Take two 9” round cake pans, spray with cooking spray oil and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and eggs. Add oil and vanilla, beat just until smooth and creamy.
3. In a separate medium bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
5. Stir in the grated carrots and walnuts
6. Spoon and spread batter evenly into 9” pans.
7. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick or knife inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.
8. Once baked, remove from oven, and let it cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then remove and place on cooling rack.
9. Once completely cooled. Frost/ice with the cream cheese frosting or icing. You can frost the first layer of cake, then the second layer and then stack on top of each other. Frost/ice to your preference.
10. Store cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Tips for freezing the cake – wrap cut up cake and wrap up pieces in cling wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil and place in freezer bag (medium or large size depends on cake piece size) and place in the freezer.

Enjoy!