Indulge your sweet tooth in this irresistible gluten-free carrot cake with pineapple. The almond flour carrot cake is topped with a cream cheese frosting, which strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tangy. This is the best gluten-free carrot cake recipe, a perfect dessert for any occasion!
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Whether you're hosting a big Easter dinner or just looking for a sweet treat to enjoy with friends and family, this carrot cake is the perfect choice!
Made with crushed pineapple and almond flour, the carrot cake layers have a moist and fluffy crumb that's simply irresistible. Warm cinnamon and spices make this carrot cake taste like a big, delicious hug! And if you're feeling creative, you can easily customize the recipe by adding or omitting coconut, walnuts, or even raisins!
But that's not all - this cake is so delicious, even picky-eating kids and skeptical adults won't be able to resist, let alone believe it's gluten-free and filled with veggies!
If making a carrot cake from scratch sounds like too much work, trust me, it isn't... but you can also check out this recipe using a box cake mix! Don't stop there, be sure to enjoy some other "hidden veggie" recipes like these carrot muffins, zucchini muffins, or zucchini banana bread!
Simple Ingredients
- Shredded carrots: I prefer shredding the carrots myself, rather than using store bought. They have much more moisture when shredded by hand.
- Crushed pineapple: You can buy crushed pineapple or blend canned pineapple chunks in a pinch. You could also blend fresh pineapple if desired.
- Gluten-free 1:1 flour: I used King Arthur Measure for Measure in this recipe. Other blends, such as Bob's Red Mill 1:1 or Cup4Cup multipurpose may also work well but I have not tested them.
- Almond flour: I love to get my almond flour from Costco! They sell a big bag at a great price!
- Shredded coconut: You can omit coconut if you prefer!
- Eggs: The eggs are a big part of this recipe and I do not have an egg-free substitution at this time.
- Cinnamon and Spices: You can use cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice or a combination of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Oil: Any neutral oil is fine, such as canola oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil.
- Brown Sugar: Ever wonder if brown sugar is gluten-free?
For the cream cheese icing, you'll need:
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla
- Heavy cream: You can also just use milk here.
Substitutions
- Gluten-free flour: You can substitute the King Arthur Measure for Measure flour with another gluten-free flour blend that you like or with regular wheat flour if you don't need the cake to be gluten-free, but please note: I have not personally tested these. If you do use another flour, please leave a comment and let us know.
- Almond flour: You can use another type of nut flour or a nut flour blend.
- Brown sugar: The brown sugar adds extra moisture but you can also use granulated white sugar or coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. You can also make brown sugar; add 1 tablespoon of molasses for each 1 cup of granulated sugar and blend well.
- Canola oil: You can use any other neutral-flavored oil such as vegetable oil or avocado oil.
- Carrots: You can use other grated vegetables such as zucchini or sweet potato instead of carrots.
- Crushed pineapple: You can substitute with grated apples or mashed bananas.
- Coconut: You can omit it or use chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans instead.
- Cream cheese frosting: You can use a buttercream frosting, a whipped cream frosting, or a vegan frosting made with coconut cream or cashews. Many canned icings from the grocery store are dairy-free.
Variations
Keep an eye on baking times with any variation you choose. These are approximate and the cake may need more or less time.
- 9-inch round pan: Decrease the baking time to 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 9x13-inch rectangular pan: Adjust the baking time to 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cupcakes: Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Fill each liner about ⅔ full with the batter and bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How to Make Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and greasing with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a stand mixer bowl, beat together the eggs and brown sugar until pale golden brown and tripled in volume.
- Blend in the carrots, pineapple, coconut, canola oil, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend on low speed until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Pro-Tip! The best way to see if a carrot cake is fully baked through is to check the temperature! Poke a digital instant read thermometer in the center of the cake, it should read between 200°F and 205°F when it is done!
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. It's important that the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for this step or your frosting will be lumpy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Once all the sugar has been added, continue to beat the frosting until it's light and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream to thin it out.
- Once the cake is cooled, frost the top of one cake layer, then place the second layer on top and and frost with another generous layer of cream cheese frosting.
- Decorate with carrot curls or chopped nuts, if desired.
Equipment and Supplies
To have the best success with this recipe, these are my top recommendations for kitchen equipment and ingredients!
- Stand Mixer or a hand mixer: You need to beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy and this will save your arm!
- Food Processor or Grater: Freshly grated carrots are best. I love my cuisinart!
- 8-inch Pans: I used 8-inch pans in this recipe. Check the measurement of your pans or adjust the baking times as needed.
- Digital Kitchen Scale: For the most accurate baking, weigh your ingredients!
- King Arthur Measure for Measure: This is my go-to flour for baking! It works so well in most baked goods!
- Almond Flour: I get mine from Costco but you can also get it from amazon or your local grocery store.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: You can make the cake ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days before serving. Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. You can also bake and cool the cake layers, then store them tightly wrapped in the freezer before frosting the cake. No need to defrost the cake layers before adding frosting.
- Refrigerate Leftovers: Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze Leftovers: You can freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil or a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. When you're ready to enjoy the cake, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours.
Top Recipe Tips
- Use freshly grated carrots. They are more moist than the pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store.
- Make sure to measure the ingredients accurately, especially when it comes to the flour and almond flour. Gluten-free flours tend to be denser and more absorbent than regular wheat flour, so you'll want to make sure you have the right ratio of wet to dry ingredients. Use a digital kitchen scale and click the "metric" button on the recipe card for the weighted measurements!
- Follow the mixing instructions. You're going to first blend the eggs to incorporate air, but after that you don't want to over mix the batter or it will deflate all of the air you worked so hard to build up.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it. This will prevent the frosting from melting or sliding off the cake.
- Ensure the cream cheese and butter are softened properly to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before making your icing.
FAQ
Cakes made with oil are more moist, tender, and rich. They also tend to keep their freshness longer. Since oil is 100% fat and liquid at room temperature, it retains more moistness in cakes than butter. Butter contains water which is driven off during the baking process and also solidifies at room temperature.
If measuring carrots by cups, you should lightly pack the shredded carrots into the measuring cups. The most accurate way to measure the carrots would be to use a digital kitchen scale and weigh the proper amount of shredded carrots for the recipe.
If your carrot cake sinks in the middle, this could be due to several factors. First, ensure you've measured your ingredients properly. This is very important especially in gluten-free baking and with so many moist ingredients in the recipe. Measure by weight, if provided, for the most accurate measurements. Second, make sure the cake is fully cooked through before removing it from the oven. Looks can sometimes be deceiving, so check the center of the cake with a toothpick or digital thermometer, which should read 200-205°F.
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes You'll Love!
Still hungry for cake? Check out some more of my delicious cake recipes, like raspberry bundt cake and peach upside down cake!
Recipe
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free 1:1 flour, King Arthur Measure for Measure recommended
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 10 ounces shredded carrots, (10 ounces is about 2 cups)
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple, (8 ounces is 1 cup)
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup coconut, optional
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Gather two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl, beat together the eggs and brown sugar on medium-high speed for about five minutes or until the mixture is a pale golden brown and tripled in volume. (Don't skip this step.)
- On low speed, blend in the carrots, pineapple, canola oil, vanilla, and optional coconut and/or walnuts, until the mixture is well combined.
- Then add the dry ingredients and blend again on low speed just until well combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter into the greased cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If you have a digital instant read thermometer, the cake should be 200-205°F in the center.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, blending well after each addition.
- Once all the sugar has been added, continue to beat the frosting on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream to thin it out.
- Once the cake is cooled, frost the top of one cake layer, then place the second layer on top and and frost with another generous layer of cream cheese frosting.
- Decorate with carrot curls or chopped nuts, if desired. Slice, serve, and enjoy or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Kathy
This cake looks delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe and tips!!
Katie | Wheat by the Wayside
Enjoy the recipe!
Patricia
Hi Katie,
I have a question. The number of servings noted above the recipe is 12. But in the text somewhere it says 18. Just wondering, is the 12 servings number supposed to be for two 8" round cake pans, and the 18 servings for two 9" pans? I will need to adjust the recipe for three 8" round pans for a baby shower, and don't know the best way to do that. How many additional servings should I adjust the recipe for, beyond the 12 noted as the default number? Or...I can experiment with the recipe as it stands, for two 8" pans. If that turns out great, I will make another batch, and just have to eat the extra single layer. Haha! (I will be substituting cashew flour for almond, as my daughter isn't able to tolerate almonds. Wish me luck!)
Katie | Wheat by the Wayside
I am not sure where the "18 servings" is coming from, I went back through and I don't see that anywhere in my post. It is probably easiest to make the recipe twice or just double it. If you're weighing the ingredients, you could multiply the 1x recipe measurements by 1.5 to get that third layer, but I honestly don't see a problem with having an extra layer all to myself. 😉 You can bake it in 9-inch pans, but you'll need to adjust the baking times because it will likely bake up just a bit quicker than the 8-inch pans.