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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (gluten free, grain free, egg free, soy free, vegan)

April 5, 2017 By Jessica

Oh have I got a cake for you!

Carrot cake is an all-time favorite in my house and it’s about time I made it as a layer cake. If you have missed carrot cake you need this in your life – it’s a carrot cake lovers dream!

I usually make it as a quick and easy sheet cake but thought with my teenage son turning 16 (he LOVES carrot cake) last week why not make it fancy, shmancy for his birthday with layers and completely studded with pecans. My birthday boy was over-the-moon happy. He’s still a boy to me even though he’s nearly a head taller. I’ll admit this cake needs a good chunk of time but no need to reserve it at once – I never do. I made the frosting a couple of days prior, baked and chilled the cake the day before his birthday and assembled the cake the morning of his birthday while he was sleeping (until noon!) then hid it away in our garage fridge and managed to get a few photos before we dug in. And what better for Easter OR Passover? Actually, any day is a good day for carrot cake.  No? 

My original carrot cake (posted ages ago, see here if you like) contains grains and was more about sweetened carrots than anything else. Here I wanted to create a grain free carrot cake with more spice, black currants, less refined sugar, and give it an overall richness from using a combination of oil and shortening and some coconut cream given the change in flours.

And TONS of grated carrots that melts in your mouth. That said, I will humbly say this the BEST CARROT CAKE EVER. Cue the confetti!

Seriously, the perfect blend of moisture, spice, carrot to currants ratio nestled in a velvety sweet “cream cheese” frosting hinted with maple, vanilla, and orange, studded with pecans and some coconut chips on top just because — yes, all the dreamy carrot cake love and kisses in every bite.

Since carrot cake isn’t the same without a cream cheese frosting I went ahead with store-bought non-dairy, soy-free cream cheese like in my original recipe because a heavy nut-based frosting doesn’t have much appeal around here. As you probably know: non-dairy cream cheese doesn’t taste very much like actual cream cheese and you either love or hate the taste, but with the help of maple, vanilla, and orange flavors, and a heaping of powdered sugar it creates a frosting worth sharing (and no gummy texture either). It’s the next best thing without the aftertaste its known for. I tried lemon extract to see if the slight tang of real cream cheese would come through but it had an artificial taste to it. The orange extract brings out the vanilla and takes out any of the non-dairy cream cheese aftertastes. I can’t really describe how, but it does.

Don’t let the list of ingredients intimidate you — it comes together quickly and easily and doesn’t ask for any fancy frosting techniques (an added bonus in life) that will hold its moisture even when made ahead. I am SO pleased with this cake. Day after cake was just as delicious. Oh, and I’ve listed a long list of notes below with alternatives and explanations, if needed, realizing we don’t all have the same dietary needs but we do have the same need for cake right? Silly of me to ask, of course, we do.

With all the changes it took a little experimenting and a few flops but nevertheless it was worth it. Specifically, I first used softened dates and chia eggs for sweetness and egg substitute, which was a big fail – it came dense and flat. Round two: replaced dates and chia egg with banana (for anyone concerned it may taste like a banana cake – no detection of banana here!) and used coconut sugar – dense yet fell apart when sliced, the spices were lacking flavor and the carrots were bland. Round three: increased spices while still keeping the coconut sugar – didn’t help, the cake was still bland and crumbly. I don’t know about you guys but I want a carrot cake that tastes like carrot cake (!).

These are my true confessions.

I was about to give up but then round four was my knight in shining armor or shall I say shining cake pans (hehe). YESSSS. We have cake success that passes the flavor, texture, and slicing test! It came down to subbing half of the coconut sugar for unbleached cane sugar, adding a banana, and tweaking the spices a little more (less cinnamon, more ginger and a touch of allspice) gave it a true carrot cake flavor to celebrate spring. Enjoy!

I inverted the cake then turned it upright so the layers look even…the notes below will explain.

Not sure why the photos have the frosting appear grainy to my eye but it is velvety smooth in person. Pics don’t do much justice to it. 🙂

Quick frosting hack: parchment paper around the edge of the cake helps keep the cake stand mess-free.

Studding the cake got messy. Be sure to do it on a table, away from the edge or there will be pecans all over the floor. Trust me. 🙂

 

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (gluten free, grain free, soy-free, vegan)
 
Save Print
Prep time
4 hours
Cook time
40 mins
Total time
4 hours 40 mins
 
Filled with currants, warm spices, and tons of carrots, this is a carrot cake lovers dream without the gluten, dairy, eggs or grains, but you would never know it!
Jessica: From Jessica's Kitchen
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: one 9-inch cake
Ingredients
  • Cake:
  • 192 grams (1½ cups) chestnut flour
  • 62 grams (1/2 cup) coconut flour
  • 145 grams (1 cup) arrowroot starch
  • 74 grams (1/2 cups) flaxseed meal
  • 2¾ teaspoons aluminum-free baking soda
  • ½ tablespoon cream of tartar
  • ¾ teaspoon tapioca (or arrowroot) starch
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup canned coconut cream (not canned coconut milk)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 6 ounces palm shortening, room temperature
  • ½ cup avocado oil
  • 171 grams (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) coconut sugar
  • 225 grams (1 cup) cane sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1½ teaspoons pure orange extract
  • ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 cups carrots (about 7 medium carrots), peeled and grated
  • 2 bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup dried currants (or raisins)
  • about 2 cups pecan pieces for garnish
  • coconut chips for garnish
  • Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 4 oz (1/2 cup) palm shortening, softened to room temperature
  • 16 oz non-dairy, soy-free cream cheese like Daiya, softened to room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 3 cups powdered sugar (Wholesome Organics is made with tapioca starch)
Preparation
  1. For the cake:
  2. Makes a 9-inch two layer cake OR a 9x13 sheet cake OR 36 cupcakes for this recipe. Use paper lining cups if making cupcakes as they will stick to the cupcake pan.
  3. Please note: measure and set aside all the ingredients before beginning. There are many ingredients to this lovely carrot cake and each requiring minimal mixing time. Over-mixing of ingredients can affect cake results; it's best to prepare ingredients before beginning.
  4. Preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease bottoms of two round 9-inch cake pans (to adhere parchment) and place a circle of parchment paper into each cake pan for easy removal later. Then grease papered bottom and sides.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine chestnut flour, coconut flour, arrowroot starch, flaxseed meal, baking soda, cream of tartar, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
  6. Measure coconut cream, add apple cider vinegar directly into the cream. Do not stir. Set aside.
  7. In another bowl combine maple syrup, both extracts, and grated carrots (no need to mix together). Set aside.
  8. In a stand mixer set with a paddle attachment, combine (room temperature) palm shortening, avocado oil, coconut sugar, and cane sugar. Set on medium speed at first (to prevent flying sugar crystals) then raise speed to medium high. Mix for about 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy looking.
  9. Add in maple/extract/carrot mixture and mix until just combined.
  10. Add in mashed banana.
  11. Lower speed to medium-low, add in a third of the coconut cream mixture and then a third of the flour/spice blend. Repeat with remaining coconut cream and flour blend and continue to mix until flour has incorporated into the batter.
  12. Add currants, continue to mix until blended.
  13. Turn off stand mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl to catch any unmixed batter. Divide batter into the two prepared cake pans.
  14. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
  15. If using glass or dark cake pans, check for doneness at 28-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean with few crumbs.
  16. Cool completely at room temperature, still in the cake pans then invert one onto a cake stand and remove the parchment liner.
  17. Refrigerate that layer, as is, and the other cake layer still in the pan. Keep chilled for at least an hour or up to overnight.
  18. When chilled, using prepared ‘cream cheese’ frosting, spread about a cup of frosting on the cake stand layer, then gently invert the second layer onto the first and remove parchment paper. Press down gently, into the frosting, just enough for the layers to stick together. You will notice one layer looks significantly larger in parameter than the other - to create even-looking layers: place a plate over the top layer and hold it while you lift up the cake and flip it over onto the plate. Then gently transfer the cake back onto the cake stand.
  19. Frost cake with a thin top coat using about 1 cup of frosting (save remaining for final frosting).
  20. Refrigerate for at least one hour before final frosting.
  21. Cut a parchment round into a 4-inch round. Place in the center of the cake.
  22. Grab handfuls of pecan pieces to gently release onto the sides of the cake and around the exposed top of the cake (this gets messy. working on a large table or counter helps.).
  23. When done, remove the parchment round and add coconut chips to the center.
  24. Gently press any loose pecan pieces into the cake.
  25. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days (uncovered) before serving.
  26. Note: the cake will stay very moist even uncovered for 2 days. It is a heavy cake, but rest assured, not a dense cake in the least.
  27. Serve slices chilled for best-tasting results and easier slicing.
  28. Slicing the cake at room temperature may not produce clean cake slices.
  29. For the frosting:
  30. In a stand mixer, set with a paddle attachment, cream palm shortening, non-dairy cream cheese, vanilla extract and orange extract at medium-high speed.
  31. About a minute later (after ingredients have fully incorporated) add maple syrup and continue to cream for a few minutes until it appears light and airy.
  32. Turn off mixer, pull away the mixing bowl from the unit and sift powdered sugar directly over the bowl (this, as opposed to adding in sifted powdered sugar while mixing, makes a super light and creamy “cream cheese” frosting.) then connect the bowl back to the unit and mix on medium speed until blended then raise speed up to very high for a minute. When done, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl before using. The frosting spreads easily at room temperature.
  33. Make ahead: Can be made a week in advance when stored in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for about an hour before using.
  34. Freezer friendly: Freeze any remaining frosting (if you prefer thinner frosting layers) for up to three months in an airtight freezer-safe container with an inch of room before sealing.
  35. For alternatives: this will make enough for 36 cupcakes and extra if making a sheet cake.
  36. OTHER NOTES:
  37. *Canned coconut cream is different than canned coconut milk in that it is made with four parts coconut meat and one part water. Canned coconut milk is one part coconut meat one part water, a much thinner consistency. If coconut cream is not available use coconut milk or other nut milk (not canned) with thickeners added to help hold the cake together.
  38. *We love a pecan studded cake, as you can see, but completely optional. Use as much, or as little pecan desired. I didn’t add pecans to the batter because it's egg-free, which would make the moist cake fall apart.
  39. For Passover: swap arrowroot starch for potato or tapioca starch. Use alcohol-free extracts. Parchment paper needs to be kosher for Passover certified, if strictly observed and precut to measure for pans or simply make a 9x13 inch cake, no paper needed. Flaxseed meal is not considered kosher for Passover, use chia seed meal or almond meal during the holiday.
  40. Easter-themed cake idea: swap pecans for shredded coconut flakes, and some to dye some green to mimic grass for the top center then add candy or chocolate eggs in the grassy ‘nest’.
  41. If using eggs: If eggs are tolerated or preferred: swap banana for 3 whole eggs. Add in when banana would be added.
  42. Currants and alternatives: similar looking to raisins but more tart than sweet and not as high of a glycemic index as grapes. Not to be mistaken for zante currants, which are really tiny grapes. Zante currants, Thompson or golden raisins can be used if black currants aren’t available. If using raisins, it’s best to pre-soak in hot water for ten minutes then drain before using in the recipe.
  43. Frosting Alternative: softened at room temperature refined coconut oil instead of palm shortening will yield similar results.
3.5.3226

 

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gluten free dairy free recipes
recipe image
Recipes
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (gluten free, paleo friendly, soy free, vegan)
Published On
2017-04-05
Preparation Time
4 hrs
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
4 hrs 40 min
Average Rating
3.51star1star1star1stargray Based on 4 Review(s)

Filed Under: cakes, dessert, holiday, vegan Tagged With: cakes, dairy-free, dessert, entertaining, gluten free recipes, gluten-free, holiday, paleo, soy-free, vegan

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Comments

  1. Rachel W says

    April 5, 2017 at 2:11 pm

    I would love to serve this cake on Passover but I think arrowroot is not kosher for Passover. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute? I must say this cake would be a show stopper at my Seder.
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 5, 2017 at 4:26 pm

      Yes, tapioca starch is a good substitute (see my notes in the recipe below). Hope you love it as much as we do!
      Reply
  2. Louise says

    April 5, 2017 at 2:17 pm

    I love your recipes and this is no exception. I've tried many of your creations and you haven't disappointed. What a beautiful cake and probably tastes amazing. Thank you for all the work and love you put into these recipes
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 5, 2017 at 4:29 pm

      Louise, you're making me blush! Thank you so much for your kind words - love to hear you enjoy the recipes, enjoy!
      Reply
  3. Linda says

    April 5, 2017 at 3:13 pm

    Cake looks divine Jessica! I love carrot cake but the ones I'm eager to try usually call for eggs and cashew soaked cream cheese frosting (don't like that either). This would be perfect for Easter brunch!
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 5, 2017 at 4:31 pm

      Thanks so much Linda, it is! I completely agree - perfect for Easter brunch. :)
      Reply
  4. Jaid says

    April 5, 2017 at 3:52 pm

    Hi Jessica, amazing recipe!! I've never heard of chestnut flour, I doubt we could get it in Australia! Any substitutes plz?? Also what is palm shortening? We don't have that either!! Thanks so much!!
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 5, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      Thanks so much Jaid! You can substitute chestnut flour with a fine almond meal (see my notes for a specific measure in the recipe below). That would be the best substitute since too much coconut (without using eggs) will make it dry and too much arrowroot will make it gummy. You could also use cassava flour if available. Palm shortening is made from palm oil, an oil derived from the tropical palm tree (different from the coconut palm) that looks very similar to Crisco (sold in the US) yet without hydrogenated oils or trans fats. Unrefined coconut oil is a great alternative (softened at room temp) if that's available. Hope that helps! :)
      Reply
  5. Meredith Saunders says

    April 5, 2017 at 4:23 pm

    Interesting mix of flours and spices. Don't know how you do it but happy you take all the guesswork out. We are also gluten, dairy, and soy free but not grain free so I appreciate the note on using an alternative flour because this looks delicious. Can't wait give it a try!
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 5, 2017 at 4:51 pm

      Haha happy to take the guesswork out! You're welcome - hope you enjoy it Meredith!
      Reply
  6. Olivia says

    April 5, 2017 at 5:23 pm

    Cake looks beyond amazing and it's egg free?!! My husband will flip over this cake! I am grateful for the detailed notes you give with your recipes, it helps me understand the recipe without feeling stressed but I do have a question:why chestnut flour and not a nut flour like most paleo inspired recipes? I see you give an alternative but why do you use a flour that's hard to find (my geeky side wants to know) in the first place? Thanks Jessica!
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 5, 2017 at 6:13 pm

      Great point, I know it's not a popular flour to use and not readily available unless you search online but when it comes to creating a moist crumb in a large cake, without using a handful of eggs I use chestnut flour. It has a good amount of starch without any gumminess, already slightly sweet, doesn't absorb moisture like a high amount of coconut flour does and it's low in oxalates. Nuts are very high in oxalates and are an issue for me and my twin boys. Our joints get achy and we're miserable. No eggs because my oldest son has an intolerance to almond and eggs, so when he is with us, celebrating with cake or over for dinner, eggs are off limits. Just my balancing everyone's health and food intolerances. Hope that clears things up and the alternatives in the notes help to make it work for you if you make the cake. P.S. - love the geeky side. Sounds like me. :)
      Reply
  7. Charlotte says

    April 5, 2017 at 8:27 pm

    Jessica, I love to use chestnut flour for baking! My son and I cannot tolerate nuts except coconut and I need to be grain free and dairy free (he has celiac) on doctors orders so when I saw your cake on Facebook I thought it probably has nuts but looked anyway and no nuts!! Happy to have found your blog, your recipes look and sound delicious! -Charlotte
    Reply
  8. Emily says

    April 6, 2017 at 6:46 am

    Do I swap out the coconut sugar for equal amount of regular sugar? I have the one to one Bob's Red Mill baking flour and it only has xanthan gum. I still add in the baking soda, cream of tartar, and tapioca, correct? Want to make the cake tomorrow. Thanks!
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 6, 2017 at 8:03 pm

      Yes to both questions. Enjoy!
      Reply
  9. Melody says

    April 11, 2017 at 5:39 pm

    I made my cake in an 8x8 brownie pan and needed around 45 minutes to cook the cakes.
    Reply
  10. Annie says

    April 13, 2017 at 3:50 pm

    My sheet cake turned out beautiful! I left the pecan out and used shredded coconut instead since we have a ut allergy and now can't wait to serve it tonight!!
    Reply
  11. Wende says

    July 31, 2017 at 4:49 pm

    Does this work in muffin form?? I'm doing a teacher brunch and have several teachers with intolerances.
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      July 31, 2017 at 5:24 pm

      I haven't tried it in a muffin form yet but I don't see why it would not work. Fill them up 7/8 full since they don't rise very much and bake 25-35 minutes. I would start taking a peek on them 25 minutes and check on them every few minutes until a toothpick comes out with just a little crumb. Let them cool about 20 minutes before serving; they also do well refrigerated overnight. Please share how they turned out - enjoy!
      Reply
  12. Lynn says

    March 21, 2018 at 5:30 am

    Would love to make this for Seder. How can it be kosher for Passover when it contains a leavening agent (baking soda)? I hope you can explain because I really want this to work! Thanks.
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 21, 2018 at 9:57 am

      This recipe is completely grain free. :) Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is Kosher for Passover since it doesn't have any leavening agents like baking powder, which can contain cornstarch. Here is a Kosher for Passover one: https://www.aviglatt.com/kosher-for-passover/baking-items-for-passover/baking-powder-soda-for-passover/lieber-s-pure-baking-soda-14-oz Hope this helps! Happy Passover!
      Reply
  13. Courtney says

    February 9, 2019 at 2:50 pm

    Ooh, so excited about this! I'm making some sort of showstopping dessert for a friend's engagement party, and this might just take the cake :). Any tips for turning this recipe into cupcakes?
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      February 10, 2019 at 4:25 pm

      I haven't made them as cupcakes yet so I'm giving you my best guess! It should yield three dozen cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners nearly to the top. Bake 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees F (begin checking them at the 25-minute mark, then every 5 minutes until done). Continue onto frosting when cupcakes have completely cooled. Let me know how it turns out. Hope you all love it and congrats!
      Reply
  14. Borbala says

    July 15, 2021 at 5:08 pm

    Paleo carrot cake with vegan cream cheese frosting for a grain-free, refined sugar-free dessert! You d never guess this moist, decadent cake is healthy!
    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi! I'm Jessica, welcome to my blog! I'm a wife and mother of four (all boys, including twins. Did not see that coming!) who loves to eat. Discovering food intolerances in my family and myself had me think about cooking differently with an emphasis on nutrition, but not any less deliciously. No, won't settle for that, neither will my kids! Here you will find simple, healthy, seasonal recipes we love that are gluten, dairy, and soy free. Many are also egg free, nut free, plant-based and/or grain free, given our evolving dietary lifestyle. Even though we live a life of dietary restrictions, my passion for food keeps me on a constant quest to create tasty recipes or adapt our favorite recipes from my stack of cookbooks to bring back the joy of eating again, without sacrificing flavor. Hope you find some inspiration and recipes to enjoy ... thanks for stopping by!

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