This gluten-free carrot cake recipe is a must-try for coeliac bakers

Carrot cake is one of our all time favourite bakes. There — we said it!

Perhaps that statement was a bit controversial, but there’s just something so delicious about the array of warming spices, the silky smooth cream cheese frosting, and the light, freshness of the cake which has us coming back for more time and time again.

If you or someone in your family has a food intolerance towards gluten, then this is the perfect recipe for you.

It has all of your staple carrot cake ingredients, with the added touch of being gluten free — ideal for coeliacs everywhere!

Serves: 10-12

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 40-50 mins

Ingredients:

175g gluten free plain flour

85g maize flour or cornflour

90g ground almonds

4 tsp gluten free baking powder

3 tsp mixed spice

½ tsp salt

500g carrot, grated

120g raisins

300ml sunflower oil

6 large eggs

350g brown sugar

A few drops of vanilla extract

For the Icing:

500g plain cream cheese at room temperature

125g butter, at room temperature

45ml pure vanilla extract

360g icing sugar

To decorate:

200g mixed chopped nuts (optional)

Method:

Grease and line two 20cm (8") round cake tins with silicone-coated parchment paper, or line with greaseproof paper and grease with sunflower oil. Preheat oven to 180°c.

Combine the gluten-free flour, maize flour, ground almonds, baking powder, mixed spice and salt in a bowl.

Sieve together four times to make sure the baking powder is evenly distributed

Add the grated carrot and raisins to the flour and stir together.

Measure the sunflower oil, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until pale in colour then stir in the dry ingredients.

Pour into the prepared cake tins and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a plate. Now turn this onto the cooling wire so the cake cools the right way up or it could break in half.

For the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl until well blended.    

Beat in vanilla extract and then add in the icing sugar until desired consistency and sweetness.

Once the cakes are cool, place one layer on a cake stand or plate and spread a third of the icing on top. Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining icing over the top and around the sides.

Sprinkle with chopped nuts if using.