Gluten Free Carrot Cake Recipe

Ever since I was a little girl and my grandma filled the house with the scent of baking cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, I've had a special place in my heart-- and my tummy-- for homemade carrot cake. There's just something about that particular spice mixture, and when you top it with cream cheese icing, there's nothing better.

All my gluten free friends will be happy to know that you can have your gf carrot cake and eat it too. Ouch! Did I really just type that? ;)

GF Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 2/3 cup potato starch
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (you may omit these or substitute your favorite nut)
• 4 medium carrots, grated

For Icing:

• 2 1/2 cups GF powdered sugar
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine oil, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl, mixing until well-blended.
3. Add eggs, cornstarch, potato starch, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, xanthan gum, and water. Mix until batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
4. Stir in nuts and carrots.
5. Pour into lightly greased pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. Cool.
6. Combine butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat until well blended and creamed.
7. Spread icing on cooled cake.
   
   
   Enjoy!
   
   

Top 10 Best Gluten Free Recipes

First off, a confession: this is not an official list. I didn't conduct a survey. There were no taste tests. Oh, and I didn't even invent most of these recipes. I just found them, tried them, and served them and they ended up on my family's top 10 list (in no particular order). I hope you like them as much as we do.

1. Gluten Free Corn Dogs

I bet you didn't even know such a thing existed, did you? Well they do and they're great. I found them over at Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef. Yummy!

2. Quick and Easy Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan

Hey, just look at the name. It's quick, it's easy, it's chicken parmesan! That makes it a favorite for rushed weeknights, but guess what? I'd happily make this even if I wasn't in a hurry.

3. Flourless Chocolate Cake

Yum, yum, yum. Since I'm in a confessional type of mood, I have another one. When our house first went gluten free, I had a lot of trouble giving up cake. I'm a lover of all things chocolate, but I especially love cake. The smell, the texture, the feeling in my tummy after I've had a piece. So, I would sometimes find myself sneaking chocolate cake when my kids weren't around. Terrible, I know. But then I found this recipe and never had to sneak again. This is every bit as good as the cake we used to eat in the old, wheaty days.

4. Blondies

These blondies are so good you'd never know they're gluten free. And there's a step-by-step photo slideshow, so you know what they're supposed to look like every step of the way.

5. Pumpkin Pie

Sure, pumpkin pie is good on Thanksgiving, but I like to have it year round. The smell of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves mixing in the air never fails to put me in a happy, appreciative mood. This recipe from LoveToKnow Gluten Free is delicious.

6. Lemon Butter Bars

This one is pure summer, and I love it. The bars are zesty, lemony, and refreshing, everything you want lemon bars to be. Even your non-gf friends will love these.

7. Chicken Chili Verde

This recipe starts with canned soup, so it's ready in a snap. The best part is it tastes like you spent lots of time on it!

8. Cheesecake Pancakes

You already know that we love pancakes, but this recipe is pure decadence. Like other recipes from Gluten Freely, it makes use of convenience food, which results in recipes that are quick and easy in addition to tasty. Since so many gluten free recipes are time-consuming, I can appreciate a recipe with some shortcuts!

9. Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

If you're looking for something that looks and tastes like it took all day to make, but is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare, you've found it. Bacon-wrapped chicken breast is fancy enough for company, but easy enough for a weeknight.

10. Pan-Seared Salmon with Thai Rice Noodles
I just love the recipes at Gluten Free Mommy, and this is one of my favorites. Even my kids, who don't normally like fish, love this salmon.

Enjoy!