Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A moist, warmly spiced carrot cake packed with three cups of freshly grated carrots and toasted walnuts, baked in a 9x13-inch pan and spread with a thick, tangy cream cheese frosting.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 40 min Total: 160 min Serves: 15

At a glance: This medium desserts recipe yields 15 servings in about 2h 40m (30 min prep, 40 min cook). It uses 20 ingredients — including gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, xanthan gum, gluten-free baking powder — and walks through 7 steps. Updated October 24, 2026. Browse more desserts recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.

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Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting: When preparing this desserts recipe, chopped nuts are often packed on shared lines with gluten-containing products, so choose walnuts labeled gluten-free if that matters for you. Flour dust travels. Bake this on a day the kitchen is not also handling flour that contains gluten, use a clean sifter, mixer bowl and pans, and keep the gluten-free flour blend in its own sealed container.

Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting: Flour that contains gluten is replaced with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and xanthan gum. Use baking powder, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and a flour blend labeled gluten-free; plain carrots, nuts and cream cheese are naturally gluten-free.

Scale Recipe:

servings

Ingredient amounts update automatically

Instructions

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan and line the bottom with parchment.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
3 In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and 2 tsp vanilla until smooth and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
4 Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined, then fold in the grated carrots and walnuts. Spread the batter evenly in the pan.
5 Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
6 For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed, then the vanilla and a pinch of salt, and beat on medium until light, about 1 minute.
7 Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Cut into 15 squares. Refrigerate leftovers, covered, and let slices sit out 15 minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes

Grate the carrots on the small holes of a box grater rather than using bagged shredded carrots. Fine, fresh shreds melt into the carrot cake, while thick bagged shreds stay crunchy and dry.
Toast the walnuts at 350°F for 7-8 minutes, until fragrant, while the oven preheats. Let them cool before chopping so they stay crisp in the cake.
Frost only a completely cool cake. Cream cheese frosting softens and slides on a warm surface; chilling the cake for 20 minutes helps on a hot day.

Common questions

How long does Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting take?

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting takes about 2 hours 40 minutes, including resting time: 30 minutes to prep and 40 minutes to cook, for 15 servings.

What should I check before making Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting with celiac disease?

Written with gluten-free ingredients. Use products labeled gluten-free, check labels, and ask your clinician about your own needs.

What cross-contamination risk is specific to Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting?

Check gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, xanthan gum, gluten-free baking powder before they go into Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Chopped nuts are often packed on shared lines with gluten-containing products, so choose walnuts labeled gluten-free if that matters for you. Flour dust travels. Bake this on a day the kitchen is not also handling flour that contains gluten, use a clean sifter, mixer bowl and pans, and keep the gluten-free flour blend in its own sealed container.

Which gluten-free swaps does Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting use?

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting relies on a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, xanthan gum. Keep those gluten-free-labeled products in place of a gluten-containing flour or sauce. If the blend already lists xanthan gum, do not add a second binder unless this recipe says to.

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Gluten Free Recipes team

Gluten-free recipe development since 2026

Recipes include certified gluten-free ingredient guidance and cross-contamination notes. Check every label and use certified gluten-free products. Learn more about us.

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