Gluten-Free Carrot Cake (Dairy-Free)
Posted Mar 21, 2016, Updated Jul 18, 2024
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This dairy free & gluten-free carrot cake recipe is just as delicious as classic carrot cake but it’s allergy friendly. Applesauce & dairy-free yogurt replace oil and butter in this delicious recipe.
While I’m usually strictly a chocolate person, there’s something about the spring that makes me seriously crave carrot cake. It’s always on the menu for our spring celebrations.
I try to make desserts that even people with dietary restrictions can enjoy. Since I can remember, I have been lactose intolerant. I never complain or ask others to cook special meals for me. But when people go the extra mile to make something they know I can eat, it really means a lot.
That’s why I decided to adapt my favorite carrot cake recipe to make it gluten and dairy-free. A special gluten-free carrot cake you can share with special people to make them feel loved.
Dairy-Free Carrot Cake: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Gluten-free flour. I used an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend and the texture turned out great. You can substitute regular all-purpose flour if you do not need the cake to be gluten-free.
- Granulated sugar. organic cane sugar & white sugar are good choices.
- Dairy-free yogurt. There are many varieties of dairy-free yogurt on the market today, and you can find them at just about any grocery store. If you do not need a dairy-free cake, use regular yogurt. I like using vanilla flavored yogurt.
- Cream Cheese Frosting. If you are like me and think carrot cake must be slathered with cream cheese frosting, follow this recipe (cream cheese frosting) and use dairy-free cream cheese and vegan butter.
How to Make Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Let’s walk through how to make this recipe step-by-step!
Begin by lining and lightly greasing two, 6″ round cake pans. I like to trace “handles” on the cake pans for easy removal (see photo below). Alternatively, you can bake it in one, 9″ round cake pan.
Then, combine the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Then set it aside.
Next, whisk together the wet ingredients and sugar.
Once the wet mixture is smooth, stir in the dry ingredients.
Then, fold in the grated carrots.
Then, evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven until the top is set and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and Frost
Let the gluten free carrot cake cool completely before frosting with your favorite dairy-free frosting, or you can make a simple vanilla glaze to go over the top instead. Once frosted, chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight, before serving.
I suggest freezing both cake rounds before frosting to minimize crumbs getting into the frosting!
Serve
I suggest serving this dairy-free carrot cake slightly chilled, with your favorite spring recipes!
Store/Freeze
Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Thaw slowly in the refrigerator before serving.
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Recipe FAQs
Yes, peel the carrots before finely grating them.
For best results use a food processor.
If grating by hand, hold the hand grater in your non-dominant hand and a peeled carrot in your dominant hand. Place the carrot against the side of the grater that has the smallest holes. Grate the carrot in a downward motion.
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Gluten-Free Carrot Cake (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup dairy free yogurt
- ½ cup applesauce
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup carrots (finely grated)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line two 6" round cake pans, or one 9" round cake pan with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.
- Grate or process the carrots until fine. Measure and be sure you have ¾ cup carrots after processing. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, applesauce, sugar egg and vanilla together until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix until well combined.
- Fold in carrots until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until slightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake sit in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes.
- After 5 or 10 minutes remove the cakes from the pans and transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
- When cake is cooled, frost with your favorite dairy-free frosting (cream cheese is the best)!
- Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve!
Notes
- Gluten-free flour. I used an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend and the texture turned out great. You can substitute regular all-purpose flour if you do not need the cake to be gluten-free.
- Granulated sugar. organic cane sugar & white sugar are good choices.
- Dairy-free yogurt. There are many varieties of dairy-free yogurt on the market today, and you can find them at just about any grocery store. If you do not need a dairy-free cake, use regular yogurt. I like using vanilla flavored yogurt.
- Cream Cheese Frosting. If you are like me and think carrot cake must be slathered with cream cheese frosting, follow this recipe (cream cheese frosting) and use dairy-free cream cheese and vegan butter.
Freeze for 6 hours, or until the frosting has hardened and won’t stick to plastic wrap.
Wrap the entire cake with plastic wrap thoroughly.
Freeze for up to 1 month.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Or, you can freeze the unfrosted cake rounds wrapped in plastic wrap in an airtight container. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this for Easter and it was honestly the best carrot cake I have ever had!!! Thank you for sharing this!!!
YAY! I’m SO SO glad you loved it!!!! 🙂
How do you think it would turn out by omitting the egg and doubling the applesauce instead? Or perhaps using something in lieu of the egg like flax seed, banana, vingar, etc? Really want to make this cake but it must be egg free.
This looks amazing! I am seriously lazy and can never be bothered to make a flax egg so just chuck a tsp of chia seeds in with the recipe – the grated carrot & apple sauce will act like an egg anyway but I always add the chia seeds just to be sure!
Wow this looks amazing! I love the icing, I can never make mine look like that! Plus the cake looks delicious too! – I just want this cake! :p
Thanks Charlotte!! 🙂 <3 I'm pretty serious about my frosting! LOL!
This cake looks absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing a dairy free dessert. I think I will give it a try. Wishing you and your family a joyous Easter season. Pat 🙂
Thank you so much! I hope you love them! 🙂
This cake looks so delicious! Love the frosting 🙂 Stopping by from #YumTum Linky(http://www.themummytoolbox.com/?p=3359)
Great recipe and I love the fact it’s GF and DF :)thanks for sharing a tasty recipe #YumTum
Thanks Georina! 🙂
This cake is so pretty and moist looking, I can’t believe it’s G&DF!! Amazing! We’d love to have you stop by and join us at our new recipe link party – where we make the features! Every Wed through Sat. Thanks so much for sharing! http://uncookiecutter.com/2016/03/mexican-quiche-appetizers-link-make-6/
Thank you April! 🙂
Wow this cake is GORGEOUS!! How do you get your frosting to look so pretty?!?
Thanks Liz!! I use a Wilton 1M tip and just do a circular motion from the inside out! I learned how to do it here: http://iambaker.net/rose-cake-tutorial/ The only thing I do differently is that I don’t do a base layer of frosting just because it’s a little too much even for my frosting-loving self! 😉 I only do the base layer on extra-special cakes (like my sister’s wedding cake)! 😉
Hey, how about posting your ‘real’ carrot cake recipe? The one that your Dad Loves…
Well youuuu already have that recipe… 😉 I wanted something without pineapple and I was asked to make a recipe using the DREAM brand dairy free yogurts….maybe next year! 🙂
Lol I was just saying that I’m gonna add pineapple and walnuts to it. That is the cutest comment!
Wow…this is truly STUNNING! And the fact that you made it GF AND dairy free is a feat! Happy Easter!
Thank you so much Alexa! 🙂 Happy Easter to you too!! <3 🙂