Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
By the Gluten Free Recipes team ·
This moist and tender gluten-free carrot cake, bursting with warm spice and studded with sweet chocolate chips. Topped with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting, this cake offers a delightful balance of flavors and textures in every bite.
At a glance: This medium desserts recipe yields 4 servings in about 50 minutes (15 min prep, 35 min cook). It uses 10 ingredients — including certified gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, granulated sugar, unsalted butter — and walks through 6 steps. Updated . Browse more desserts recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.
Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Carrot Cake: When preparing this desserts recipe, to prevent cross-contamination with gluten, always ensure that all ingredients, particularly packaged goods like flour blends, chocolate chips, and powdered sugar, are certified gluten-free. Be mindful of shared utensils and preparation surfaces In a shared kitchen, avoid porous materials — wooden spoons, wooden cutting boards, and scratched non-stick pans can harbor gluten proteins even after washing. Prefer glass, metal, or silicone tools.
Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Carrot Cake: This recipe is designed to be entirely free from gluten-containing grains, utilizing a certified gluten-free flour blend for a safe and delicious treat.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups certified gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 cup certified gluten-free chocolate chips
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 0.5 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. This step ensures the cake won't stick and makes for a clean release after baking.
- 2
In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the large eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next, then stir in the pure vanilla extract until just combined.
- 3
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the certified gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients in the large bowl, mixing on low speed until just combined; do not overmix, as this can lead to a tough texture.
- 4
Gently fold in the certified gluten-free chocolate chips using a spatula until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with the back of the spatula, ensuring a smooth, level surface.
- 5
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean with moist crumbs attached. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before lifting it out using the parchment overhang to cool completely on the rack. Gluten-free baked goods often firm up significantly as they cool, so patience here is key for the best texture.
- 6
While the cake cools, prepare the cream cheese frosting by beating the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar and lemon juice, beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, then spread it evenly over the completely cooled cake.
Nutrition (per serving)
Tips & Notes
- Room-temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly — set them out 20–30 minutes before baking.
- Brown the butter before adding it for a nutty, caramel depth that elevates simple recipes.
- Bring cream cheese to room temperature before mixing to eliminate lumps.
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