Healthy Paleo Carrot Cake with Dairy Free Icing

This Healthy Paleo Carrot Cake is perfection! Gluten free and dairy free, it's packed with spice and flavor all while being lower sugar than your average cake. This carrot cake recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser whether it's for Easter, Mother's Day, or just to enjoy with friends.

I've been making this paleo carrot cake recipe for years with rave reviews from friends (it's often requested as the dessert I bring to parties and get togethers) and I finally got around to getting it posted on my website. If these pictures don't do it justice, then let me explain to you why you need this carrot cake in your life! This gluten free cake is filled with just the right amount of spice and carrot, all while being low sugar, dairy free, and fully grain free. I offer a fully refined sugar free option, as well. My secret ingredient is a tiny bit of orange zest and juice. I find that amplifies the spices and carrot perfectly.

Something I love about this healthy carrot cake recipe is that it is lower in sugar than your average cake and tastes way more grounding and earthy. I already don't love overly sweet desserts, but part of why carrot cake is so great is that it's made with such a hearty root vegetable. I wanted you to be able to taste all the flavors and feel good after eating it, not end up in a blood sugar crash. This carrot cake does just the trick and it might just become your favorite cake recipe tooo!

I suppose you could call this recipe Paleo Carrot Cake Bars as the cake batter is baked in a square tin, versus in cake pans. You could certainly double the recipe and bake it in two round cake pans instead to make a layer cake.

Paleo Carrot Cake Ingredients

• Tigernut flour: the base of this recipe is a nut-free flour alternative called tigernut flour. It's definitely a favorite flour of mine for baking since it adds some sweetness and improves the texture of gluten free baked goods. You can also use almond if you tolerate almonds! 
• Arrowroot flour or Tapioca Starch: when making paleo baked goods, adding starch helps with lightness and texture. We want a nice fluffy cake! Cassava flour works in a pinch if you can't get your hands on a starch!
• Coconut flour: a mix of flours helps create the best texture in paleo recipes, so this is the third flour we'll be using.
• Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg or mace: the mix of spices to get that warm, cozy carrot cake flavor.
• Brown sugar or coconut sugar: I've found this recipe tastes best with brown sugar. But to keep this grain free carrot cake fully paleo and refined sugar free, used coconut sugar.
• Applesauce: be sure to use unsweetened, plain applesauce.
• Olive oil: the main fat in this recipe. I have not tested another fat, but I think melted butter would also work.
• Eggs
• Orange juice and zest: just a little bit goes a long way! Orange helped enhance the carrot cake flavor without it becoming an orange cake.
• Carrots: we can't make the best carrot cake ever without fresh carrots, right?!
• Walnuts, raisins: my favorite add ins for carrot cake! The added crunch is the perfect balance with this soft cake and creamy frosting.
• Baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract
• Icing: My favorite icing is this dairy free cashew buttercream from The Minimalist Baker. There was no point in trying to remake something that is already perfect. I do provide an alternative below with dairy free yogurt, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice that is also quite delicious and a bit easier to make.

How to Make This Cake

As an American, I rarely ever weigh ingredients, I always just measure them. I know that's not precision baking, but we Americans are useless and never learned how to weigh ingredients ;). Well, not for this recipe! I tested so many other gluten-free carrot cake recipes and made this cake so many times before getting it right. I found that weighing the ingredients truly gives this cake the best texture, resulting the perfect recipe.

If you don't have a kitchen scale, I have provided cup measurements, but I highly suggest weighing your ingredients if possible.

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
• In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine all of the wet ingredients and sugar. Beat on medium until well combined.
• Add dry ingredients to wet and beat on low until just combined. Using the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer. If the batter seems way too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk. I find this really depends on the brand of flours that you are using, so you may not need the milk if you are using the same brands I have linked.
• Fold in the shredded carrots and any add-ins you are using.
• Let batter sit while you line a 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper.
• Evenly spread the cake batter into the baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes in a preheated oven, until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool completely before icing the cake.
• Once cake is cooled, remove from pan and ice. I like to add more crushed walnuts on top of the cake, but decorate as desired. 
• Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Substitutions and Variations

• Flours:​ I have not tested this specific recipe with a different flour combination or a 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour. This cake was specifically designed to be a grain free cake recipe.
• Olive oil:​ I love using olive oil in baked goods to provide a light and airy texture. I haven't tested any other fats, but I think melted coconut oil or butter (dairy free or regular) could work. If you try it, let us know how it went.
• Add-ins: try pecans, golden raisins or chopped dates, or even add some coconut flakes.
• Frosting: ​I love the cashew frosting that I mentioned above, but you can use your favorite cream cheese frosting recipe.

Storage

​Store leftover slices of this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can slice and freeze un-iced cake in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

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What's the Best Way to Shred Carrots?

If you want the arm workout, you are welcome to use a box grater to hand shred your carrots. I personally don't have the time or energy for that and prefer a much easier method called The Food Processor. I roughly chop my carrots into large chunks then shred it in the food processor. This is the easiest way to get grated carrots for carrot cake!

Can I Make This a Layer Cake?

Yes! I suggest doubling the recipe and baking in two-three round cake pans. You'll also want to double whatever icing recipe you use to make sure you have enough icing for between the cake layers.

Can I Make This Carrot Cake Nut Free?

Yes! Just leave out the nuts in the batter, use tigernut flour, and make the cashew free icing option. It's easy to make this recipe allergy friendly to fit different diets!

If you love carrot cake, then be sure to check out my Gluten Free Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies.

If you want more cake recipes, then you need to try my Gluten Free Vanilla Raspberry Cake, Gluten Free Fig Cake, or Gluten Free Berry Crumble Cake.