Gluten-free carrot cake

Sometimes gluten-free cakes are known to be dry, crumbly and unappetising. This cake is anything but. The high amount of carrots, along with the use of oil instead of butter, means this cake keeps incredibly moist.

There are a few brands of gluten-free flour available. In some recipes it is simply a case of swapping traditional wheat flour for a gluten-free alternative. These are often a mixture of rice, potato, tapioca, maize and buckwheat flour, along with the addition of xanthan gum to help make your cake mix sticky. My favourite is the Doves Farm brand as find it works well in recipes and it is easy to find in most supermarkets.

Do not be put off by how unappetising and liquid the cake mixture appears to be. Gluten-free flours often require a bit more liquid to work than wheat flours. Once it comes out of the oven you will have a fluffy moist cake that you would never know was lacking gluten. To finish the cake top it off with a delicious cream-cheese icing.

Gluten-free carrot cake

Serving size 9

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 large eggs
• 140 millilitres sunflower oil
• 200 grams soft dark sugar
• 300 grams grated carrots
• 50 grams dried citrus peel
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 180 grams gluten-free self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt

Icing:

• 50 grams butter, softened
• 50 grams full fat cream cheese, chilled
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 200 grams icing sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C/Gas Mark 2. Line a 2-pound loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the egg and oil then mix in the soft dark sugar, carrots and citrus peel.
3. Stir in the ginger, mace, bicarbonate of soda, gluten-free self-raising flour and salt until well combined.
4. Pour the cake mixture into the lined tin.
5. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the cake is cooked through. Allow it to cool for 30 minutes in the tin then turn out the cake and finish cooling it on a wire rack. The cake must be completely cool before icing.
6. Beat together the softened butter and cold cream cheese in a large bowl then stir in the orange extract.
7. Sift half of the icing sugar into the buttery mixture and beat them together. Then add the remaining icing sugar. Continue to mix the ingredients until they are well combined and the icing has stiffened.
8. Spread the icing on to the top of the cake and decorate it with chopped nuts and sugarpaste carrots.

More gluten-free ideas

Quinoa - is it a wonder food?
Delicious homemade pancake recipes for pancake Tuesdays
Gluten-free kitchen tips