Gluten Free Chocolate Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch
Gluten Free Chocolate Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch is a new take on one of your favorite recipes. Rich chocolate carrot cake with a creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting, topped with chocolate chips and walnuts. It’s super easy and quick to make, and you won’t be able to tell it’s gluten free!
Alright, it’s that time again. The time where I put away the healthy foods and bust out the rich, decadent dessert recipes. Hey, it had to happen sooner or later, right? And just so it isn’t quite as bad, I chose an amazing chocolate version of my favorite carrot cake. It’s like a carrot cake ran into a chocolate cake, and created the best thing you’ve ever eaten, ever. Seriously, this gluten free carrot cake is so moist and fluffy that you won’t even know it’s gluten free!
What’s up with chocolate carrot cake?
Ok, don’t freak out. I know chocolate and carrots are a scary combination. I had my hesitations at first, too. But stay with me, here. Upon first bite, I realized a few key things that really make this work.
- You don’t get a ton of carrot taste here. Even though there’s a good amount of carrot in the recipe, chocolate is your primary flavor, and the carrots are just a really pleasant sweetness in the background.
- The carrots DO offer a lot of texture to this cake, though. We know gluten free baking can be difficult, but as far as chocolate carrot cake goes, this adds a really nice light texture that doesn’t fall apart AT ALL.
- You get a serving of vegetables. That counts, right? Ignore the sugar over here, please… I’m going to count it.
How To Make A Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch
If you’re feeling overwhelmed when you think of how to make a carrot cake recipe from scratch, you can stop worrying right now. It’s easy. I mean, seriously easy. This chocolate carrot cake is super forgiving.
The most important thing to do when baking, as always, is make sure to measure your ingredients exactly. Baking is a science, and it’s really important to get the ratios right. This is especially true with gluten free baking!
However, that being said, I’d say this cake is less stressful and more forgiving out of the cakes I’ve made.
First, I’d recommend whisking your dry ingredients together. This makes sure they spread out evenly and don’t clump up when they hit the wet ingredients. Then, I literally just mix everything else in and make sure it’s well-combined.
That’s it! So easy.
Easy Carrot Cake Recipes
I’m not going to say that carrot cake is my favorite, because chocolate exists, but I do make them quite often. And chocolate carrot cake might, in fact, be my new favorite. Just in case you’re in the market, here’s my other carrot cake recipes:
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Coconut & Cream Cheese Frosting – I love this one because it involves a lot of fruit, including pineapple and coconut. That’s a lot of natural sweetness going on, along with some really complimentary flavors.
- Vegan Carrot Cake – This one is – you guessed it! – gluten free and vegan! For the dairy-free egg-free lovelies in your life.
Can we talk about cream cheese buttercream frosting?
I could eat this by itself with a spoon.
Chocolatey, creamy, sweet deliciousness. I can only picture Meryl Streep describing French food in Julia and Julia for this one. I just… have very strong feelings for it.
All you do is cream the butter and cream cheese together in your stand mixer (don’t skip this step! Or you’ll have cream cheese globs). Then add everything else, and voila! You do have to refrigerate this one, though, because it has dairy in it. But somehow, I feel like this cake only gets better and better, no matter what you do to it.
Gluten Free Chocolate Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- 2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
For The Frosting
- 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
- 3 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
For The Cake
- Grease two round 9-inch baking pans and set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients for the cake (cocoa powder, gluten free all-purpose flour, spices, baking soda, sugar). Then stir in wet ingredients until well combined (carrots, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract).
- Pour batter evenly between two baking pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
For The Frosting
- Using an electric or stand mixer, add butter and cream cheese and beat until smooth. Then slowly add confectioners sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat until well combined.
- Add frosting between the cake layers, then on top. Top with walnuts and chocolate chips.
Notes
Nutrition
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