Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

A reduced-sugar gluten-free carrot cake. This recipe is less sweet than most, using a small amount of sugar and a small amount of monk fruit sweetener (combined, less than a conventional recipe). The cream cheese frosting is also lower in sugar than conventional recipes and can be easily adapted to be lactose-free, goat or dairy-free.

> Naturally gluten-free. Designed to adjust for low lactose.

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> The sugar is cut as far as possible without impairing the cake — 72g real brown sugar plus 36g monk fruit keep the sponge moist and properly cake-like (not flat and obviously "diet"). Oil (not butter) keeps it soft even straight from the fridge.

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> The frosting is a lower-sugar cream cheese version with swaps for lactose-free, goat and dairy-free.

Makes a 2-layer 7-inch cake · bake 26–32 min · chill 30 min before slicing

Ingredients

Cake

• 180g Doves Farm Freee gluten-free plain flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger (optional)
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 150ml neutral oil
• 72g light brown sugar
• 36g Groovy Keto 1:1 monk fruit sweetener
• 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 6ml vanilla extract
• 190g finely grated carrot, peeled first
• 60g walnuts, chopped
• 20–25g extra walnuts, for topping

Lower-Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

• 175g full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 75g unsalted butter, softened
• 50g icing sugar
• 25g powdered monk fruit sweetener
• 6ml vanilla extract
• Tiny pinch of salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Method

1. Prepare

• Heat oven to 175°C fan / 180°C conventional.
• Grease and line 2 x 7-inch round cake tins.
• Peel and finely grate the carrots.
• Chop the walnuts.

2. Mix dry ingredients

• In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices.

3. Mix wet ingredients

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, monk fruit sweetener, eggs, egg yolk and vanilla extract.
• Whisk until smooth and glossy.

4. Combine

• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
• Stir gently until almost combined.
• Fold in the grated carrot and chopped walnuts.
• Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour remains. Do not overmix — the batter should look thick, moist and slightly textured.

5. Bake

• Divide the batter evenly between the 2 tins.
• Bake for 26–32 minutes, checking from 26 minutes.
• Done when a skewer comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool in the tins for 15–20 minutes, then turn out and cool completely before frosting.

6. Make the icing

• Beat the butter until smooth.
• Add the cream cheese and beat briefly until combined.
• Add the icing sugar, monk fruit sweetener, vanilla, pinch of salt and lemon juice (if using).
• Beat only until smooth and spreadable. Do not overbeat — cream cheese frosting can loosen quickly.

If the icing goes too thin:

• First, stop beating — overbeating makes it looser.
• Chill the bowl for 15–20 minutes, then check the texture again.
• If still too loose, add icing sugar 1 tbsp / 8–10g at a time, beating very briefly after each addition.
• For lower sugar, add powdered monk fruit 1 tbsp at a time — but don't lean on this, it can taste cool/grainy if overused.
• Best fix if it's badly loose: fold in cold cream cheese 1 tbsp / 15g at a time, beating very briefly. Continuing to beat in the hope it thickens is unlikely to work.

7. Assemble

• Put one cake layer on a plate or stand and spread icing over it.
• Add the second layer.
• Frost the top and lightly around the sides, or leave the sides semi-naked.
• Scatter the extra walnuts over the top.
• Chill for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Flour — Use Doves Farm Freee gluten-free plain flour. Don't use self-raising; the recipe already has baking powder and bicarb, and plain GF flour gives more control over the rise.

Carrot — Peel first, grate finely, and don't squeeze the liquid out. Avoid pre-grated carrot — it's usually too dry and coarse.

Sugar — The sponge uses 72g real sugar + 36g monk fruit. Reduced hard but still sensible. Don't replace all the sugar with monk fruit or the cake turns drier, flatter and obviously "diet"; the brown sugar helps moisture, colour and flavour.

Oil — Use a neutral oil (sunflower, vegetable, mild rapeseed or light olive). Don't swap for butter — oil keeps carrot cake soft and moist, especially chilled.

Eggs — 2 whole eggs + 1 yolk. The extra yolk replaces the awkward "partial egg" from scaling down and improves richness and softness.

Walnuts — 60g inside is enough; the extra 20–25g on top gives the classic look. Toast them lightly first for a stronger nut flavour.

Spices — Cinnamon leads, nutmeg adds warmth. Ginger is optional but useful here because the sugar is reduced.

Variations

Best lactose-free version — Lactose-free cream cheese + lactose-free butter. Closest flavour and texture to a normal cream cheese frosting.

Goat dairy — Goat butter and goat cream cheese (if available). Tangier and slightly more savoury, but works well with carrot cake.

Dairy-free — Block-style vegan butter + block-style dairy-free cream cheese. Avoid soft tub-style dairy-free cream cheese — it's too loose and can make the frosting slide.

Coconut alternative — Thick chilled coconut cream with powdered monk fruit (or a little icing sugar), vanilla and lemon juice. Softer and less stable than cream cheese frosting — fine for a casual cake, not ideal for a neat layer cake.

Storage

• Keep refrigerated because of the frosting.
• Bring out 30–60 minutes before eating so the sponge softens.
• Keeps 3–4 days covered in the fridge.
• Unfrosted sponge layers can be frozen.