You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free Carrot Cake!

   Instead of the traditional white cake, I had a bakery make me a three tiered carrot cake for my wedding. So of course when I found out I had celiac disease, at first I felt like what am I going to eat? 

 One day I saw this recipe from my son-in-law's grandmother, and I wrote it down.     By the way my son in law has been one of my harshest critics.  He'll take a bite of a gluten free cookie or bread and then put it down if he doesn't like the taste. 

 Anyway he was full of praise when I made his grandmother's cake with equal amounts of white rice, sorghum, and tapioca flours.  And he told me he couldn't tell it was gluten free!  

      You Won't Believe It's 
Gluten Free Carrot Cake!

1. Prepare carrots:  Rinse carrots and grate 4 cups.

2. Prepare dry ingredients -  In a medium-size bowl put:
(1)  1 cup of rice flour, 1/2 cup of sorghum flour, and 1/2 cup of tapioca flour
(2)  Stir in leavening and spices:   2 t baking powder, 2 t baking soda, 1 t cinnamon, 1/4 t salt, and 1/2 t nutmeg.

3. Cream butter & sugar:  In a large bowl cream together 2 cups of sugar with  1 1/2 cups oil (or you can use as I did here 1/2 cup oil and 3/4 cup applesauce). Mix in 4 eggs and beat well.

 Cooking note:  You'll notice that I mention using applesauce for some of the oil.  Another gluten free friend told me years ago that I could substitute applesauce for oil in a recipe.  What I've done many times is use some of each.  I have made this cake two or three times so far, and using applesauce doesn't change the texture.  I'll leave it up to you if you want to try it.

4. Combine ingredients:  
(1)  Add the flour mixture slowly to the oil and sugar mixture.  Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon or a beater for about 3 minutes. 
(2)   Then add the 4 cups of grated carrots, 1/2 cup of raisins, and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.  Beat about 1-2 more minutes. 

5.  Bake:  Pour into a 9 x 13 greased and floured pan. Bake at 325 for 50 minutes. You can also make cupcakes with this recipe.  Bake 18-20 minutes.

Make the cream cheese frosting of your choice.  What I have done recently is reduce both the butter and powdered sugar.  The frosting is not as thick but still works quite well. 


Blog update April 2012:  I made this recipe on April 26 for one of our international student's birthdays.  He invited 5 friends for dinner and for most of them this was their first time eating carrot cake.  One of the students told us yesterday that they all liked it.  A Thai student who used to live with us had some of it, and you can read the comment he posted about it.

Other Gluten Free Baking & Desserts on This Blog:

Breads & Coffee Cakes: 
Gluten free & Low-fat Banana Bread    (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Celebrate Fall With Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread  (A friend's recipe)
Delicious Gluten Free Zucchini Bread (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Favorite Gluten Free Cranberry Nut Bread  (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Claudia's Blueberry Coffee Cake (Made Gluten Free!)   (From a former neighbor)
Here's a Zucchini Bread with a Hawaiian Twist! Gluten Free Pineapple Zucchini Bread (From my Syre School Cookbook)

Cakes:
Gluten Free German Apple Cake   (From my grandmother)
You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free Carrot Cake (From my daughter's husband's grandma--whew)
Judi's Super Moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake    (From a church friend)
Judi's Gluten Free Orange Chiffon Cake    (From a church friend)
Marilyn's Spectacular Gluten Free Oatmeal Cake   (My mother-in-law's--she's a great cook!)
The Best Gluten Free Black Bottom Cupcakes   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Delicious Gluten Free Rhubarb Cake   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Grandma's Gluten Free Applesauce Cake   (From an Internet search--tastes like my grandma's!)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Banana Cake   (From my grandma)
Rosie's Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Overwhelmed By Your Bumper Crop of Zucchini? Try Claudia's Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake!   (From my former neighbor Claudia of 12 years)
Decadent & Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake  (From my Come & Dine church cookbook)
Debbie's Delicious Hot Water GF Chocolate Cake  (From my Come & Dine church cookbook)

Cookies:
The Ultimate Gluten Free Cowboy Oatmeal Cookies   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Mom's Go To For Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
The Best Gluten Free Recipe for Snickerdoodles    (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Rocky Road Brownies    (From a church friend)
Mark's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies - Made Gluten Free!   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Judi's Gluten Free Oatmeal Craisin & Coconut Cookies (From a church friend)
Marie's Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies (Also Great Gluten Free!)   (My friend Marie's recipe)

Cornbread & Rolls:
Beth's Amazing Gluten Free Cornbread   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Judi's Favorite Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits   (My friend Judi's sister's recipe)

Crisps & Pies:
Lena's Rhubarb Crunch (A crisp with a gluten free top and bottom crust!) (My daughter-in-law's mother. She's an amazing cook, which I think most of us moms become after a few years!)
Delicious Gluten Free Apple Crisp    (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Ginger's Outrageous Apple Pie    (From a church friend)
The BEST Lemon Meringue Pie with Mrs. Lauralicious Gluten Free Pie Crust  (Internet)
My Grandmother's Favorite Banana Cream Pie  (A recipe from my grandmother)
Granny's Lemon Cheesecake Squares   (From my friend Judi's granny)

Desserts with Fruit:
Sensational Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake   (From the back of Costco's organic sugar)

Terrific Gluten Free Strawberry & Peach Trifle  (Modified from an Internet search)
My Favorite Gluten Free Strawberry Cheesecake (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Just Like Grandma's (But Only Gluten Free) Blueberry Cobbler (My husband's grandma)
Gluten Free Lemony Rhubarb Bars (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Old Fashioned Strawberry Buckle (Made Gluten Free)   (A recipe I picked up from a berry farm)

Holiday Cookies & Baking:

Old Fashioned Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies  (Modified from back of the Libby's pumpkin can)
My Family's Favorite Gingerbread Cookies (Now Made Gluten Free!)  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Grandkids Favorite Gluten Free Peppermint Sugar Cookies  (From Syre School Cookbook)
Our Favorite Pumpkin Pie   (Modified from back of Libby's pumpkin can)
Perfect Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake   (From back of cream cheese box)
Gluten Free Polish Fruitcake  ( Modified from Internet search)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Nordy Bars  ( From my Syre School Cookbook)
Grandma Pitcher's Old Fashioned Sandies (Made Gluten Free)  (My husband's grandma)
Make a Family Tradition & Make Your Own Fruitcake    (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Muffins:

My Favorite Banana Nut Muffins   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Gluten Free Tremendous Pumpkin Muffins   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Bursting with Blueberries Gluten Free Muffins   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Toni's Outrageous Gluten Free Corn Muffins    (From back of a Bob's Red Mill package)
Sassy Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Puddings & Ice Cream: 

Dairy Free Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream (And other ice cream favorites!) (From searches)

Baked Coconut Pudding   (Something I worked out from my Aunt Sue's rice pudding recipe)

Tangy Lemon Pudding   (From my daughter-in-laws family reunion cookbook)