Gluten-Free Carrot Loaf Cake

This gluten-free carrot loaf cake is incredibly soft, moist, and full of warm spices, with plenty of freshly grated carrots in every bite. Topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting and toasted walnuts, it’s the kind of homemade cake that’s hard to resist.

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Gluten-free Carrot Bread

This gluten-free carrot loaf has a soft, moist crumb and a light, tender texture, with the classic carrot cake flavor you love in an easy-to-slice loaf. It’s deeply satisfying without being overly rich, making it a deliciously simple way to enjoy carrot cake. If you love carrot cake in other forms, you might also like these gluten-free carrot cake cupcakes.

It’s finished with a creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting that balances the sweetness and spice. You can leave it unfrosted, but I especially like it with the frosting and a little extra orange zest on top.

It’s a great choice for an afternoon treat, a weekend bake, or whenever you’re craving carrot cake without making a layer cake.

What goes in: ingredients notes

Some NOTES about the main ingredients of the recipe:

• Grated carrot: Use freshly grated carrots rather than pre-shredded carrots. A large-hole grater gives the best texture.
• Oil: a natural oil, like sunflower oil.
• Eggs: room-temperature eggs are better.
• Spices: ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, but feel free to mix it up a little if you like. These give the loaf its classic carrot-cake flavor.
• Walnuts or pecans: Optional, but toasted nuts add a nice crunch and extra flavor.
• Cream cheese frosting: Full-fat cream cheese works best for a thick, creamy frosting.

How to make simple gluten-free carrot loaf

Preheat oven to 350˚F (180°C). Line a 9×5 loaf pan, or similar, with parchment paper or lightly grease.

Whisk together gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, oil, eggs, grated carrots, milk, and vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts, mixing only until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the loaf is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top.

Good to know: baking tips

• Grate the carrots just before mixing. Freshly grated carrots work best here. I prefer a large-hole grater because it gives the loaf more texture. If the grated carrots release a lot of liquid, lightly squeeze them before adding them to the batter.
• Don’t frost the loaf while it’s warm. Let it cool completely first so the cream cheese frosting stays thick and doesn’t melt into the cake.
• Toast the walnuts. This is optional, but toasting them before adding them to the batter gives them more flavor and a better crunch.

Storing

Unfrosted: Store the cooled loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Frosted: Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the loaf covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a little while before serving for the best texture.

Freezing: The unfrosted loaf can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap it well and thaw completely before frosting and serving.

You might wonder

Can I make this carrot loaf cake without the cream cheese frosting? Yes, the carrot loaf is delicious on its own, but the cream cheese frosting adds a creamy, tangy finish that pairs especially well with the soft carrot cake.

Can I use store-bought grated carrots? Freshly grated carrots are best for this recipe because they have better moisture and texture. Pre-shredded carrots can be drier and more coarse.

Can I omit the walnuts? Yes, you can leave the walnuts out and add raisins instead, or simply skip the nuts and dried fruit altogether. The loaf will still have a soft, moist crumb and plenty of carrot cake flavor.

For more sweet recipes made with vegetables

• Carrot cake muffins
• Zucchini muffins
• Chocolate and beetroot cake
• Chocolate beet muffins
• Pumpkin bread
• Pumpkin muffins

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