This gluten-free carrot cake is easy to make in just one bowl and is topped with a classic cream cheese frosting. The trick is to use a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking flour and to pile on other tastes and textures that make carrot cake such an awesome dessert… such as this one (right) to celebrate QVS Fellow Anna’s recent birthday!

Directions/Ingredients:

For the cake:
~ Preheat oven to 350F.
~ Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans or the equivalent.

3 cups grated carrots
½ cup light brown sugar

~ Combine and let sit to meld flavors for at least 15 minutes.

~ Add:
½ cup coarsely chopped raisins
2 eggs (or ½ cup apple sauce as an alternative)
¾ cup white sugar (this can be omitted if you use cream cheese icing)
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup crushed pineapple (drained)
1 ½ cups gluten-free flour (that can be substituted 1:1)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

~ Fold ingredients together, trying not to over-mix.
~ Divide batter into prepared cake pans.
~ Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes – the cake should be springy and a toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the middle.
~ Cool in the pans for at least 15 minutes before removing from pans.

~ Cool completely before icing the cake.

For the cream cheese icing:
8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
4 ounces butter (softened)

~ Beat until well blended.
~ Add slowly while beating:

4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

~ Daub atop.