Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Photo: Chris Baskind

During the Middle Ages in Europe, when sweeteners were scarce and expensive, carrots were used in sweet cakes and desserts. In Britain...carrot puddings...often appeared in recipe books in the 18th and 19th centuries. Such uses were revived in Britain during World War II, when the Ministry of Food disseminated recipes for carrot Christmas pudding, carrot cake, etc. Carrot cakes have enjoyed a revival in Britain in the last quarter of the 20th century. They are perceived as 'healthy' cakes, a perception fortified by the use of brown sugar and whole meal flour and the inclusion of chopped nuts, and only slightly compromised by the cream cheese and sugar icing which appears on some versions." 

Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press: Oxford] 1999 

Ingredients (For Cake)

3 large eggs
2 cups Betty Crocker GF Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 cup light vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups processed carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.  In a mixing bowl beat the eggs while mixing in the oil. Add the brown sugar and beat till smooth. Add yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon and spice, baking mix and beat till combined. The batter should be a bit thicker than wheat flour batter.  Add in the coconut, carrots, raisins and nuts; stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Spread the batter evenly in the cake pan; and place the pan in the center of a preheated oven. Bake until the cake is firm, and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz. softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1-2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract, to taste
3 cups powdered cane sugar (more if needed)
A squeeze or two of a fresh orange

Icing Preparation

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time; squeeze a little lemon or other citrus juice into the frosting and beat till smooth. Frost the cake. 

Note: For the icing, you should add more sugar to thicken or add more juice to thin.