The ULTIMATE gluten free carrot sheet cake recipe (traybake)… Perfectly nutty, moist and spiced, with a little hint of orange. It’s an absolute favourite. With a dairy free sponge.
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DON’T LOSE THIS RECIPE! PIN Carrot Sheet Cake FOR LATER…
Gluten Free Carrot Sheet Cake – perfect for sharing
If you’ve been looking for the ultimate gluten free carrot sheet cake recipe, you’re in the right place. I don’t put that claim out lightly. This recipe was a labour of love. Created, tested, tweaked and created again… and again… for a reader who needed a recipe for a birthday cake… One that actually worked. So, it needed to be right. And I take recipe development very seriously.
This recipe is not the only carrot cake on the blog. The original recipe was posted as a gluten free carrot cake layer cake. But since it has become so popular, and since carrot cake is so often requested, it seemed the right thing to create and share a sheet cake version… Which of course, is perfect for sharing with friends, family, bake sales and parties.
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Traybake vs Sheet Cake
Whether you call it a carrot cake traybake or sheet cake, it’s one and the same. Like so many things, the terminology simply depends on where you live. They’re even called slab cakes in some places.
Tray, sheet or slab just refers to the shape of the cake and the pan in which it is baked… A large rectangular or square cake tin usually… Served as a single layer, cut into individual squares and almost always topped and decorated with frosting, buttercream, ganache or other such delights.
Why make sheet cakes instead of layer cakes?
In recent years sheet cakes and traybakes have made a serious impression on the cake-making community. But why have they become so popular? Well… this may have something to do with it…
- Because of their shape and uniformity, they are easier to cut and portion for whoever is going to eat them. Want to share an ‘office’ cake for your birthday? Traybakes are always enough to go around the whole team. Same goes for kid’s birthday parties and for bake-sales where a little will go a long way…
- Single layer cakes are also much easier to hold and eat. And that means less mess and drops!
- They tend to be really easy to bake consistently. Maybe it’s the shape, but traybakes relish their time in the oven.
- A large flat surface is much easier to frost and decorate too. You can simply dump the icing and spread (great for little ones to take charge). Or, as with my carrot cake traybake, you can square and decorate individual portions. Whether you want to go simple or dressed to impress, the sheet cake is the perfect blank canvass.
- For all these reasons and more, sheet cakes are also perfect for baking with kids.
What gives this gluten free carrot sheet cake the perfect texture?
Search the internet and you will find that carrot cakes whether traybakes or layered, work to many different recipes. And the texture is clearly as variable as the ingredients list.
When I developed this carrot cake recipe, I needed it to be perfectly balanced. So, as with all recipes at Gluten Free Alchemist, it went through many trials before I shared it. You can find out more about why I chose the ingredients used to make a perfect carrot cake on the original post.
There was however a special ingredient which made a huge difference to the texture of this cake. And that was the use of carrot puree… Specifically, I used a pouch of pure baby food, which cut down on mess and waste.
This gluten free carrot cake contains no nasties…
Rather than list all the things that this traybake contains, I am going to tell you what it doesn’t contain and why this carrot cake is better than many others… Although you can make it with other add-ins and ingredient substitutions, if you use the key ingredients listed, this is what you can expect with your carrot cake sponge :
- No rice from rice flour – I made my gluten free carrot sheet cake using Gluten Free Alchemist home-mixed rice free blend B. Why? Because it produces a better texture, is full of wholegrain, protein-rich flours and importantly, it contains no rice. No rice also means no arsenic. Most standard commercial gluten free flour blends contain significant amounts of rice flour (it’s cheap!). However, evidence indicates that rice contains concerning levels of arsenic, particularly where it has not been washed out (and that includes in rice flour).
- In addition to the nutritious flours, the carrot cake blend also contains ground almonds as part of the flour base-mix. Why is that good? Because it will add structure to the bake as well as adding flavour, improved texture and some great nutrition.
- No dairy – This recipe for gluten free carrot cake sponge is completely dairy free. It has been tested with both sunflower and olive oils and both work equally well.
- No white sugar – This carrot cake traybake recipe uses brown sugar which is a little less refined and also works with the natural sweetness of the carrot. You can however, substitute the brown sugar for coconut sugar if you want to use completely unrefined sugar.
- No dried fruit – This one is a matter of preference. Many recipes include dried sultanas, pineapple, etc. I wanted this recipe to be simple and uncomplicated on the palate. But if you like your carrot cake with extra bits, go ahead and add some.
- No walnuts – Many carrot cakes contain walnuts. I chose to use toasted pecans for alternative interest, but they can be easily substituted for walnuts if you prefer.
How to top your carrot cake sheet cake
How you top your carrot cake sheet cake is up to you. Traditionally, they are slathered in cream cheese frosting… Delicious, but can be incredibly sweet and calorific.
Although I did top mine with cream cheese frosting, I chose to go minimal and piped a beautiful little swirl on portioned squares. This gave the best of both worlds. Healthier, delicious carrot cake with just enough cream cheese frosting to feel decedent and without excess.
If you are going down the cream cheese frosting route, be warned. It’s easy to get very wrong. Check out my tips for the perfect cream cheese frosting before you make it. It could just save you a lot of frustration and lost ingredients.
Dairy free cream cheese frosting
If you need a dairy free cream cheese frosting, I’ve found one that looks good over at Veggie Desserts. I’ll be honest, it’s not a recipe I’ve tried. But it comes from a good source, so fingers crossed it’s a yummy one.
Alternatively, you could stick with a good old fashioned vanilla butter icing recipe using dairy free ‘butter’. Or use a dairy free Maple Glaze, or a tangy citrus or orange curd butter icing (made with home-made curd substituting the butter for a dairy free alternative).
Equipment for gluten free carrot cake sheet cake
You will find a list of recommended equipment over on the original carrot cake post which I recommend you check out. Good equipment makes a huge positive difference to ensuring stress-free baking.
You will however also need a good sheet baking tin. I used an 8 inch square Masterclass loose-bottomed tin. It’s non-stick, has perfectly straight sides (great for ‘squared-off’ portions) and makes cakes really easy to remove.
If you do want to make a rectangular sheet cake for more people however, the tin linked is ideal. And the quantities for a larger cake have been provided in a second printable recipe card below.
Stay in touch
If you make my gluten free carrot cake sheet cake, let me know how you got on. Comment below or contact me through social media. Use the hastag #glutenfreealchemist and tag me in (social media links at the top of the page).
I hope you love this cake as much as we do.
Thank you for reading,
Recipes provided for 2 sizes :
Gluten Free Carrot Sheet Cake – 20 cm/8 inch square
Key equipment
- Oven
- large sharp knife
- grater
- 1 x 20 cm (8 inch) non-stick square baking tin
- large mixing spoon/spatula
- clean tea towel
Ingredients
- 50 g rough-chopped toasted pecans toasted weight
- 175 g grated carrots peeled weight
- 1 small orange finely grated zest only
- 100 g plain gluten free flour blend I use Rice Free Blend B (see NOTES)
- 50 g ground almonds almond meal
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- pinch fine sea salt
- 1¼ tsp GF baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp mixed spice
- 160 g soft light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs UK large
- 95 g sunflower oil (or olive oil) (approx 100 ml)
- 30 g carrot puree (I used a baby food pouch)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 16 whole pecans toasted (decoration)
Instructions
Getting Ready the Ingredients
- To toast the pecans, spread on a baking tray and place in the oven at 180 C/350 F/Gas 4 for about 10 minutes, turning a couple of times during toasting.
- Allow to cool completely and rough-chop to desired size. Set aside.
- While the pecans are toasting : Coarse-grate the pre-peeled and trimmed carrots. Set aside.
- Zest the orange and set aside with the carrots.
- Weigh and mix together the flour, almonds, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and spices. TIP : Weigh into an airtight container and shake vigorously to mix. Set aside.
Make the Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170 C/325 F/Gas 3.
- Base-line the baking tin with baking paper.
- Weigh the sugar, eggs, oil, carrot puree and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl.
- Beat thoroughly for at least 3 to 4 minutes using an electric whisk until well blended, smooth, silky and beginning to pale.
- Add the carrots and zest to the bowl and gently fold through.
- Add the chopped pecans and dry flour-spice mix and gently fold through until just combined and even.
- Transfer the mixture into the cake tin and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top is firm.
- Remove the cake from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool, placing a clean tea towel over the top.
- Once completely cool, decorate with cream cheese frosting and toasted pecan nuts or anything else you prefer.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Carrot Sheet Cake – 35 x 24cm rectangle (approx)
Key equipment
- Oven
- large sharp knife
- grater
- 1 x 35 x 24cm baking tin (approx size)
- large mixing spoon/spatula
- clean tea towel
Ingredients
- 75 g rough-chopped toasted pecans toasted weight
- 260 g grated carrots peeled weight
- 1 orange finely grated zest only
- 150 g plain gluten free flour blend I use Rice Free Blend B (see NOTES)
- 75 g ground almonds almond meal
- ¾ tsp xanthan gum
- pinch fine sea salt
- 2 tsp GF baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp mixed spice
- 240 g soft light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs UK large
- 140 g sunflower oil (or olive oil) (approx 100 ml)
- 45 g carrot puree (I used a baby food pouch)
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
- 24 whole pecans toasted (decoration)
Instructions
Getting Ready the Ingredients
- To toast the pecans, spread on a baking tray and place in the oven at 180 C/350 F/Gas 4 for about 10 minutes, turning a couple of times during toasting.
- Allow to cool completely and rough-chop to desired size. Set aside.
- While the pecans are toasting : Coarse-grate the pre-peeled and trimmed carrots. Set aside.
- Zest the orange and set aside with the carrots.
- Weigh and mix together the flour, almonds, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and spices. TIP : Weigh into an airtight container and shake vigorously to mix. Set aside.
Make the Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170 C/325 F/Gas 3.
- Base-line the baking tin with baking paper.
- Weigh the sugar, eggs, oil, carrot puree and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl.
- Beat thoroughly for at least 3 to 4 minutes using an electric whisk until well blended, smooth, silky and beginning to pale.
- Add the carrots and zest to the bowl and gently fold through.
- Add the chopped pecans and dry flour-spice mix and gently fold through until just combined and even.
- Transfer the mixture into the cake tin and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top is firm.
- Remove the cake from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool, placing a clean tea towel over the top.
- Once completely cool, decorate with cream cheese frosting and toasted pecan nuts or anything else you prefer.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is enough for a good layer on each sheet cake
Sumptuous Cream Cheese Frosting
Key equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- sieve
- wooden/silicone spoon (or beater attachment)
Ingredients
- 150 g unsalted hard butter block butter only
- ¾ tsp vanilla paste or powder optional
- 250 g cream cheese (recommend Philadelphia)- Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
- 150 g icing (confectioners) sugar sifted
Instructions
- Soften the butter slightly and beat in a medium bowl until smooth and beginning to pale.
- Add and beat in the vanilla if using.
- Take the cream cheese from the fridge and drain-off any excess liquid.
- Add the cream cheese to the bowl and beat into the butter (preferably with a beater attachment or wooden/firm silicone spoon) until just smooth. Do not over-beat.
- Add the sifted icing sugar about a third at a time and gently beat or mix through. Again, use a beater attachment rather than a whisk or a wooden/firm silicone spoon to avoid over-beating. If you over-beat, the icing may become liquid, so be very careful.
- Place back in the fridge until ready to use.
- When ready to use, if the frosting has become too hard to work, simply leave at room temperature for a short while and fold through.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Sheet Cake shared with :
- What’s For Dinner #266 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Cook Blog Share with A Strong Coffee
- Fiesta Friday #347 with Angie and Food for the Soul
- Full Plate Thursday #501 with Mis Helen’s Country Cottage
- Meatless Monday with Confessions of a Mother Runner
I made this yesterday to bring to an Easter brunch, particularly for me to be able to eat a dessert! It came out wonderfully. I also made the cream cheese recipe. Divine! There is more left so I will need another cake, for myself! Since I can’t eat rice, the B blend is perfect for me. I’ve even used it elsewhere, particularly with chocolate recipes. I adore your recipes! I can really count on them to come out edible and enjoyable for anyone, gluten free or not. Thank you so much, and I hope you and your family have a lovely Easter.
Thank you Alene. I’m so glad it turned out well for you. It’s one of my favourite sponges!
Blend B works in most cake recipes on the blog… The only difference is that the sponge may be darker. So yes… Perfect for chocolate sponge cakes!
I hope you had a great Easter xx
I was having issues with baking time, gas oven wasn’t helping, produce quite a lot of moisture plus temperamental fluctuating temperature settings – have officially given up baking cakes when the wood burner is lit 😞 TBH me over mixing the batter wasn’t helping 🙄 anyhew… i spent some time re-reading your flour blending advice as well as all the comments and replies (fair play to you respond to every single post!!). Initially I used gf flour blend A and white sugar with the least possible folding in of dry ingredients – there were a few floury nuts going into the cake tin with the batter. Absolutely EXCELLENT cake cooked in just over 40min (yay!). This afternoon i stuck with blend A but used brown sugar, then had to delay folding dry stuff in because my oven wasn’t ready, almost split because i’d mixed the carrots in already, i was cursing myself putting it in the oven… pleasantly surprised 45min later and although a little bit sticky it was ok and covered in cream cheese icing barely noticeable 😳
I’m going to pay more attention to pre-preparing oven so i don’t have to delay mid-way through mixing – defo make the final temp test before carrots go into the mix 🙄
Will try subbing in 25% blend B next time, I quite like the ‘meaty’ texture of wholegrain flour but don’t want another wet cake-saster, I did think about separating the eggs and using half the sugar to stabilise soft peaks then fold in before adding dry mix – ok, way more effort but it would be so worth it if it meant at least 50% wholegrain flour… what do you think?
i tried reducing liquid by subbing an egg for 7g dry flax flour – not completely inedible apart from the rubbery edge crust 😞 heyho the dogs were happy!
My best attempt used your rice flour blend and involved reducing the carrot puree to an almost powdery-paste, i make my own puree using the carrot peel and knub-end minus the black sprouty bit – keeps cost, and waste, as low as possible. It was a blummin tasty attempt, nevertheless it would be nice to incorporate some of that gorgeous wholemeal texture without causing extreme bake time and overcooked rubbery edges…
Learning the lesson & at least i can make a very nice carrot cake with the rice blend flour.
On a completely different note, cream cheese icing – it’s much harder to split if you add the cheese to the sugar! i make a lot of cheesecake, finally found a way to make fresh strawberry cheesecake set without gelatine, but only if you sweeten the fruit before adding cream cheese. This frosting recipe is lush but if you cream the butter and icing sugar then add the cream cheese it’s a much more stable mix – you can get away with beating the c##p out of it without splitting it 👍
I’m going to spend some time calibrating my oven using your vic sponge recipe will be back for more carrot cake when i’m confident baking with gas.
Oh my! That’s a long comment! Thanks for taking the time.
It sounds like a very complicated oven. But it also sounds as though you are working your way round in the best way you can. You’ll get used to it!
If the sponge is too wet, then definitely try reducing the moisture. It sounds as though you have only limited control over temperature control… But long and slow can also help to avoid tricky edges. Or you could cover the sponge part-way through to protect?
Cream cheese frosting is always trickier than it looks isn’t it? Thanks for the tip!
I hope the oven feels more familiar soon xxx
This is carrot cke perfection, looks scrumptious!! – Thanks for sharing at the Fiesta Fridat Party!
You’re welcome Zeba. Carrot cake is definitely ‘up there’ with favourite cakes x
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Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
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Thanks Marilyn. And thank you as always, for hosting x
Your Carrot Sheet Cake looks delicious, great recipe! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday,501!
Miz Helen
Thank you Helen. You’re so welcome. Thank you for hosting x
These look delicious. Thanks for sharing #cookblogshare
You’re so welcome Louise. And thank you x
Your cakes always look so delicious and moist, are you sure they’re gluten free?!
Ha ha! Yes! Absolutely ALWAYS gluten free… I’m a total stickler for texture. If it’s not as good as a wheat bake, it doesn’t get shared. I get so irritated when I see recipes that are gluten free and look dry and ‘sub-standard’. Just because we are gluten free does not mean we should be happy with anything ‘less’. xx
I’ll get off my soap-box now… xxxxx
I love making sheet cakes as they are so easy, and carrot cake is my absolute favourite of all time. Delicious #cookblogshare
Thanks Beth. They are so good for sharing. x