I have been feeling so squirrely this week! I’ve been pumping out recipes on here like crazy, and these carrot cakes have been sitting on hold, longer than any of the other recipes I’ve been working on, yet it’s the one I’ve been most excited to share!

Carrot cake is one of my absolute favourite desserts. I didn’t try it until my early 20’s (yes friends, I lived a sheltered childhood 😉 ). But it’s probably a good thing because now I love ALL things carrot cake.

It’s been almost three years since I’ve had carrot cake, because gluten-free is iffy, and I haven’t come across any gluten-free carrot cake that has knocked my socks off.

Saying that, I knew if I wanted a good gluten-free carrot cake, I’d have to make my own!

To say this carrot cake is delicious would be an understatement. It’s the best dang gluten-free cake I’ve had yet. It’s light, fluffy, super moist, and full of those rich spices that give carrot cake it’s amazing flavour. Because let’s face it, carrots are great for making the cake moist, but you can’t rely on it for flavour.

I anticipate this is going to be a hit at Easter dinner this year. The cream cheese icing on top is just as delicious as the cake, and I promise no one will be able to tell it’s vegan. (Our little secret). 😉

The secret to this cake is all in the gluten-free flour. I use Better Batter gluten-free flour, and it’s the best one for baking that I’ve found yet.

Gluten-free Mini Carrot Cakes

Every single bite is fluffy and this cake just melts in your mouth, along with the icing.

Print

Mini Carrot Cakes

Mouthwatering mini gluten-free carrot cakes will be your new favourite dessert. Soft, moist, and finished with the most delicious dairy-free cream cheese icing. 

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 loaves
Author Ashley

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour I use Better Batter
  • 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/4 cup crushed pineapple drained
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Dairy-Free Maple-Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (room temperature) I use Yoso (cashew based)
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter (room temp) I use Melt Organic
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In a small mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix until well combined.

  3. In a medium mixing bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, avocado oil, and the apple sauce. Whisk until it is smooth. Stir the dry mixture into the wet, and stir until it’s just combined with no lumps. 

  4. Add in the carrots, pecans, and coconut and mix until just combined. Divide the mixture evenly into 4 greased loaf pans.

  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the outside is slightly browned. You can test doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.

  6. Let the cakes rest for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Dairy-free Cream Cheese

  1. In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer) add the butter and cream cheese and whip until smooth. Add the maple syrup and vanilla. Start the mixer and slowly add the icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Whip until smooth. 

  2. Spread evenly across the top of the carrot cakes.

print