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Sugar-Free Carrot Cake (Nut-Free, Gluten-Free)

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  • Author: Claudia Curici, Health Coach
  • Prep Time: 35 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes (up to 40 minutes)
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 9

Description

There’s something so comforting about a good carrot cake — wholesome, gently spiced, and full of flavor. This version is gluten-free, sugar-free, and completely nut-free, perfect for anyone avoiding nuts or taking a break from them. Most gluten-free carrot cakes rely on nut flours, but this one achieves the same moist, tender texture without them — proving that you don’t need nuts to make a cake that’s rich and satisfying. Bake it in a square pan for a simple, everyday treat, or turn it into a round layer cake for a special occasion. I love serving it with mascarpone frosting, a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts (technically seeds, not nuts!), and a handful of seasonal fruit.

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup sorghum flour
  • 2/3 cup tigernut flour
  • 1/2 cup millet flour
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
  • 1/4 cup toasted pinenuts (ground)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Spices: 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, a pinch of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, a pinch of cardamom

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 4 pastured eggs
  • 4 tablespoons inulin powder (or another approved sweetener)
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup hemp milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • lemon and orange essence OR zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon zest (organic)

ADD-ONS

  • 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 big carrots)
  • 1 apple, grated
  • Optional: a handful of toasted pinenuts (whole)

FOR THE FROSTING

  • 200 grams of Italian mascarpone cream or organic cream cheese
  • 2-3 tablespoons A2 yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons inulin powder OR another natural sweetener to taste
  • vanilla, orange and lemon essence or zest to taste

Instructions

  1. Line a deep baking dish with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350F/175C.
  2. Toast about 70 grams of pinenuts (a handful) and grind 1/4 cup.
  3. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
  4. Mix all the wet ingredients in a large bowl. 
  5. Grate the carrots and the apple.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients bowl and incorporate with a spatula until everything is well combined (don’t overmix). 
  7. Add the grated carrots and apple and fold them in with a spatula. 
  8. Pour the batter into the baking dish and sprinkle some toasted pine nuts on top, then gently push them in with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes.  
  9. Do the toothpick test to make sure the cake is baked. 
  10. Make the frosting by whipping all the ingredients for a few minutes, until it’s thickened. Only add the frosting on the cake when the cake is completely cold.  
  11. The best is to bake this cake one day before serving it. Any carrot cake is better after at least a few hours in the fridge. 

Notes

Make this cake one day in advance and store it in the fridge. This cake is pretty tall, and you can make it on a larger baking sheet. But in this case, it will be baked faster, so keep an eye on it.  Also, can be made as muffins or a loaf.

Find it online: https://creativeinmykitchen.com/sugar-free-carrot-cake-nut-free-gluten-free/