Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Carrot Cake

This sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free carrot cake is so satiating we are often too full for seconds! The texture and taste of this carrot cake most resembles a traditional cake of the many recipes I have tried! Because this carrot cake is packed with eggs, carrots, coconut flour, and healthy fats, I feel good about serving this cake as a high protein and veggie filled meal. Our kids are thrilled to have cake as a special treat for dinner! This recipe is GAPS diet, paleo, and WAPF approved. We love to make both as a sheet cake and as cupcakes.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Birthday Cake

When we started our GAPS diet journey, I knew we were going to need some staple go-to recipes that were nutrient dense and also allowed us to “blend in” for meal gatherings with friends, family, and other social activities while maintaining our allergen-free plan. We have made this carrot cake for birthdays and celebrations, but we now also enjoy it in our regular gluten, dairy, and sugar-free dessert rotations.

If you are new to whole foods eating, and want to transform your pantry and freezer to healthier foods without overwhelm, check out this simple, free, and short e-book: How to Transition to a Whole Foods Diet Without Overwhelm.

“Heal and Seal” Without Missing Out

If you haven’t heard of the GAPS protocol, it is a way of eating that promotes “healing and sealing” of the gut/digestive lining and immune system by consuming healing foods and opening detox pathways in the body. Our family has healed from food allergies and autoimmune issues (and a ton of other more minor and pesky health concerns) following this protocol. While we no longer “have” to strictly follow the protocol, most of these delicious recipes have become family favorites and healthy staples we enjoy everyday. Because the batter and frosting for this carrot cake both freeze really well, we also often double the batch for freezer meals.

Paleo Chocolate and Vanilla Cake

We have made a close variation to this carrot cake using zucchini, rather than carrots. Because zucchini has a more subtle flavor than carrots, we use it as a base to make a chocolate or vanilla cake. Check out the chocolate and vanilla cake recipe here. Like this carrot cake recipe, this batter can be made into sheet cake, muffins, or a fun tiered cake as well. With these yummy dessert recipes, we really can have our cake and eat it, too ;).

How to Make Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Cake Batter Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, preferably pastured
• 1.5 cups ground/pureed raw carrots, tightly packed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (OR grass-fed lard, Avocado Oil, Palm Oil, Ghee or Duck fat)
• 3/4 cup coconut flour (may need 1 cup, depending on brand)
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Handful of toasted, chopped nuts, to sprinkle on top of cake or muffins (optional): organic walnuts, organic pecans, etc. See recipe notes for toasting details.

Frosting Ingredients

• 3 blocks cream cheese (or 4 cans coconut cream or 2 cups lard or 2 cups palm shortening)
• 2 sticks butter (or 1 extra cup of above fat)
• 1 cup honey
• 1 tbsp vanilla

Instructions

Instructions for Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease glass 9×13 pan or muffin tins
• In a mix master or large mixing bowl, combine eggs, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla and mix well (softening/melting the fat ahead is helpful). Puree carrots and add to mixture.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix.
• Pour batter into greased pan
• Add to your preheated oven and let bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
• Once baked, allow cake to cool before removing from greased pans
• When cake is cool, spread frosting, if using and add chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions for Frosting:

• Add softened butter, cream cheese, or desired fat (see recipe notes) to mix master.
• Whip until smooth and fluffy. An immersion blender will also work, though it is more time consuming.
• Slowly pour in honey and continue mixing until well-incorporated.

Recipe Notes

• Allow the cake to fully cool before adding the frosting so the frosting does not melt
• While we love this cake fresh, I think it tastes even BETTER the next day, cold from the refrigerator!
• You can freeze the batter in a 9×13 pan to bake fresh later, OR freeze the already cooked cake.
• If you are preparing for the freezer ahead of time, it is better to freeze the frosting separately and spread it on the cake when thawed/baked fresh
• You can substitute any healthy fat for both the batter and/or the frosting: coconut oil, grass-fed lard, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Palm Oil, Ghee or Duck fat, etc.
• Frosting Note: We have made this recipe with cream, cream cheese, butter, and coconut cream (straining the liquid and using just the more dense cream). The frosting texture seems to be the most thick and creamy with the cream cheese. However, when we were on strict GAPS, we enjoyed the other variations, too! While a little more of a thin texture, they still work for frosting. We even love this recipe with zero frosting!
• We sometimes like to toast nuts, such as walnuts or pecans in a frying pan with a bit of butter (or alternate fat) and honey. These can be sprinkled on top of the cake or muffins. Be sure to cool them before adding on top of frosting.

Shop This Post

• honey
• vanilla
• ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves
• 9×13 pan
• coconut oil, grass-fed lard, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Palm Oil, Ghee or Duck fat
• coconut flour
• immersion blender or standing blender
• stainless steel mixing bowl
• organic walnuts
• organic pecans

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I hope your family enjoys this healthy and tasty treat as much as ours does! Please let me know your feedback in the comments below.

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