Gluten Free Carrot Cake & Cupcakes

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Makes 1 Double-Layer Cake or 24 Cupcakes

Note: This recipe was borrowed from Gluten Free on a Shoestring. Even my picky daughter loved these!

Ingredients:

For the cake

2 1/4 Cups (315g)* all purpose gluten free flour (I used gluten-free plain flour)
1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it) (I used psyllium husk)
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt (I used pink Himalayan salt)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar (I used raw sugar)
1/2 Cup (109g) packed light brown sugar
3 Cups (270g) peeled and grated carrots
1/2 Cup (112g) neutral oil (like sunflower or grapeseed oil)
4 eggs (200 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 Cup (4 fl oz.) milk (any kind), at room temperature
1/2 Cup (55g) chopped pecans, plus more for decorating (optional)
1/2 Cup (3 oz.) white chocolate chips

*For cupcakes: If you’re making cupcakes, reduce the flour blend by 1/4 Cup (35g) to 2 Cups (280g). The rest of the recipe remains the same.

For the cream cheese frosting**

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 TBSP (112g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 tsp kosher salt (I used pink Himalayan salt)
4 Cups (460g) confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar), plus more as necessary

**For cupcakes, you may want to halve the frosting recipe, as you need less frosting. Unless you really want to pile it on (which I heartily recommend).

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round baking pans and set them aside. If making cupcakes, grease or line two standard 12-cup muffin tins, and set them aside.
2. In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and granulated sugar. 
3. Whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar, and whisk again to combine, working to break up any lumps in the brown sugar. 
4. Add the grated carrots to the dry ingredients, and mix to combine. 
5. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the oil, eggs, vinegar, and milk, and mix to combine. 
6. Add the pecans and chocolate chips, and mix until evenly distributed throughout. The batter will be thick, but relatively soft.

Making a Cake

1. If making a cake, divide the batter evenly among the two prepared baking pans, and spread into an even layer in each. 
2. Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes, rotating the pans once during baking. 
3. Remove the pans from the oven and allow the cakes to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making Cupcakes

1. If making cupcakes, fill the wells of the prepared muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full with batter, and shake the pan back and forth to distribute the batter evenly in each well. 
2. One at a time, place the muffin tins in the center of the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached (about 20 minutes). 
3. Remove the tin from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 
4. Repeat with the remaining muffin tin.

Make the Frosting

1. While the cakes or cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. 
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), place the cream cheese and butter. 
3. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. 
4. Add the salt, and 3 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar. 
5. Mix on low speed until the sugar is absorbed. 
6. Then, turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the frosting is thickened and fluffy. 
7. Add more confectioners’ sugar as necessary to thicken the frosting enough to hold its shape when scooped with a spoon.

Frosting the Cake/Cupcakes

1. To frost a layer cake, turn one of the cooled cakes, top-down, onto a serving platter. 
2. Spoon about half of the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread into an even layer. 
3. Top with the second cake, top-down and press to adhere. 
4. Spread the remaining frosting on top of the cake and top with more chopped pecans, if desired. 
5. To make the cake easier to slice, chill for about an hour in the refrigerator before slicing and serving. 
6. To frost cupcakes, spoon or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.