This almond flour carrot cake is gluten free and dairy free. It's an Italian recipe that's moist and delicious, and easy to make in a springform pan.
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This variation on a traditional Italian carrot cake is made with almond flour so it's entirely gluten free. Olive oil, not butter, provides moisture and richness, which means it's also dairy free. An optional mascarpone cream can be served on the side for those who wish to indulge.
This is a simple, fuss-free one-layer cake that's not overly sweet. It's easy to make and bakes up to a gorgeous golden brown. Bonus: It's BOOZY! Rum-soaked raisins and a bit of rum in the mascarpone add a fun twist. (Of course you can omit the rum if you prefer.)
Ingredients
Almond flour carrot cake batter
- Almond flour: Use your favorite brand. I get mine at Trader Joe's. Bob's Red Mill is always a good choice.
- Ground ginger and nutmeg: You can play around with the spices here if you like, cinnamon or cardamom would be lovely.
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Golden raisins: I love the taste and look of golden raisins for this cake, but you can use regular ones if that is what you have on hand.
- Rum: White or gold rum are both fine.
- Carrots
- Pistachios: You'll have some in the batter and some on top to make it especially pretty.
- Olive oil: You don't need to use an expensive olive oil here, but use a decent one.
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice and lemon zest: Add these last as the acid will start to activate the rise of the cake.
Mascarpone cream
- Mascarpone cheese: This is a soft Italian cream cheese, very mild in flavor, lighter and creamier than the American version.
- Rum: White or gold.
- Powdered sugar
How to make it
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's Venetian carrot cake recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil, cut a parchment circle for the bottom and grease both sides. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, bring the raisins and rum to a low boil, remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once cool, drain off any remaining rum.
Use a food processor or box grater to shred the carrots. Place them on a dry dish towel and roll it up tightly to absorb the moisture. Leave the carrots wrapped up until ready to add to the cake batter.
Chop the pistachios, reserve 2 tablespoons for the top of the cake.
Add dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Be sure all ingredients are completely incorporated. You want the baking powder to be evenly distributed.
Combine the olive oil and sugar in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix for 2-3 minutes until the color lightens and sugar begins to melt into the oil.
Add the eggs and whisk for another 2-3 minutes until the color turns a pale yellow and the mixture starts to get frothy on top.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, folding gently with a silicone spatula and making sure there are no bits of dry almond flour.
Then fold in the carrots, the raisins (drained of rum) and pistachios. Last, add the lemon juice and zest and stir gently until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and top with the reserved pistachios.
Bake for 45 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown, the center is completely set, and the edges are pulling away from the side of the pan.
Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pan.
While the cake cools, make the mascarpone cream. Allow the mascarpone to soften at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the mascarpone, rum and powdered sugar, stirring until smooth.
Tips and Substitutions
- Once you put the cake in the oven, leave it alone! Don't move the oven rack around. Since the cake is made with olive oil the batter is thinner and there is a risk that it will fall. I know that 45 minutes sounds like a long time, but trust me, it needs it.
- If you prefer not to use the rum, just use water to rehydrate the raisins. Replace the rum in the mascarpone cream with ½ teaspoon of vanilla.
- If you can't find golden raisins, substitute with regular raisins.
- Pecans or walnuts can be substituted for the pistachios.
FAQ
Not recommended. Because it's made with almond flour, the cake is very moist and crumbly. It's a bit too delicate to spread the cream on top.
Almond flour carrot cake and all forms of carrot cake must be stored in the refrigerator to keep the carrots from spoiling. It will keep for up to one week.
Yes, almond flour carrot cake can be frozen! Let it chill first in the refrigerator, then wrap large pieces in plastic wrap (small slices are prone to fall apart) and freeze for up to two months. Let thaw in the fridge before serving.
Related Recipes
Try these gluten free sweet treats!
- Apple Ricotta Cake is a traditional Ukranian/Eastern European recipe that's like an apple upside down cake!
- Amaretti Cookies with Cocktail Cherries are a Sicilian specialty.
- A Flourless Chocolate Torte is a French classic that's also super easy to make in a springform pan.
Recipe
Almond Flour Carrot Cake (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
Almond Flour Carrot Cake
- 2 ½ cups almond flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped pistachios divided
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup rum
- ½ cup olive oil plus more for pan
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
Mascarpone Cream
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoon rum
- 2 teaspoon powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil, cut a parchment circle for the bottom and grease both sides. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan over medium heatn, bring the raisins and rum to a low boil, remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once cool, drain off any remaining rum.
- Use a food processor or box grater to shred the carrots. Place them on a dry dish towel and roll it up tightly to absorb the moisture. Leave the carrots wrapped up until ready to add to the cake batter.
- Chop the pistachios, reserve 2 tablespoons for the top of the cake.
- Add dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Be sure all ingredients are completely incorporated. You want the baking powder to be evenly distributed.
- Combine the olive oil and sugar in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix for 2-3 minutes until the color lightens and sugar begins to melt into the oil.
- Add the eggs and whisk for another 2-3 minutes until the color turns a pale yellow and the mixture starts to get frothy on top.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, folding gently with a silicone spatula and making sure there are no bits of dry almond flour. Then fold in the carrots, the raisins (drained of rum) and pistachios. Last, add the lemon juice and zest and stir gently until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and top with the reserved pistachios. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown, the center is completely set, and the edges are pulling away from the side of the pan. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pan.
- While the cake cools, make the mascarpone cream. Allow the mascarpone to soften at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the mascarpone, rum and powdered sugar, stirring until smooth.
Notes
- Once you put the cake in the oven, leave it alone! Don't move the oven rack around. Since the cake is made with olive oil, there is a risk that it will fall. I know that 45 minutes sounds like a long time, but trust me, it needs it.
- If you prefer not to use the rum, just use water to rehydrate the raisins. Replace the rum in the mascarpone cream with ½ teaspoon of vanilla.
- If you can't find golden raisins, substitute with regular raisins.
- Pecans or walnuts can be substituted for the pistachios.
- Store in the refrigerator. Keeps up to one week.
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