• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fine Foods Blog
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Work With Me
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Work With Me
  • Travel
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Work With Me
    • Travel
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Almond Flour Carrot Cake (Gluten Free!)

    Published: Apr 15, 2022 · Modified: Jan 27, 2023 · by Debra with Leave a Comment · 2079 words. About 11 minutes to read this article. · This post contains affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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.

    A gluten free carrot cake with a slice cut out of it next to a bowl of mascarpone cheese.

    This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.

    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 carrot 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.)

    Jump to:
    • This almond flour carrot cake is gluten free, dairy free, and really easy to make!
    • Ingredients you'll need
    • Recommended tools and equipment
    • How to make almond flour carrot cake
    • Almond flour carrot cake tips
    • Substitutions
    • FAQ
    • When to serve almond flour carrot cake
    • More gluten free baking recipes
    • Recipe

    This almond flour carrot cake is gluten free, dairy free, and really easy to make!

    • Almond flour makes the carrot cake moist and delicious, with a lightly nutty flavor.
    • The cake is dairy free! Olive oil provides richness and moisture in place of butter or other dairy products.
    • Simple to make with just a couple of bowls and a hand mixer. (NO stand mixer needed!)
    • Made in one layer in a springform pan for easy removal and no fuss serving.
    • We are not icing this carrot cake (the almond flour structure makes it too delicate for that), so you don't have to be a skilled cake decorator to make it!
    Two carrots, three eggs and small bowls filled with ingredients to make carrot cake.

    Ingredients you'll need

    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 for gluten free baking.
    • Ground ginger and nutmeg: You can play around with the spices here if you like, cinnamon or cardamom would be lovely.
    • Baking powder: We need 2 teaspoons of baking powder here. Because it's made of almond flour, the carrot cake will need a bit more help to rise and get fluffy and light.
    • Kosher salt
    • Golden raisins: I love the taste and look of golden raisins, they complement the flavor of the almond flour in this carrot cake, but you can use regular ones if that is what you have on hand.
    • Rum: White or gold rum are both fine. Swap for water if you don't want to use any liquor.
    • Carrots: Please use real, whole carrots for this cake! Peeling them only takes a minute and the flavor is so much better than the pre-grated or pre-peeled baby ones.
    • Pistachios: You'll have some in the carrot cake 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 almond flour carrot cake batter.

    Mascarpone cream (optional topping)

    • 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

    Recommended tools and equipment

    • Mixing bowls: For combining almond flour, dry ingredients, and wet ingredients.
    • Hand mixer: To blend the wet ingredients for the carrot cake batter.
    • Whisk and silicone spatula: To stir and fold the elements of the batter together.
    • 9-inch springform pan: For baking the cake.

    How to make almond flour carrot cake

    Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson's Venetian carrot cake recipe.

    Step 1: Preheat the oven and prep the pan

    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.

    A small sauce pan with golden raisins and rum.

    Step 2: Rehydrate the raisins, prep carrots and pistachios

    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.

    A kitchen towel full of shredded carrots partially rolled up.

    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.

    A whisk in a bowl full of almond flour with salt, ginger, nutmeg and baking powder.

    Step 3: Whisk dry ingredients together

    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.

    A hand mixer with a whisk attachment next to a bowl of olive oil and sugar that have been mixed together.

    Step 4: Mix wet ingredients

    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.

    A hand mixer next to a bowl of wet ingredients for cake batter that have been whisked until frothy.

    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.

    A spatula in a bowl of batter with shredded carrots, rum-soaked raisins and chopped pistachios on top.

    Step 5: Mix in almond flour and other ingredients

    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.

    Gluten free carrot cake batter topped with pistachios in a springform pan.

    Step 6: Bake the carrot cake!

    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.

    Step 7: Make the mascarpone cream (optional)

    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.

    alt=""

    Almond flour carrot cake tips

    • 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.
    • Remember that if you use a darker colored cake pan, it can affect your baking time and the color of the outside and bottom of your carrot cake. Almond flour can take more heat than traditional flour before it burns, but this could still be a factor. King Arthur Baking has a great article about this. I prefer to use untreated aluminum cake pans (shiny or matte) to avoid this conundrum.

    Substitutions

    • 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.
    • If you're keeping all aspects of your almond flour carrot cake dairy free, omit the mascarpone cream and serve with a drizzle of powdered sugar icing made with a little lemon juice.

    FAQ

    Can you serve this carrot cake with the mascarpone cream on top?

    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.

    Do you have to store almond flour carrot cake in the refrigerator?

    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.

    Can you freeze almond flour carrot cake?

    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.

    When to serve almond flour carrot cake

    Almond flour carrot cake is good any time of year, but I'm sure most of you might think of serving it in the spring around Easter. I also really like this cake in the fall because of the warm spices. Be sure to serve it as soon as it has cooled, or serve chilled if made ahead.

    • Makes a perfect dessert for Easter or Mother's Day.
    • Serve with afternoon coffee or tea.
    • Choose it for a birthday when you want something that's not overly sweet.
    • I love it for Thanksgiving!
    • Any time you're entertaining gluten free or dairy free guests! (But everyone will also LOVE IT!!)

    More gluten free baking 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

    A gluten free carrot cake with a slice cut out of it next to a bowl of mascarpone cheese.

    Almond Flour Carrot Cake (Gluten Free)

    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.
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Keyword: almond flour carrot cake, dairy free carrot cake, gluten free carrot cake
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Cooling time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 862kcal

    Equipment

    • 9-inch springform pan
    • box grater
    • small sauce pan
    • mixing bowls
    • hand mixer
    • silicone spatula

    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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. 
     
    This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 862kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 288mg | Potassium: 555mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 7803IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 257mg | Iron: 3mg

    More Dessert Recipes

    • Three chocolate pots de creme with whipped cream on top. Chocolate wafers are on the left, a spoon with chocolate on it is on the right.
      Chocolate Pots de Crème
    • Pieces of cranberry pecan dark chocolate bark on white parchment paper.
      Cranberry Pecan Dark Chocolate Bark
    • Four pumpkin cookies arranged in a grid on a white surface.
      Easy Pumpkin Cookies
    • A caramel apple upside down cake with a sliced removed on a blue plate. Two apples are in the upper right hand corner.
      Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Hi, I'm Debra! I love to cook and eat and travel, and cook the things I eat when I travel! I'm a detail-oriented Virgo, so it's my jam to simplify recipes and break them down into easy to follow steps. I help you bring the world to your table!

    More about me →

    Subscribe To My Enewsletter

    Get my new, and tried and true, recipes delivered to your inbox! Subscribe now!

    Gluten Free Recipes

    • Pimento cheese dip in a red bowl on a round wooden tray, surrounded by butter crackers, carrot sticks, and corn chips. A gold spoon is on the lower left, a red and white striped towel is on the upper left.
      Pimento Cheese Dip
    • A piece of salmon topped with creamy dill sauce and garnished with fresh dill and lemon zest.
      Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
    • Vietnamese caramel chicken topped with cilantro and red chilis in a pan with blue handles. A gold spoon rests in the pan sauce toward the bottom right.
      Vietnamese Caramel Chicken
    • Spicy asian broccoli on a white plate drizzled with a spicy sauce that is reddish-brown in color.
      Asian Broccoli

    Search more gluten-free recipes

    Trending Recipes

    • A woman's hands are shown preparing a salt baked whole fish, she stuffs a whole fish with lemon, lime and fresh herbs.
      Salt Baked Fish
    • Chicken thighs topped with a caper lemon sauce on a white plate.
      Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Capers, and Lemon
    • Two campari and soda cocktails with orange slices, a plate of nuts and two bottles in the background
      Campari and Soda
    • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs with mushrooms and white wine sauce in a blue casserole pan. Some fresh thyme is in the bottom right corner.
      One Pan Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and White Wine

    Chocolate Recipes

    • Gluten free triple chocolate cookies on a baking sheet.
      Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cookies
    • A gluten free chocolate ganache tart topped with flaky sea salt on a pink plate.
      Gluten Free Chocolate Ganache Tart
    • Three white ramekins of chocolate mousse.
      Chocolate Mousse Recipe
    • Gluten free brownies with ganache icing dusted with cocoa powder on a white surface.
      Gluten Free Almond Flour Brownies

    French Recipes

    • Romaine Hearts salad with blue cheese, pears, and pecans on a white and gray plate.
      Romaine Hearts Salad with Blue Cheese, Pears, and Pecans
    • Mussels in white wine sauce with lemon wedges and parsley in a blue pan with a spoon in it.
      Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinières)
    • French hot chocolate in a white cup with another cup and a blue bowl of chocolate in the background.
      French Hot Chocolate (Chocolat Chaud)
    • Several servings of eggs en cocotte with spinach and bacon in small cast-iron skillets and serving dishes are displayed on a wooden surface.
      Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs)

    Hi, I'm Debra! I love to cook and eat and travel, and cook the things I eat when I travel! I'm a detail-oriented Virgo, so it's my jam to simplify recipes and break them down into easy to follow steps. I help you bring the world to your table!

    More about me →

    Subscribe To My Enewsletter

    Get my new, and tried and true, recipes delivered to your inbox! Subscribe now!

    Gluten Free Recipes

    • Chicken and cabbage with onions roasted on a sheet pan.
      Roast Chicken and Cabbage
    • Holubtsi—Ukranian cabbage rolls—topped with sour cream and fresh dill in a round pan. A wooden spoon is on the right.
      Ukranian Cabbage Rolls (Holubtsi)
    • A plate of fresh cranberry orange relish with orange zest on top and a gold spoon on the left side.
      Fresh Cranberry Relish
    • Tricolore salad in a white bowl with gold utensils.
      Tricolore Salad

    Search more gluten-free recipes

    Trending Recipes

    • A woman's hands are shown preparing a salt baked whole fish, she stuffs a whole fish with lemon, lime and fresh herbs.
      Salt Baked Fish
    • Chicken thighs topped with a caper lemon sauce on a white plate.
      Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Capers, and Lemon
    • Two campari and soda cocktails with orange slices, a plate of nuts and two bottles in the background
      Campari and Soda
    • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs with mushrooms and white wine sauce in a blue casserole pan. Some fresh thyme is in the bottom right corner.
      One Pan Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and White Wine

    Chocolate Recipes

    • Gluten free triple chocolate cookies on a baking sheet.
      Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cookies
    • A gluten free chocolate ganache tart topped with flaky sea salt on a pink plate.
      Gluten Free Chocolate Ganache Tart
    • Three white ramekins of chocolate mousse.
      Chocolate Mousse Recipe
    • Gluten free brownies with ganache icing dusted with cocoa powder on a white surface.
      Gluten Free Almond Flour Brownies

    French Recipes

    • Romaine Hearts salad with blue cheese, pears, and pecans on a white and gray plate.
      Romaine Hearts Salad with Blue Cheese, Pears, and Pecans
    • Mussels in white wine sauce with lemon wedges and parsley in a blue pan with a spoon in it.
      Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinières)
    • French hot chocolate in a white cup with another cup and a blue bowl of chocolate in the background.
      French Hot Chocolate (Chocolat Chaud)
    • Several servings of eggs en cocotte with spinach and bacon in small cast-iron skillets and serving dishes are displayed on a wooden surface.
      Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs)

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Work With Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Fine Foods Blog