Nothing beats a slice of moist gluten free carrot cake! This delicious and straightforward gluten free carrot cake recipe with pineapple is topped with a luscious dairy free carrot cake frosting made with vegan cream cheese. You will love this recipe all year long, but it is our favorite spring time dessert!

I grew up eating carrot cake for many occasions in my family. It was something that was well loved by all.

Once I was gluten free I recreated this delicious gluten free carrot cake recipe with pineapple because it made it extra moist and the pineapple provided a natural sweetness. 

Gluten Free Carrot Cake Recipe

This particular recipe is incredibly special to me and can be found in my cookbook, 101 Incredible Gluten Free Recipes. 

This was the last cake that I baked for my Grandpa. He was the most important male in my life and was a Father to me growing up, always there for me with unconditional love.

I made this for him as his birthday cake and he had a stroke that ultimately led to his death shortly after. 

I couldn’t bring myself to make this cake for many years after his passing, but when I wrote my cookbook, I knew it needed be in there. 

My family requests this cake often (they are not gluten or dairy free) and they have even bartered for me to make it for them (in exchange for babysitting 😆). 

With easter right around the corner, this will be the dessert that everyone wants a piece of! 

Ingredients needed for this gluten free carrot cake recipe with pineapple…

• Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Can of Crushed Pineapple: If you are unable to find crushed pineapple at the store, you can take any can of pineapple and blend it in your food processor. 
• White and Brown Sugar: I use organic sugar and light brown sugar for this recipe. 
• Shredded Carrots: I either buy the bag of pre-shredded carrots from the store, or use the shredding attachment on my food processor. 
• Shredded Coconut
• Cloves, Cinnamon, Salt
• Walnuts: This is optional if you can’t tolerate walnuts. Alternatively, you can use pecans or chopped almonds. 
• Coconut Oil: I highly recommend using melted coconut oil, but if you are allergic or can’t stand it then any neutral vegetable oil will work. 
• Baking Powder, Baking Soda
• Gluten Free All Purpose Flour: This is the most important ingredient when you are baking gluten free. Your flour will make or break your recipe. I only bake with 2 flours and the first one is my homemade, Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend. If you use this blend you must add 1 tsp. of xanthan gum to the batter when you add the flour. 

However, my favorite gluten free flour blend, EVER is Better Batter Flour. You can use the original or artisan blend in this recipe. That is what I used to make this recently and it is truly the best gf flour on the planet. 

If you want to try Better Batter you can use the code: LIVINGFREELYGF for 40% off your purchase (this excludes sale items, LIVINGFREELYGF10 will get you 10% off sale items. 

Dairy Free Carrot Cake Frosting Ingredients…

• Vegan or Regular Butter
• Vegetable Shortening: I use spectrum brand shortening, but any will work. 
• Vegan or Regular Cream Cheese
• Vanilla
• Powdered Sugar

How to make this Moist Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a stand mixer add the eggs, vanilla, crushed pineapple, sugar, brown sugar, and shredded carrots. Mix on medium/low speed for 1 minute.

Add 1 cup of the shredded coconut, cloves, cinnamon, salt, ½ cup of the chopped walnuts and blend for 30 seconds.

Add the melted coconut oil and allow it to blend for 30 more seconds. You will then add the baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and gluten free all purpose flour.

Mix it on medium speed for 3 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl halfway through.

Pour the batter in a greased 9×13 baking dish and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a butter knife comes out of the center clean. Cupcakes will bake for 22 minutes.

Allow it to cook completely before making the frosting.

To make the dairy free carrot cake frosting, add the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, vegan cream cheese, and vanilla to a bowl and either using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, blend until it starts to get creamy. Add the powdered sugar in one cup at a time while blending on medium high until fluffy.

Frost once the cake has completely cooled. Store the cake in the fridge. Use the other ½ cup of chopped walnuts and cup of shredded coconut to top the cake. 

Notes: You can always use regular dairy in place of the vegan options. Feel free to add raisins in the batter if you like them.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make this vegan?

You could use Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer for the eggs in this recipe. Generally, when eggs are left out you can expect less of a rise and the texture to change slightly. 

Why are my baked recipes dense?

You could be using the wrong flour or measuring it incorrectly. See below for my flour tips. 

What flour blend should I use?

See below for my 2 flour recommendations ↓

I’m new to gluten free baking, help!

Gluten free baking can be intimidating at first, but you will get the hang of it! Here are some of my tips.

1. Follow the directions until your a gf baking pro. Seriously, follow them step for step.
2. Don’t switch up the ingredients. Most of the time baking fails are swapping non comptable ingredients.
3. Your flour will make or break your recipe.
   • This is the most important ingredient when you are baking gluten free. Your flour will make or break your recipe. I only bake with 2 flours and the first one is my homemade, Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend. If you use this blend you must add 1 tsp. of xanthan gum to the batter when you add the flour. 

   However, my favorite gluten free flour blend, EVER is Better Batter Flour. You can use the original or artisan blend in this recipe. That is what I used to make this recently and it is truly the best gf flour on the planet. If you want to try Better Batter you can use the code: LIVINGFREELYGF for 40% off your purchase (this excludes sale items, LIVINGFREELYGF10 will get you 10% off sale items. 

4. Measure properly. You can watch a video on how to measure your flour properly, HERE. Weighing your ingredients is great as well. 
5. If you are wanting to make a recipe vegan, reach out to the author for a substitute. Some recipes do great with egg replacer and some need something like whipped aquafaba. Remember, vegan recipes don’t rise as much!

I know your family will love this recipe just as much as mine. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake Recipe With Pineapple

Gluten Free Carrot Cake (Dairy Free)

This simple and delicious moist gluten free carrot cake is also dairy free!

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten free carrot cake, gluten free carrot cake with pineapple, gluten free dairy free carrot cake, moist gluten free carrot cake

Servings: 12

Calories: 912kcal

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Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 18 oz. can of crushed pineapple drained
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 cups shredded coconut divided
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts divided
• 1 cup melted coconut oil
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup vegan butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 8 oz. containers of vegan cream cheese
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a stand mixer add the eggs, vanilla, crushed pineapple, sugar, brown sugar, and shredded carrots. Mix on medium/low speed for 1 minute.
• Add 1 cup of the shredded coconut, cloves, cinnamon, salt, ½ cup of the chopped walnuts and blend for 30 seconds.
• Add the melted coconut oil and allow it to blend for 30 more seconds. You will then add the baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and gluten free all purpose flour. Mix it on medium speed for 3 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl halfway through. Pour the batter in a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a butter knife comes out of the center clean. Cupcakes will bake for 22 minutes.
• Allow it to cook completely before making the frosting.
• To make the frosting, add the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, vegan cream cheese, and vanilla to a bowl and either using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, blend until it starts to get creamy. Add the powdered sugar in one cup at a time while blending on medium high until fluffy.
• Frost once the cake has completely cooled. Store the cake in the fridge. Use the other ½ cup of chopped walnuts and cup of shredded coconut to top the cake.

Video

https://www.livingfreelyglutenfree.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/videoSharingFinalOutput-15-copy.mov

Notes

You can always use regular dairy in place of the vegan options. Feel free to add raisins in the batter if you like them.

If your gluten free All Purpose Flour does not contain xanthan gum, then add 1 tsp when adding the flour to the batter. 

Nutrition

Calories: 912kcal | Carbohydrates: 112g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 402mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 90g | Vitamin A: 4031IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you like this gluten free dairy free carrot cake recipe then check out these easy gluten free desserts…

• Gluten Free Funfetti Cupcakes
• Gluten Free White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies (Dairy Free)
• Vegan Gluten Free Coconut Cupcakes
• Grain Free Chocolate Cake
• Gluten Free and Dairy Free Vanilla Cake