My mom’s favorite cake in the whole wide world (or one of them at least) is Alton Brown’s carrot cake (recipe here). So I know you aren’t supposed to alter Alton’s recipes. They are perfected. They are science. But we’ve changed things out due to allergies and diets. Spelt flour for wheat flour. Egg replacers for eggs. You get the picture. Given my new experiment, I needed a lower gluten flour then spelt, and I will be honest, I was a bit nervous. 

But this cake is hands down, one of the best things I have ever made – with or without gluten. Again, recipe below will tell you how to make both versions, and I encourage you to try one of them out!

I also apologize, but I didn’t take a picture before we hacked into the cake. That said, please enjoy a view of what it looked like after four adults and a child were set upon it after dinner.

Here’s what you need –

• 12 ounces of grated carrots
• 2 1/2 cups of flour (I used King Arthur’s gluten free all purpose flour + 1 tsp of xantham gum)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 6 ounces vanilla or plain yogurt
• 6 ounces of canola oil

If you have a food processor, this cake is a breeze. If not, take into consideration that grating carrots can take a long time. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Using the grater attachment for the food processor, finely grate your carrots. Toss the carrots in the bowl with flour and mix to coat.

Add the sugar, eggs and yogurt into the food processor and blend until smooth. With the food processor still running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Combine the sugar mixture with the flour mixture. Pour into a greased 9” inch round cake pan. I cut out a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom given that gluten free baking can be fickle, but this might save you from stress with a gluten cake as well.

Pop your cake into the oven for 45 minutes on 350. Lower the temperature to 325 and bake for an additional 20 – 25 minutes. (Mine took 30)

Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes then flip out onto a wire rack and cool the rest of the way (approximately 90 minutes).

Top with cream cheese frosting. (Oh you want to know how I made that to? Sorry Alton, but this version is mine).

• 4 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 4 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extra

Beat the cream cheese and butter for a few minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer / stand mixer. Add the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar in four batches and continue to beat until fluffy.

Happy birthday, Mom!