Gluten free carrot cake with hazelnut and orange frosting
My gluten free carrot cake recipe is packed with crunchy chopped hazelnuts and topped with an orange cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 140 g unsalted butter (softened)
- 125 g light brown sugar
- 75 g caster sugar
- 220 g carrots grated, (approx 2 medium carrot)
- 2 large eggs
- 200 g gluten free self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 50 g chopped hazelnuts
For the orange cream cheese frosting:
- 50 g icing sugar
- 50 g unsalted butter (softened)
- 100 g full fat cream cheese
- 1 tsp orange juice
- 1/2 orange zest only, (use the other half to decorate)
- 25 g chopped hazelnuts
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180'C/Gas 4. Grease and line a 2lb baking tin and set aside.
- Add the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and creamy (approx 1-2 minutes). Add the eggs, flour, baking powder, xantham gum, cinnamon and mixed spice and beat until combined and smooth.
- Add the grated carrots and chopped hazelnuts and fold in using a wooden spoon or spatula until evenly distributed. Pour into the lined baking tin, smooth out the top and then bake for 50-55 minutes until a skewer comes out of the middle clean. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack before turning out of the tin and decorating.
For the frosting:
- To make the frosting, add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until it starts to thicken and is smooth. Chill in the fridge for around 30 minutes before icing the cake.
- Using a spatula or knife, smooth the frosting over the cake until it has a thick, even covering. Decorate with the hazelnuts and any leftover orange zest before slicing and serving.
Notes
This cake will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Top tip: When making the frosting, you might want to use a fork to 'mash' the ingredients together before beating, so you don't end up in an icing sugar cloud!
Nutrition
Serving: 1Servings
