Notes
From Experience: Wins, Fails, and What Stuck:
Weigh Your Flour. Always use kitchen scales. WEATZERO® is crafted for 1:1 gram-for-gram swaps; cups aren't accurate enough for gluten-free blends. Don't add flour to the food processor with the blade running. I tried this once, and the cake turned gummy and unpleasant. The flour must be folded in gently by hand with a spatula after you've removed the blade. This keeps the texture light and prevents overmixing. Hold the mixture as instructed. This aids the Gluten-Free Millet Flour to hydrate and improves texture significantly. Those 10 minutes after pouring the batter into the tin really do make a difference. The food processor makes this incredibly easy. It chops the carrots, mixes everything, and requires no additional tools or bowls. Less washing up, more time enjoying cake. No food processor? No problem. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for the wet ingredients, manually grate the carrots, and fold in the flour by hand at the end. The food processor just makes the carrot prep faster. Add walnuts last and pulse briefly. This chops them without turning them into mush. You want nice chunks throughout the cake for texture. Adjust the spices to your taste. I like a strong, warm flavour, so feel free to increase the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or allspice if you prefer a more pronounced spice profile. Room temperature ingredients work best, but fridge temperature eggs and yogurt will still work. Just expect slightly denser results. Fresh carrots work best. Use firm, fresh carrots and grate them yourself rather than using pre-grated carrots, which can be dry. Test for doneness carefully. Gluten-free cakes can look done on top before they're fully baked through, so always use a skewer to check the centre. Let the icing set. Refrigerating for 30 minutes before serving helps the cream cheese icing firm up, making it easier to slice and giving cleaner cuts.
Ingredients
Flour
- 225 g WEATZERO® Millet Based All-Purpose Flour - weigh using a scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (10g) Baking Powder
- 1 tsp (6g) Baking Soda
- 1 tsp GroundCinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg Ground - optional
- ¼ tsp Ginger Ground - optional
- ¼ tsp Allspice Ground - optional
Wet Ingredients & Mix-Ins
- 3 cups (400g) Fresh Carrots - Food processor: use whole. Stand/hand mixer: firmly packed grated
- 2 Large Eggs - Room Temperature
- 1 cup (175g) Brown Sugar - Firmly Packed
- ½ cup (110g) Caster Sugar
- ½ cup (125g) Vegetable Oil
- ⅓ cup (70g) Plain Thick Greek Yogurt
- 2 tsp (10g) Vanilla Extract Extract/Liquid
- 1 cup (120g) Walnut or pecans - roughly chopped if not using food processor
Cream Cheese Icing
- 125 g Cream Cheese - chopped and softened
- 2⅔ cup (320g) Icing Sugar - sifted if clumpy
- ⅔ cup (150g) Butter Unsalted - Room temperature, softened
- 1 tsp (5g) Vanilla Extract Liquid/paste
Carrot Cake Equipment
Method
Prepration
- Preheat Oven to 175°C (350°F) Conventional or160°C (320°F) Fan Forced
- Grease and line a 23cm (9 inch) round springform cake tin with non stick baking paper.
Method (Using Food Processor)
- Place the carrots (top and tail trimmed off) in the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. You want small, even pieces, not mush.
- Add the eggs, oil, yogurt, vanilla, brown sugar, caster sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and all the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice) to the food processor with the carrots still in it. Process until everything is well combined and smooth.
- Add the walnuts or pecans last. Pulse briefly just to chop them, not turn them into paste. You want nice chunks.
- Remove the food processor blade carefully. Add the sifted WEATZERO® flour directly to the food processor bowl. Fold everything together gently with a rubber spatula.Don't overmix. The texture of the batter should be thick but pourable.
Alternative Method (Without Food Processor)
- Grate the carrots using a box grater and roughly chop the walnuts or pecans. Set aside in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, caster sugar, oil, yogurt, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and spices until well combined.
- Pour the wet mixture over the carrots and nuts. Mix to combine.
- Add the sifted WEATZERO® flour. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Don't overmix.
Pour and Hold
- Pour batter into the prepared tin. Smooth the top gently with a spatula.
- Let it stand in the tin for 10 minutes before baking. This allows the gluten free flour to hydrate and improves texture.
Bake
- Bake for 50 - 55 minutes at 175°C (350°F) or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. The top should be golden and spring back lightly when touched.
Cool
- Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Patience pays off for the perfect crumb!
For Cream Cheese Icing
- Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or hand mixer, Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add the icing sugar in two additions, mixing well after each, then continue beating for about 3 minutes on high speed, until light and fluffy.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps set the icing and makes cutting easier.
- Place the cooled cake on a serving plate. Spoon the frosting on top and spread it evenly over the surface (and over the sides as well, if you like), until the cake is fully covered.
Serving Suggestions
- Garnish with chopped walnuts or a light dusting of cinnamon for a finishing touch.
Storage Recommendations
- Room Temperature is ok if the temprature is above 25CNot Othwerwise refrigetation recommended due to cream cheese icing.
- Refrigerator - Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The cake actually tastes even better the next day as the flavours develop.
- Freezer - Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
- Icing Storage: If making the icing ahead, store it separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and give it a quick stir before spreading.