Carrot Cake Traybake Recipe

Carrot cake traybake recipe with cream cheese frosting - a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that's easy to share and even easier to make. And it's gluten-free too.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings slices

Calories 591kcal

Ingredients

For the cake

300 ml vegetable oil
350 g light brown sugar
6 eggs
400 g gluten-free self-raising flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
zest of 1 large orange
350g -400g carrots grated
100 g walnuts or pecans, finely chopped (optional)

For the frosting/icing

150 g butter softened
300 g full-fat cream cheese (use lactose-free cream cheese if low FODMAP)
150 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
walnuts or pecans (for sprinkling on top)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C (fan) / 350F. Prepare a 32x21.5cm (12.5x8.5in) rectangular baking tin by greasing and lining with non-stick baking paper. The baking paper should go over the edges so you can use the paper to lift out the cake once it's cooled.
In a large mixing bowl, add the oil, light brown sugar and eggs. Mix together (I use an electric hand whisk for this part) until well combined.
Next, sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon and ginger. Gently fold these in to the mixture using a silicone spatula.
Add the orange zest and grated carrot (at this stage you could add chopped walnuts, pecans or raisins if you like - I don't like raisins so sometimes choose to add nuts, but often don't bother!) Fold into the mixture so the carrot and orange zest is evenly dispersed.
Spoon/pour the mixture into your baking tin and place in the oven for about 60 minutes. The cake should be cooked through, use a skewer to check.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin until it firms up a bit. Then, carefully lift it out using the baking paper and then onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese frosting, mix the softened butter in a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer (in a mixing bowl) at a medium speed for 5 minutes or until paler in colour. Add the icing sugar and beat for about 3 minutes.
Add in the cream cheese and vanilla and beat for 2–3 more minutes until well combined and the icing is light and fluffy, without lumps. Place in the fridge to chill briefly until you need it.
Spread the frosting evenly all over your cake. With a carrot cake being a bit more delicate, be careful when spreading so none of the top layer comes off... it doesn't really matter if it does!
Sprinkle the top of your cake with chopped up walnuts or pecans.
Cut your cake into 12-15 squares and enjoy!

Notes

Before this post was removed, the old cream cheese frosting measurements/method were:

Ingredients:

115g butter (Stork hard margarine or similar if dairy-free)

225g cream cheese (20% fat per 100g minimum if dairy-free, otherwise it won't whip)

400g icing sugar

Method:

To make your frosting/icing, use an electric hand whisk or an electric mixer mix together the cream cheese and the butter / baking block. Do this until smooth and light. (This works the same for regular or dairy free)

Sieve in your icing sugar (about 100g at a time) mixing thoroughly between each addition. Once all the icing sugar is added your frosting is ready. You can keep it in the fridge until you need it. (Different cream cheeses have slightly different consistencies so you might need to add a little more/less icing sugar)

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