Gluten-free carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Ingredients

• 185 g (6½ oz) quinoa flour
• 1½ tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• 1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 3 extra large eggs
• 190 g (6½ oz) superfine (caster) sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 175 ml (6 fl oz) extra light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 100g (3½ oz) raw carrot, grated
• 60 g (2½ oz) walnuts, finely chopped
• Walnut halves, for decoration
• Ground cinnamon, for decoration

Cream cheese frosting

• 125 g (4 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 250 g (9 oz) pure confectioners' (icing) sugar, sifted
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F) and grease a 24 cm (9½ in) non-stick, square tin.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Using electric beaters, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy then mix in the oil. Stir in the dry ingredients then fold in the carrot and walnuts. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when tested.

Remove from oven and cool in the tin for about 15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. When cooled, ice the top of the cake with cream cheese frosting, decorate with extra walnuts and sprinkle with cinnamon powder. 

I like to refrigerate the cake after icing for about half an hour to allow the icing to set.

To make the frosting, using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.

See our gluten-free recipes for more wheat-free cooking ideas.

Rena Patten’s Best of Quinoa is published by New Holland Publishers and out now, RRP £19.99.