Gluten free nutty carrot cakes

It’s Week Five of my ten-week Dr. Oetker #EvenBetterBaking series, and this week I have a fabulous gluten free bake for you. Carrot cake is always a winner, and these gorgeous little gluten-free loaves are filled with moist fruit, wholesome nuts and flavoured with the Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Grinder.

I’ve snapped pictures of every stage of this bake, so it’s easy to follow and should have you serving up a slice in no time. Here’s how to make these carrot cakes. 

Ingredients

For the cakes:

• 115g (4 oz) Gluten Free Plain Flour
• (1 tsp) Dr. Oetker Baking Powder Sachet
• Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Grinder
• 10g (2 tsp) Ground Cinnamon
• 150g (5 oz) Light Brown Sugar
• 50g (2 oz) Dried Cranberries
• 50g (2 oz) Sultanas
• 50g (2 oz) Dried Apricots, chopped
• 115g (4 oz) Mixed Nuts or your favourite nuts, finely chopped
• 2 x Medium Eggs, beaten
• 150ml (¼ pt) Sunflower Oil
• 115g (4 oz)Carrots, finely grated

To decorate:

• 8x Pecan Halves
• 8x Walnut halves
• Dr. Oetker Gold Shimmer Spray
• 75 g (3 oz) Icing Sugar
• 2 ½ ml (½ tsp) Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan, 350F, Gas Mark 4).

Sift the gluten free flour, Baking Powder and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Using the Vanilla Grinder, grind the Vanilla into the batter to taste (roughly 5 or 6 turns). Stir in the sugar, dried fruit and chopped nuts. Make a well in the centre. Gradually mix in the eggs and oil.

Stir in the grated carrot to form a well blended, thick batter.

Lightly grease 8 mini loaf tins and arrange on a baking tray, or use a 12 hole mini loaf tray.

Divide the mixture between the cake tins, smooth the tops and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, until risen, firm to the touch and lightly golden.

Leave to cool for 10 minutes then turn on to a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate, arrange the pecan and walnut halves on a sheet of baking parchment. Shake the can of Shimmer Spray until you can hear the ball bearing, and spray over the nuts until they become golden. Leave for a few minutes to dry.

Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl.

Add the Vanilla Extract and 10-15ml (2-3 tsp) warm water to make a smooth, piping icing.

Spoon the icing into a small piping bag without a nozzle.

Put a tray underneath the wire rack of cakes. Snip off the end of the piping bag and pipe the icing back and forth across the tops of the cakes to decorate with a zig-zag pattern.

Top each with the gold pecans and walnuts and leave aside for a few minutes to allow the icing to set. Your cakes are now ready to serve and enjoy!

I promise, they’re very tasty!

And here’s the carrot cakes recipe in printable form.

Gluten Free Nutty Carrot Cakes

Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings: 8 -12

Author: Emily Leary & Dr. Oetker

These delicious cakes are filled with delicious dried fruit and flavoured with the Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Grinder.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Metric - Ounces

Ingredients

For the cakes:

• 115 g Gluten Free Plain Flour
• 1 Dr. Oetker Baking Powder Sachet
• Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Grinder
• 10 g Ground Cinnamon
• 150 g Light Brown Sugar
• 50 g Dried Cranberries
• 50 g Sultanas
• 50 g Dried Apricots chopped
• 115 g Mixed Nuts or your favourite nuts, finely chopped
• 2 Medium Eggs beaten
• 150 ml Sunflower Oil
• 115 g Carrots finely grated

To decorate:

• 8-12 Pecan Halves
• 8-12 Walnut halves
• Dr. Oetker Gold Shimmer Spray
• 75 g Icing Sugar
• 2 ½ ml Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan, 350F, Gas Mark 4).
• Sift the gluten free flour, Baking Powder and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Using the Vanilla Grinder, grind the Vanilla into the batter to taste (roughly 5 or 6 turns). Stir in the sugar, dried fruit and chopped nuts. Make a well in the centre. Gradually mix in the eggs and oil.
• Stir in the grated carrot to form a well blended, thick batter.
• Lightly grease 8 mini loaf tins and arrange on a baking tray, or use a 12 hole mini loaf tray.
• Divide the mixture between the cake tins, smooth the tops and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, until risen, firm to the touch and lightly golden.
• Leave to cool for 10 minutes then turn on to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To decorate, arrange the pecan and walnut halves on a sheet of baking parchment. Shake the can of Shimmer Spray until you can hear the ball bearing, and spray over the nuts until they become golden. Leave for a few minutes to dry.
• Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl.
• Add the Vanilla Extract and 10-15ml (2-3 tsp) warm water to make a smooth, piping icing.
• Spoon the icing into a small piping bag without a nozzle.
• Put a tray underneath the wire rack of cakes. Snip off the end of the piping bag and pipe the icing back and forth across the tops of the cakes to decorate with a zig-zag pattern.
• Top each with the gold pecans and walnuts and leave aside for a few minutes to allow the icing to set. Your cakes are now ready to serve and enjoy!

* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published.

Course: cakes and bakes, Cookies

Keywords: cake, cakes, carrot cake

Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @amummytoo on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. I can't wait to see your posts!

Are you tempted to try these carrot cakes at home?

For your next bake, why not try these chocolate orange jelly squares? To keep up to date with all the latest Even Better Baking news, follow @droetkerbakes on Twitter, DrOetkerBaking on YouTube or like www.facebook.com/DrOetkerBaking.

This is a commissioned post for Dr. Oetker. Recipe courtesy of Dr. Oetker.