Start With Simple Ingredients

Okay, chocolate lovers! Let’s get started with a peek at our ingredients list:

• Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. I highly recommend King Arthur Measure For Measure Gluten-Free Flour, but if you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum for best results. (Do not substitute almond flour, oat flour, or coconut flour into this recipe.)
• Sugar keeps this cake super moist & gets divided between 24-36 servings!
• Baking Soda & Salt. This helps keep the cake’s texture light & level, and helps balance the flavor.
• Sour Cream (Or Buttermilk). Most traditional texas sheet cake recipes use either buttermilk or sour cream. The acidity reacts with the baking soda to give the cake a light texture, and the tang balances the flavor. I recommend using sour cream first, buttermilk second, and only recommend a homemade buttermilk substitute (with milk + apple cider vinegar) as a last resort, since it doesn’t have the same thickness/richness.
• Eggs. Help bind the cake together. Pretty straightforward!
• Vanilla Extract enhances the deep chocolate flavor of this cake!
• Butter. This is how you get that classic flavor & fudgy texture! (I haven’t experimented with making this recipe dairy-free yet.) I use salted butter, but unsalted butter works, too!
• Cocoa Powder. I like my Texas sheet cake to taste good and chocolatey, so my secret is adding a *tiny* bit more cocoa powder than some other recipes do in both the gluten-free chocolate sheet cake & the fudgy frosting. It makes all the difference! Remember to use REGULAR unsweetened cocoa powder (like Ghiradelli or Hershey’s) here NOT Dutch-processed/dark cocoa powder (which won’t react properly with the baking soda).
• Hot Water. You’ll heat the water to almost boiling, which will dissolve the chocolate and butter, but the hot liquid will also help thin out the cake batter to a nice, pourable texture, which makes it easy to cover a whole sheet pan.
• Our Easy Fudge Frosting. Then, you’ll finish this gluten-free Texas sheet cake recipe with the classic chocolate fudge frosting made from butter, milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Easy!

PRO TIP: If you’re going to make your gluten-free Texas sheet cake with pecans, I recommend toasting the pecans for extra flavor. It only takes a few minutes, but makes a BIG difference in taste!

How To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Make The Gluten-Free Texas Sheet Cake

1. Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pans. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and greasing a 13″ x 18″ x 1″ sheet pan with butter or spray oil (or line the pan neatly with parchment paper). 
2. Whisk Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk gluten-free flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. Mix Eggs, Sour Cream & Vanilla. In a large liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine eggs, sour cream and vanilla. (There will be a second where this looks like a big mess–just keep whisking and it’ll come together smoothly.) 
4. Heat Butter, Cocoa Powder & Water. In a small saucepan, melt butter, cocoa powder, and water until almost simmering. You want it hot and smooth, so it can help thin out the batter. 
5. Assemble The Cake Batter. Add sour cream mixture to the flour mixture and mix to combine. (It’ll be thick almost like dough and a bit dry at this point.) Pour the cocoa mixture into the batter a bit at a time, mixing to incorporate the chocolate mixture before adding the next bit. Whisk until it’s smooth and even in texture.
6. Pour Into Prepared Pan. Pour the sheet cake batter onto your prepared baking sheet. Gently smooth out the batter into an even layer that goes all the way to the edges of the pan. (An offset spatula makes this easier)
7. Bake The Cake. Pop the cake pan into the oven and bake 18-20 minutes, or JUST until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, with perhaps a few small moist crumbs. The cake is thin, so you don’t want to over-bake.)

Immediately Start The Chocolate Fudge Frosting

8. Right after you remove the cake from the oven, begin the frosting. (Unlike most cakes, you want to pour the frosting on while the cake is still warm.)
9. Melt Butter + Milk + Cocoa. In a large saucepan, melt butter, milk and cocoa powder together over medium heat, whisking regularly until it’s almost simmering/bubbling. (Don’t boil it, just heat it till it’s about to bubble.) 
10. Mix In Powdered Sugar & Vanilla. Remove the frosting from the heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla, whisking until there are not clumps of powdered sugar. There may be a few small air bubbles–this is totally fine, you just don’t want powdered sugar lumps. If you want to mix the pecans INTO the frosting, do that now. 
11. Pour Warm Frosting Over Warm Cake. Pour the fudge frosting over the still-warm sheet cake and quickly use an offset spatula to gently spread the frosting evenly over the surface. Be gentle, since the cake is pretty moist! If you want to sprinkle the cake with pecans, do that now. 
12. Cool At Least 20 Minutes. Let the sheet cake cool at least 20 minutes before slicing. I prefer to cool it about an hour to let the frosting set up, but some folks love when the frosting is still a bit soft and gooey.
13. Slice & Serve! When you’re ready, slice the cake into 24-36 slices. (For 24 slices, cut the whole cake into quarters, then cut each quarter into 6 slices. For 36 slices, cut the whole cake into quarters, then cut each quarter into 9 slices.)
14. Store Leftovers. If you have leftovers, cover the sheet pan with a lid or foil, and store at room temperature for 1-2 days, or the refrigerator for 2-3 days (my preference). 

Gather Your Ingredients

So what do we need to make gluten-free mini cheesecakes? Let’s take a look at our simple ingredients list:

How To Make Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

BEFORE YOU START: Make sure you’re using ROOM TEMPERATURE ingredients (cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs). It makes a significant difference in how smooth your filling will get and how easily it will blend. Cold cream cheese will clump & be hard to blend. 

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Line a light colored metal muffin pan with 12 parchment paper muffin liners.
2. Mix Up Graham Cracker Crust. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar. Stir until evenly blended.
3. Divide & Pat Out Crust. Add a heaping tablespoon of the crumb mixture to each parchment paper cup and use the back of the tablespoon (or clean fingers) to gently pat down the crust into an even layer. It doesn’t need to be super compacted, but should look even and sealed around the edges.
4. Pre-Bake Crust & Cool. Bake crust for 8 minutes and set the pan aside on a cooling rack to cool slightly while you mix up the filling.

5. Mix Cream Cheese & Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), beat softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on medium-low speed with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer) 2-3 minutes, or until evenly blended and creamy.
6. Finish The Filling. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and cornstarch. Mix on LOW speed just until blended, then add eggs 1 at a time on LOW speed until just mixed. (Try not to over-mix here, since incorporating extra air can cause the cheesecakes to sink later.)
7. Add Filling To Crust. Spoon cheesecake batter over the graham cracker crusts (I like using a large cookie scoop for this!). Gently shake the pan or gently tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. 

8. Make Hot Water Bath & Bake. Pour boiling water into a 9×13 metal or ceramic pan (I like to place mine on a cookie sheet for stability) and place on the rack underneath the center. Add muffin pan with the cheesecakes to the center rack above the water bath and bake 25-28 minutes or until just set. (A small wobble in the center is fine!) The cheesecakes will look slightly puffed at this point.
9. Cool, Then Chill. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let the cheesecakes cool at room temperature 45 minutes. Transfer pan to the fridge and chill uncovered at least 4 hours or until completely cold. Cheesecakes will settle as they chill, and will have a slight indent in the center, but shouldn’t look sunken!
10. Serve & Store. Remove cheesecakes from the pan (I leave them wrapped in parchment paper wrapper for easy serving) and enjoy with your favorite toppings. Store leftover cheesecakes covered in the fridge 3-4 days or freeze in a single layer up to 2 months.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Mini Cheesecakes

Your Pan Material Matters. I recommend a light-colored metal muffin tin with parchment paper liners for this. You MUST use liners, or the cheesecake won’t come out of the pan well. Other pan materials (like silicone or ceramic) conduct heat differently and can cause the cream cheese to “climb” the sides, which creates sinking.

Use The Right Cream Cheese. I ONLY recommend full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, like Philadelphia brand for this mini cheesecake recipe. Low-fat cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese in a tub will not work well. (It can separate, seep, or get lumpy.)

Use The Water Bath. If possible, I highly recommend the modified hot water bath here, since it creates steam that cooks them gently and gives the cheesecakes a uniform look. If you skip it, your cheesecakes may crack, sink, or brown around the edges.

Cool Then Chill. Another trick for preventing cracks or sinking is to cool the cheesecakes at room temperature about 45 min before transferring to the fridge to cool completely. This gentle transition of temperature helps protect the structure of the cheesecake. (We use this same trick for traditional cheesecake!)

More Gluten-Free Cheesecake Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Lemon Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Caramel Apple Cheesecake

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Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes

Your favorite dessert, made mini! Our individual gluten-free cheesecakes have all the classic flavor you love, just made in a muffin pan! They're easy, delicious & SO fun to decorate! (Don't miss some of our favorite toppings, below!)

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword cheesecake

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Chill Time 4 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 268kcal

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Equipment

• 1 Light-Colored Metal Muffin Pan
• 12 Parchment Paper Muffin Liners

Ingredients

For The Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 cup Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crumbs,* like Pamela's or Schar (120 grams)
• 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter (28 grams)
• 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar (25 grams)

For The Cheesecake Filling

• 16 ounces Full-Fat Cream Cheese, like Philadelphia – ROOM TEMPERATURE!
• ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100 grams)
• ⅓ cup Sour Cream – ROOM TEMPERATURE
• 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Zest
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
• 2 Large Eggs – ROOM TEMPERATURE

Optional Toppings

• Strawberries or Strawberry Topping
• Fresh Raspberries + Raspberry Sauce
• Cherry Pie Filling
• Chocolate Syrup + Crushed Gluten-Free Oreos
• Lemon Curd + Lemon Slices or Whipped Cream
• Blueberry Topping + Fresh Blueberries + Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crumbs
• Caramel Sauce + Flaky Sea Salt
• Cinnamon Apples
• Toasted Pecans + Caramel Sauce
• Mixed Berries + Whipped Cream

Instructions

• Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Line a light colored metal muffin pan with 12 parchment paper liners. Start boiling a pan of water to use for the modified hot water bath later.
• Mix Crust. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar. Stir until evenly blended.
• Divide & Pat Out Crust. Add a heaping tablespoon of the crust mixture to each parchment paper cup and use the back of the tablespoon (or clean fingers) to gently pat down the crust. It doesn't need to be super compacted, but should look even and sealed around the edges.
• Pre-Bake Crust & Cool. Bake crust for 8 minutes and set the pan aside to cool slightly while you mix up the filling.
• Mix Cream Cheese & Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), beat softened cream cheese and granulated sugar on medium-low speed with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer) 2-3 minutes, or until evenly blended and creamy.
• Finish The Filling. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and cornstarch. Mix on LOW speed just until blended, then add eggs 1 at a time on LOW speed until just mixed. (Try not to over-mix here, since incorporating extra air can cause the cheesecakes to sink later.)
• Add Filling To Crust. Spoon or pour cheesecake batter over the graham cracker crusts (it's ok if the crust is still slightly warm!). Gently shake the pan or gently tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
• Make Hot Water Bath & Bake. Pour boiling water into a 9×13 metal or ceramic pan (I like to place mine on a cookie sheet for stability) and place on the rack underneath the center. Add muffin pan with the cheesecakes to the center rack above the water bath and bake 25-28 minutes or until just set. (A small wobble in the center is fine!) The cheesecakes will look slightly puffed at this point.
• Cool, Then Chill. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let the cheesecakes cool at room temperature 45 minutes. Transfer pan to the fridge and chill uncovered at least 4 hours or until completely cold. Cheesecakes will settle as they chill, and will have a slight indent in the center, but shouldn't look sunken!
• Serve & Store. Remove cheesecakes from the pan (I leave them wrapped in parchment paper wrapper for easy serving) and enjoy with your favorite toppings. Store leftover cheesecakes covered in the fridge 3-4 days or freeze without toppings in a single layer up to 2 months. For best results, store the cheesecakes without toppings.

Video

Notes

• Gluten-Free Graham Crackers. Regular graham crackers are NOT gluten-free, so make sure to only use certified gluten-free graham crackers for this recipe. I like Pamela’s and Schar brands best! 
• Room Temperature Ingredients. Make sure you’re using ROOM TEMPERATURE cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs! It makes a significant difference in how smooth your filling will get and how easily it will blend.
• Use The Right Cream Cheese. I ONLY recommend full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, like Philadelphia brand for this mini cheesecake recipe. Low-fat cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese in a tub will not work well. (It can separate, seep, or get lumpy.)
• Your Pan Material Matters. I recommend a light-colored metal muffin tin with parchment paper liners for this. You MUST use liners, or the cheesecake won’t come out of the pan well. Other pan materials (like silicone or ceramic) conduct heat differently and can cause the cream cheese to “climb” the sides, which creates sinking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Mini Cheesecake (Toppings Not Included) | Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.8g | Protein: 4.1g | Fat: 19.4g | Saturated Fat: 10.9g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 168.1mg | Potassium: 71.2mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 14.2g | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 58.4mg

Gather Your Ingredients

I know some people are intimidated by the idea of making a homemade cake, but it’s surprisingly easy, especially for a sheet cake recipe like this. Let’s take a look at the key ingredients:

How To Make Yellow Sheet Cake With Chocolate Frosting, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Bake The Cake

1. Set Out Ingredients In Advance. You MUST set out the cold ingredients (eggs, butter, milk, and sour cream) about 1-1.5 hours in advance to let them come up to room temperature. Otherwise, they will not cream properly and the batter will be chunky instead of smooth.
2. Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pans. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a metal 9×13 pan or line with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour blend, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
4. Cream Butter & Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine softened butter and sugar. Use the paddle attachment and beat together 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
5. Add Eggs & Vanilla. Scrape down the edges/bottom of the bowl and gradually add eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, mixing to incorporate well. 
6. Mix In Sour Cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and mix in the sour cream on LOW speed.
7. Alternate Dry Ingredients & Milk. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on LOW speed, streaming in half of the milk as you go. Scrape down the edges of the bowl and add the second half of the dry ingredients, streaming in the second half of the milk until just combined. Try not to over-mix here. Feel free to finish combining by hand with a spatula, if needed!)
8. Pour Batter Into Pan. Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to even out the surface of the batter.
9. Bake Cake Layers. Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes in preheated oven or until the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
10. Cool Completely Before Frosting. Let the cake cool 15 minutes in the pan before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely OR let cake cool completely in the pan before frosting. Note that the cake must be COMPLETELY cool before frosting or the frosting will melt.

Then, Make The Frosting & Decorate The Cake

1. Beat The Butter. Add the softened butter to a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed for about 2 minutes, until it’s light and fluffy.
2. Mix. Then, add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract. Add the cream, then mix for 30 seconds on low speed, then about 1 minute on medium speed, or until well combined.
3. Adjust. At this point, you’ll want to adjust for texture. If the frosting is too dry or thick, add a little bit of additional cream at a time until it thins out. If the frosting is too thin or too wet, you can add more powdered sugar or cocoa powder a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the right consistency. The fudgy frosting should be easy to spread but should still hold its shape. (If you want the frosting to look extra glossy, you can add 1-2 Tablespoons of corn syrup at this point.)
4. Frost The Cake. Use a piping bag and your favorite piping tip to pipe frosting onto the cooled cake, or use an offset spatula to spread the frosting out onto the cake. I like to make a subtle swirl design with the spatula. Add any desired sprinkles or other decoration.*
5. Serve & Store. Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into slices and enjoy right away. Or, cover the cake and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. I recommend removing the cake from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture. Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator 2-3 days, or freeze leftovers up to 2 months. 

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Yellow Sheet cake

Weigh When Possible! ESPECIALLY when making a homemade gluten-free cake, it’s VERY important to measure your flour carefully to avoid packing too much flour into the cake. I recommend an inexpensive digital scale for best results, but if you don’t have one, make sure you at least use the scoop and level method, spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off.

Use Room Temperature Ingredients. Really. It’s crucial that all cold ingredients have been brought to room temperature before making this cake, or the batter will turn out lumpy and the finished cake will not look even. Set out butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk 1 hour in advance to bring them to room temperature.

Decorating Tips. I usually just use an offset spatula to spread the frosting onto a sheet cake, but for pretty presentation, I like to use a Wilton 2D or Ateco 849 closed star tip to pipe a spiral or shell border or to make little poofs of frosting around the border of the cake. 

Your Pan Matters! I recommend baking this homemade cake in a light colored metal pan, since it conducts heat evenly and cooks the cake gently. If you use a glass pan or ceramic pan, you’ll likely need to add a few minutes to the bake time and your cake may not bake as flat as mine. 

More Gluten-Free Cake REcipes To Celebrate With

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

Gluten-Free Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake

Gluten-Free Yellow Layer Cake

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Gluten-Free Yellow Sheet Cake With Chocolate Frosting

This homemade gluten-free vanilla sheet cake is topped with a super plush chocolate buttercream frosting. It's fluffy, moist, and deliciously nostalgic. The perfect gluten-free birthday cake!

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword cake, frosting, sheet cake, vanilla cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 1 (9×13) Sheet Cake

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Equipment

• 1 Metal 9×13 Pan
• 1 Offset Spatula
• 1 Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer

Ingredients

For The Yellow Cake:

• 2 cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour* (240 grams)
• ¼ cup cornstarch (32 grams)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature** (227 grams/2 sticks)
• 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar (350 grams)
• 3 large eggs room temperature**
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon almond extract optional
• ½ cup sour cream room temperature**
• 1 cup whole milk room temperature**

For The Chocolate Frosting:

• 1 cups butter, softened (227 grams/2 sticks)
• 3 ½ cups powdered sugar (or more, if needed) (420 grams)
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (65 grams) – Use natural cocoa not Dutch Processed cocoa
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup heavy cream or more, if needed
• 1 Tablespoon corn syrup (optional, for glossier frosting)

Instructions

First, Make The Cake:

• Set Out Ingredients In Advance. You MUST set out the cold ingredients (eggs, butter, milk, and sour cream) about 1-1.5 hours in advance to let them come up to room temperature. Otherwise, they will not cream properly and the batter will be chunky instead of smooth.
• Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pans. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a metal 9×13 pan or line with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour blend, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
• Cream Butter & Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine softened butter and sugar. Use the paddle attachment and beat together 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
• Add Eggs & Vanilla. Scrape down the edges/bottom of the bowl and gradually add eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, mixing to incorporate well. 
• Mix In Sour Cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and mix in the sour cream on LOW speed.
• Alternate Dry Ingredients & Milk. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on LOW speed, streaming in half of the milk as you go. Scrape down the edges of the bowl and add the second half of the dry ingredients, streaming in the second half of the milk until just combined. Try not to over-mix here. Feel free to finish combining by hand with a spatula, if needed!)
• Pour Batter Into Pan. Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to even out the surface of the batter.
• Bake Cake Layers. Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
• Cool Completely Before Frosting. Let the cake cool 15 minutes in the pan before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely OR let cake cool completely in the pan before frosting. Note that the cake must be COMPLETELY cool before frosting or the frosting will melt.

Then, Make The Frosting & Decorate The Cake

• Beat The Butter. Add the softened butter to a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed for about 2 minutes, until it's light and fluffy.
• Mix. Then, add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract. Add the cream, then mix for 30 seconds on low speed, then about 1 minute on medium speed, or until well combined.
• Adjust. At this point, you'll want to adjust for texture. If the frosting is too dry or thick, add a little bit of additional cream at a time until it thins out. If the frosting is too thin or too wet, you can add more powdered sugar or cocoa powder a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the right consistency. The frosting should be easy to spread but should still hold its shape. (If you want the frosting to look extra glossy, you can add 1-2 Tablespoons of corn syrup at this point.)
• Frost The Cake. Use a piping bag and your favorite piping tip to pipe frosting onto the cooled cake, or use an offset spatula to spread the frosting out onto the cake. I like to make a subtle swirl design with the spatula. Add any desired sprinkles or other decoration.*
• Serve & Store. Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into slices and enjoy right away. Or, cover the cake and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. I recommend removing the cake from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture. Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator 2-3 days, or freeze leftovers up to 2 months. 

Video

Notes

• Gluten-Free Flour. We HIGHLY recommend King Arthur Flour Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour. If you use another brand, be sure to use one with xanthan gum. Additionally, it’s VERY important to measure your flour carefully. We recommend weighing on an inexpensive kitchen scale, or at least use the scoop and level method, spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
• Room Temperature Ingredients. It’s crucial that all cold ingredients have been brought to room temperature before making this cake, or the batter will turn out lumpy and the finished cake will not look even. Set out butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk 1 hour in advance to bring them to room temperature.
• Frosting Tips. I usually just use an offset spatula to spread the frosting onto a sheet cake, but for pretty presentation, I like to use a Wilton 2D or Ateco 849 closed star tip to pipe a spiral or shell border or to make little poofs of frosting around the border of the cake. 
• Your Pan Matters! I recommend baking this cake in a light colored metal pan, since it conducts heat evenly and cooks the cake gently. If you use a glass pan or ceramic pan, you’ll likely need to add a few minutes to the bake time and your cake may not bake as flat as mine. 

Gather Your Ingredients

This zucchini bread starts with simple ingredients + one little extra you’ll want to keep on hand. Let’s take a look:

How To Make Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper. Make sure you’ve squeezed any extra water out of the zucchini with paper towels.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, combine gluten-free flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk till evenly blended.
3. Rub Zest Into Sugar. In a large bowl, combine lemon zest and granulated sugar and rub the zest into the sugar until the mixture is fragrant and the sugar has a slight lemon tint to it.
4. Combine Wet Ingredients. Add oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon oil to the lemon sugar mixture and whisk to combine.
5. Add Dry Ingredients To Wet Ingredients and stir until just a few dry floury patches remain.

6. Mix In Zucchini. Add grated zucchini to the bowl and stir until the zucchini is evenly distributed. (Some people find this easier with a fork!)
7. Bake & Cool. Transfer the zucchini bread batter to the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. (no wet batter!) Let the zucchini bread cool in the pan for 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
8. Make The Lemon Glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 Tablespoon melted butter, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth and evenly blended. Ideally the glaze should be opaque and pretty thick, but still pourable.
9. Pour Glaze Over Cooled Zucchini Bread and let the glaze set before slicing. Cut into thick slices and enjoy! Store leftover zucchini bread in an airtight container 2-3 days at room temperature.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Lemon Zucchini Bread

Use The Right Size Pan! I recommend this USA loaf pan. It’s a standard 1-pound loaf pan that measures 8.5 x 4.5. If you use a larger 9×5 pan, your bread will be flatter and thinner and will bake faster.

Make The Most Of That Zest! Be sure to ONLY get the yellow lemon zest, not the bitter white pith underneath. Really pack the zest into those Tablespoons to get the most lemon flavor into this bread.

Use Lemon OIL Not Lemon Extract. I find lemon extract can lean a bit chemical and artificial in taste, so we much prefer lemon oil when possible, for best results. Lemon oil is food grade lemon essential oil–the exact flavor we’re getting from the zest! It’s a very concentrated, strong FRESH lemon flavor that will take the lemon flavor in this zucchini bread recipe to the next level.

Prep Your Zucchini Properly! First time grating a zucchini? Here’s what you need to know! I prefer using a food processor to grate zucchini (FASTER!), but you can use the large holes of a box grater. Then, make sure to squeeze out any excess water with some clean paper towels or a clean kitchen towel before adding it to the batter. This helps prevent your bread from getting mushy or soggy.

More Zucchini Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

SOFT Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

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Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread

This easy Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread is soft, moist and delicious, topped with a tangy lemon glaze you’ll LOVE. It’s perfect with a cup of tea, or enjoyed as a light dessert or a satisfying sweet snack in the summer months.

Course Cake, Dessert, Quick Bread

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword gluten-free zucchini bread, lemon zucchini bread, zucchini bread, zucchini cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Loaf (10-12 slices)

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

For The Lemon Zucchini Bread

• 1-1 ½ cups grated zucchini (Extra liquid squeezed out!)*
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon zest (from 2-3 lemons–really pack it in!)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
• ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon lemon oil *
• 1 ⅓ cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour * (160 grams) weighed or scooped and leveled
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

For The Lemon Glaze

• 1 Tablespoon butter , melted
• 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup powdered sugar (120 grams)

Instructions

First, Make The Zucchini Bread

• Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Combine Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, combine gluten-free flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk till evenly blended.
• Rub Zest Into Sugar. In a large mixing bowl, combine lemon zest and granulated sugar and rub the zest into the sugar until the mixture is fragrant and the sugar has a slight lemon tint to it.
• Combine Wet Ingredients. Add oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon oil to the lemon sugar mixture and whisk to combine.
• Add Dry Ingredients To Wet Ingredients and stir until just a few dry floury patches remain.
• Mix In Zucchini. Add grated zucchini to the bowl and stir until the zucchini is evenly distributed. (Some people find this easier with a fork!)
• Bake & Cool. Transfer the zucchini bread batter to the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. (no wet batter!) Let the zucchini bread cool in the pan for 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Next, Make The Lemon Glaze:

• Combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 Tablespoon melted butter, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth and evenly blended. Ideally the glaze should be opaque and pretty thick, but still pourable.
• Adjust Texture, As Needed. If the glaze is too thick, add more lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon at a time, if needed to thin the glaze out. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
• Pour Glaze Over Cooled Zucchini Bread and let the glaze set before slicing.
• Serve & Store. Cut into thick slices and enjoy! Store leftover zucchini bread in an airtight container 2-3 days at room temperature.

Video

Notes

• Zucchini. You can use up to 1 1/2 cups of zucchini in this bread, but the more you use, the more you’ll taste it. Keep that in mind as you choose! I usually use 1 cup when serving my kids. 
• Gluten-Free Flour. We’re using King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend. If you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum, or the bread won’t turn out properly. Do not substitute coconut flour, almond flour, or oat flour into this recipe.
• Lemon OIL. If you can find it, we recommend adding lemon oil rather than lemon extract, since it’s got the same fresh flavor as lemon zest. If all you can find is lemon extract, you’ll need double the amount.

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

• Gluten-Free Graham Crackers. Regular graham crackers are NOT gluten-free, so you need to use gluten-free graham crackers to keep this crust gluten-free. We’ve got LOTS of brands of gluten-free graham crackers to choose from, but my go-to is Pamela’s.
• Granulated Sugar (white sugar). This helps bind the crust and sweeten the filling.
• Melted Butter. To hold the crust together. Simple & easy!
• Cinnamon. A little kiss of cinnamon is amazing with the blueberries!
• Full-Fat Cream Cheese. We only recommend blocks of full-fat cream cheese for making cheesecake. I love Philadelphia brand the most.
• Sour Cream. Another classic ingredients for cheesecake! It adds brightness and creaminess for the perfect texture.
• Fresh Lemon Juice. You’ll need some for the topping, and some for the filling.
• Lemon Zest. A MUST! Fresh lemon zest contains the most concentrated lemon flavor, thanks to the lemon essential oils. Remember you want JUST the yellow zest, NOT the bitter white pith underneath!
• Cornstarch. A little secret that makes a big difference in texture!
• Vanilla. A kiss of vanilla extract adds a beautiful aroma that complements the lemon nicely.
• Eggs. To bind the cheesecake together.
• Fresh Blueberries. For a double dose of fresh blueberry flavor, we’re adding some sweet, juicy blueberries to the blueberry cheesecake mixture and some for the topping. Yum!
• Fresh Blueberry Topping. Our blueberry sauce recipe is perfect for this cheesecake. It’s got a brighter, fresher color and flavor that can’t be beat! This easy recipe is made with blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, water, vanilla & salt.
• Whipped Cream. Pillowy swirls of whipped cream are the perfect finish!

How To Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Cheesecake, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Make The Crust

1. Preheat & Prep. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. (I love to use pre-cut parchment rounds)
2. Crush Graham Crackers. Add gluten-free graham crackers to a food processor. Pulse until you’ve crushed the crackers to fine crumbs with no big lumps. (Don’t have a food processor? You can do this in a large zip-loc bag with a rolling pin.)
3. Add Butter. Next, add sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon to graham cracker crumbs and pulse or stir to combine, until all crumbs are coated with butter and the sugar is evenly distributed.
4. Pat Out Crust. Pour the crust mixture out into your prepared springform pan and use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pat the crumbs out into an even layer along the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Note: the crust will not go all the way up the sides of the pan. Just about 1 inch up the sides!
5. Bake & Cool. Place the crust in the preheated oven and bake 10-12 minutes or until fragrant. Set the crust to the side to cool while you make the filling.
6. Prep Pan For A Hot Water Bath. If Using A Hot Water Bath (Recommended), wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with foil. Or, to fully waterproof the pan (*highly recommended*), place the springform pan into a slow cooker liner bag or an oven bag/turkey bag. Pull the bag up the sides of the springform pan, then gather the excess to one side and knot tightly to keep the bag secure to the sides.

Make The Cheesecake Filling

1. BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Make sure the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are all brought to room temperature or the filling will not mix correctly. DO NOT skip this step!
2. Maintain Oven Temperature of 325 degrees F. Make sure you have a rack arranged in the center of the oven.
3. Prepare For Water Bath. Start bringing a small pot of water to a boil while you make the cheesecake. Set out a large roasting pan for a traditional water bath or a 9×13 pan for a modified hot water bath (SEE NOTES)
4. Combine Cream Cheese & Sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer. Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium-low speed 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and well blended.
5. Add Eggs One At A Time on LOW Speed, until just barely mixed. 
6. Add Sour Cream, Cornstarch, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice & Vanilla to the cream cheese mixture and mix on LOW speed until just barely combined. (Keep in mind that you don’t want to add any extra air to the cheesecake, so mixing by hand or on low speed at this point is very helpful!)
7. Stir In Fresh Blueberries. Add 2 cups blueberries and mix them in as gently and slowly as possible so you don’t add any extra air. Gently tap the bowl against the counter to help remove any air bubbles.
8. Pour Cheesecake Filling Over The Cooled Crust and smooth the surface with a spatula.
9. Create Hot Water Bath. Carefully pour 3/4 to 1-inch of boiling water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Carefully lower the prepared & wrapped springform pan into the water so the water comes about 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan. (See notes for modified hot water bath instructions)
10. Bake. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake cheesecake 60-70 minutes or until the edges are just set and the center gently wobbles (like Jello or gelatin). If the center still seems sloshy and liquid, add 3-5 minutes to the bake time and check again. (Err on the side of under-baking rather than over-baking)
11. Cool 1-Hour In The Oven. When the cheesecake is finished baking, turn OFF the oven heat and crack the oven door open 2-3 inches. Let the cheesecake cool IN the oven for 1 full hour. (To help prevent cracks, you can run a thin knife around the edges of the springform pan before letting it cool.) After 1 hour, remove the springform pan from the hot water bath and the slow cooker liner/oven bag.
12. Chill the Baked Cheesecake Uncovered in The Fridge AT LEAST 4-6 Hours (up to overnight) before decorating.

Make The Blueberry Topping

1. Set aside 1/3 of the Blueberries. Set aside 1/3 (4 ounces/113 grams) of the fresh blueberries for later.
2. Combine. Add the remaining 2/3 blueberries, the sugar, water, lemon juice, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan.
3. Cook to Soften. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a spatula, until the blueberries soften and the sauce thickens, about 5-8 minutes. (The sauce will go from opaque to translucent and glossy.) It’s ok to gently break up some of the berries with your spatula as they cook, if you like.
4. Stir in Remaining Blueberries. Add the reserved 1/3 of the blueberries, along with the vanilla extract and cook 2-3 minutes more.
5. Cool To Set. Let the blueberry sauce cool a bit, then transfer to an airtight container or jar and chill in the refrigerator. The blueberry sauce will thicken up even more in the refrigerator. The ideal texture for using on cheesecake is thick, but scoop-able, not runny or liquid. If you want to thin it out more, you can stir in 1 teaspoon of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Decorate & Serve The Cheesecake

1. Prepare Stabilized Whipped Cream. In a glass or metal bowl or a stand mixer, beat heavy cream on medium speed until it starts to get fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip on high heat until stiff peaks form. (The whipped cream should hold its shape on your spatula even when you rotate it around.)
2. Option 1: Decorate the Whole Cheesecake. Spoon blueberry topping on top of the chilled cheesecake and spread almost to the edges, leaving about a 1-inch border. Pipe whipped cream around the sides, and add any desired garnishes. This looks gorgeous, but can be a bit messier for slicing and plating.
3. Option 2: Decorate Individual Slices. Cut the cheesecake into slices and plate. Spoon blueberry topping over the cheesecake slice, letting it run down the sides. Dollop or pipe whipped cream on top and add any desired garnishes.
4. Pipe Whipped Cream Swirls. Add whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I used an Ateco 849 closed star tip) and pipe small swirls of whipped cream around the border.
5. Store Leftover Cheesecake covered in the refrigerator 2-3 days. (The cheesecake will store best if the topping is stored separately rather than spread on top.)

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Blueberry Cheesecake

Make it Pretty! The blueberry cheesecake topping is definitely beautiful enough on its own, but we also love adding swirls of whipped cream. Make it even prettier by garnishing with fresh mint leaves, a few extra blueberries, or some fresh lemon zest. You can also sprinkle some extra graham cracker crumbs over the whipped cream! 

USE ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS! The key to a smooth, creamy gluten-free cheesecake is starting with room temperature ingredients. If you use cold cream cheese or cold eggs, for instance, your filling may be lumpy or require extra mixing. The goal is to avoid adding any extra air into the cheesecake so it doesn’t fall after baking, so room temperature ingredients will blend best.

Do I Have To Use A Water Bath? When possible, I highly recommend it for the best texture and the prettiest appearance. Our recipe card has instructions for a traditional water bath, a modified water bath (where you put a 9×13 pan of hot water on the rack below the cheesecake in the oven), and tips for how to manage if you don’t use one. Keep in mind if you skip the water bath, your cheesecake may crack and get a deeper golden brown on top instead of staying smooth and uniform.

Can I Make It Vegan? Probably not. Rather than trying to substitute here with vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, vegan sour cream, and egg substitutes, I recommend finding a vegan blueberry cheesecake recipe.

Start With Simple Ingredients

• Butter. Part of what gives this peppermint flourless chocolate cake it’s ultra rich texture is the high percentage of butter & chocolate. It’s worth it, I promise!
• Chocolate or Chocolate Chips. We highly recommend dark chocolate (66-72% chocolate) as this kind of chocolate pairs so beautifully with the peppermint. If you must, you can use semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, but we do NOT recommend milk chocolate here, since it will change the structure and flavor of the cake.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness, moisture, and body to the cake.
• Vanilla Extract. Always! Vanilla makes chocolate taste even more chocolatey.
• Peppermint Extract. A little peppermint extract in the cake batter and the ganache enhances the rich chocolate flavor of this cake for a delicious holiday twist!
• Salt. Just enough to balance the flavor!
• Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder. Please use Dutch cocoa powder (dark cocoa powder) rather than regular cocoa powder for this cake. It has a richer color and flavor that’s terrific with the peppermint.
• Heavy Cream. For the ganache, you’ll need some heavy whipping cream.
• Maybe Some Crushed Peppermint Candy. For garnish, I love adding some crushed candy canes or peppermint candy! (Check out the “Serving Ideas” section below for other topping ideas!)

How To Make Peppermint Flourless Chocolate Cake, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Make The Cake

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, heat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch cake pan and line bottom of the pan with parchment paper. (Don’t skip the parchment!)
2. Melt Chocolate & Butter. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and 8 ounces chocolate. Gently melt on low power in 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until this mixture is smooth and glossy. (Alternatively, you can do this in a double boiler on the stovetop.)
3. Combine. Add sugar, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt to chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next one. Next, add the cocoa powder and stir until just combined and no large clumps remain.
4. Transfer the batter to your prepared pan and gently smooth the surface into an even layer.
5. Bake in preheated oven 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. The top of the cake should spring back when gently pressed and the interior temperature should be between 195-200 degrees F.
6. Cool in the pan 10-15 minutes, then carefully turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Carefully remove the parchment paper, and let cake cool completely before making the chocolate ganache.

When The Cake Is Cool, Make The Ganache

7. Heat the cream in a large microwave safe bowl until it’s just steaming. Do not let the cream boil or simmer, just heat it to steaming. Add the peppermint extract and stir to combine.
8. Mix In Chocolate. Add 6-ounces chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy. (If your chocolate ganache seems too thick, you can mix in additional cream 1 teaspoon at a time until it’s a pourable consistency.)
9. Decorate. Transfer the cake to your desired serving plate or cake stand. Pour the ganache onto the cooled cake and gently smooth into an even layer with an offset spatula. Let the ganache set completely, then sprinkle with candy cane or garnish with chocolate curls right before serving. Cut into slices & enjoy!
10. Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months. This cake is best served at room temperature, so pull leftover cake out of the fridge to come up to room temperature before serving again.

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

This delicious cheesecake coaxes SO MUCH FLAVOR out of a pretty simple ingredients list. Let’s take a look:

• Caramel Sauce. We’re using our homemade caramel sauce recipe in the filling and drizzled on top. Our recipe calls for sugar, water, corn syrup, butter, cream, vanilla, and salt. It’s perfectly thick, delicious, and fantastic paired with apples.
• Graham Cracker Crust. Next up, you’ll need gluten-free graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter to bind it all together. We recommend Pamela’s gluten-free graham crackers if you can find them!
• Cream Cheese. Four 8-ounce blocks of room temperature cream cheese form the base of our cheesecake filling.
• Sour Cream. Next, sour cream adds acidity, brightness, and richness. We recommend full-fat!
• Vanilla Extract. For the caramel sauce and the cheesecake filling. Vanilla forever!
• Cornstarch. A little gluten-free trick for binding the cheesecake. A little goes a long way!
• Eggs. Room temperature eggs are a must here, since they’ll blend in more easily.
• Apples. You want apples that are good for baking! We usually use Honeycrisp apples, but Granny Smith apples and Fuji apples are two other great choices.
• Light Brown Sugar. For the cinnamon apple topping and the streusel.
• Gluten-Free Flour. We recommend King Arthur Measure For Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend. If you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum!
• Gluten-Free Oats. I actually prefer gluten-free quick oats, since they have a smaller texture, but you can use gluten-free rolled oats (sometimes labeled “old-fashioned oats.”), if you prefer.
• Cinnamon. Plenty of ground cinnamon for the apples and the streusel!

How To Make Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

Start By Baking The cake

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 metal baking pan and set aside. 
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine well and set aside. 
3. Combine Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. 
4. Add Dry Ingredients To Wet Ingredients and stir until almost fully combined, with just a few dry spots left. 
5. Mix In Zucchini. Add the grated zucchini and mix until the zucchini is evenly distributed. 
6. Bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth out the surface into an even layer (this will help the cake rise evenly!). Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of th(While the cake is baking, I
7. Cool Completely on a wire rack before frosting. (If you try to frost a warm cake, it will melt the frosting.) 

Then, Frost & Finish The Cake

8. Brown Butter & Chill Till Solid. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly until the butter begins to foam. (Watch carefully when the butter begins to foam, as it will turn golden and brown quickly.) When the butter under the foam is golden (like honey) and smells sweet with a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat and let the butter cool for a few minutes before transferring to a large mixing bowl. (Make sure to get all those lovely brown bits!) Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill until the butter has solidified again. 
9. Beat Butter. When you’re ready to make the frosting, remove the chilled brown butter from the fridge and beat with a hand mixer until it’s smooth and no longer stuck to the bottom of the bowl. (Pause as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl) 
10. Beat In Cream Cheese. Add softened cream cheese to the butter and beat on medium speed 2-3 minutes, or until well blended and smooth. (You don’t want any lumps!) 
11. Finish Frosting. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt (if using). Mix on low speed 20-30 seconds, until small clusters form, then increase the speed to high and beat 2-3 minutes, or until the frosting is light, smooth, and even.
12. Frost Cooled Cake. Add frosting to the cooled zucchini cake and spread into an even layer.
13. Serve & Store. Cut cake into slices and enjoy right away or chill leftover cake 2-3 days. We recommend covering the cake well with plastic wrap or an airtight lid to keep the cake moist. 

How To Make Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat & Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a metal 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. 
2. Make The Streusel. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix lightly with a fork just until clusters form and there aren’t any super floury bits. (It’s ok for it to look a bit powdery, just no big clumps of flour!). Try not to over-mix the streusel into a paste–stop when the clusters form. Set the streusel aside.
3. Make The Cake Batter. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate each egg before adding the next one. Then, the vanilla and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just the dry ingredients are blended into the wet ingredients. Mix in the sour cream and beat for 30-60 seconds, until the mixture is lighter in color, smooth, and velvety.
4. Layer The Coffee Cake. Scoop roughly half of the gluten-free coffee cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Top with roughly half of the crumble mixture and gently pat into the top of the cake batter. Top streusel with the second half of the cake batter and smooth. Top with the remaining streusel mixture. 
5. Bake & Cool. Now, bake the coffee cake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs (no wet batter!). Cool the cake on a wire rack 10 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely. (If needed, you can cool in the pan.) 
6. Garnish The Cake. If desired, you can garnish with a simple glaze or sprinkle with powdered sugar. For the glaze, combine melted butter, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and 1/3 cup powdered sugar in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Whisk until totally smooth, adding more powdered sugar as necessary until it’s mostly opaque and drizzles easily off your fork or whisk. (If the glaze gets too thick, you can thin it with a little more milk.) Drizzle over cooled coffee cake before serving.

More Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins

Gluten-Free Belgian Waffles

Gluten-Free Blueberry Coffee Cake

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake

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5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 12–16 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

With fluffy, buttery vanilla cake and TWO layers of cinnamon streusel, this gluten-free coffee cake recipe might just be the best coffee cake of your life! (Pro tip: make the optional glaze–it takes it to the next level!) 

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Ingredients

For The Cinnamon Crumble:

• 12 Tablespoons butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks/170 grams)
• 1 3/4 cup gluten-free measure for measure (210 grams)*
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150 grams)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (you can use 2 tsp. for stronger cinnamon flavor!)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*

For The Coffee Cake:

• 8 Tablespoons butter, softened (1 stick/113 grams)*
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
• 3 large eggs, room temperature*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour* (240 grams)
• 1 cup sour cream (8 oz/227 grams), room temperature*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*

Optional Glaze:

• 1/2 Tablespoon butter melted
• 1/2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/2 Tablespoon milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3–1/2 cup powdered sugar (40–60 grams)

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Instructions

1. Preheat & Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 metal pan with parchment paper.
2. Make The Streusel. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix lightly with a fork just until clusters form and there aren’t any super floury bits. (It’s ok for it to look a bit powdery, just no big clumps of flour!). Try not to over-mix the streusel into a paste–stop when the clusters form. Set the streusel aside.
3. Make The Cake Batter. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate each egg before adding the next one. Then, the vanilla and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just blended. Mix in the sour cream and beat for 30-60 seconds, until the mixture is lighter in color, smooth, and velvety.
4. Layer The Coffee Cake. Scoop roughly half of the coffee cake batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth into an even layer. Top with roughly half of the crumble mixture and gently pat into the top of the cake batter. Top streusel with the second half of the cake batter and smooth. Top with the remaining streusel mixture.
5. Bake & Cool. Now, bake the coffee cake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs (no wet batter!). Cool the cake on a wire rack 10 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely. (If needed, you can cool in the pan.)
6. Garnish The Cake. If desired, you can garnish with a simple glaze or sprinkle with powdered sugar. For the glaze, combine melted butter, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and 1/3 cup powdered sugar in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Whisk until totally smooth, adding more powdered sugar as necessary until it’s mostly opaque and drizzles easily off your fork or whisk. (If the glaze gets too thick, you can thin it with a little more milk.) Drizzle over cooled coffee cake before serving.
7. Serve & Store. Enjoy right away, or store in an airtight container 2-3 days. (I refrigerate it for best results.) Coffee cake can also be frozen up to 2 months.

Notes

• Gluten-Free Flour. We recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend for taste and texture. If you use another brand (like Bob’s Red Mill), be sure it contains xanthan gum! Make sure you weigh it or measure carefully using the scoop & level method to avoid a dry or gummy cake! We don’t recommend almond flour, coconut flour, or oat flour for this recipe. 
• Metal Pan. I only recommend a metal pan for this cake. You’ll get the most even & gentle bake. If you use glass or ceramic, it will impact the rise and the bake time. 
• Watch The Ingredient Temperature! For best results, you’ll want to start the cake with softened butter, room temperature eggs, and room temperature sour cream. This is important because the butter needs to be soft enough to cream with the sugar (a trick for fluffy cake!) and you don’t want cold eggs or sour cream ruining the creamed mixture. 

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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How To Make Tres Leches Cake, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions and tips in the recipe card below!

First, Bake The Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. 
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt to combine. Set aside. 
3. Separate Eggs. Place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Place the whites in a separate large bowl. Make sure there are NO bits of yolk in the egg whites. (Even a tiny drop can prevent them from whipping properly.) 
4. Combine Egg Yolks & Sugar. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the egg yolks. Stir until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and whole milk. 
5. Whip Egg Whites. Use a hand mixer to blend the eggs until foamy and starting to turn white. Gradually add in the last 1/4 cup sugar and whip until the egg white turn into stiff peaks. (When you lift the beaters out of the mixture, it should hold its shape on the beaters even when you rotate them around.)
6. Mix Cake Batter. Add flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and stir until just combined. Add about half of the whipped egg whites mixture to the batter and use a spatula to gently fold it into the batter. (Don’t stir or you’ll deflate it. Instead, scrape around the edges of the bowl and fold it in on top of itself in the center.) Add the second half of the whites mixture and repeat. 
7. Bake Cake. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees 28-30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs (no wet batter). Let the cake cool to room temperature while you prepare the milk mixture. 

Is Cream Cheese Frosting Gluten-Free?

The basic ingredients for homemade cream cheese frosting are naturally gluten-free. That said, it’s important to make sure you use fresh ingredients in an environment free from cross contamination.

If you don’t usually bake gluten-free and you’re making this frosting for someone who has Celiac disease, make sure to use separate bowls & utensils, and fresh packages of sugar and cream cheese that haven’t come in contact with wheat, wheat flour, or other gluten-containing ingredients.

So what are these gluten-free ingredients for cream cheese frosting? Glad you asked…

As always, you can find the full recipe, amounts of ingredients, plus step by step instructions in the recipe card below.

• Room Temperature Cream Cheese. I only recommend full-fat, blocks of cream cheese for making cream cheese frosting. Tub-style cream cheese or cream cheese spreads don’t have the same fat content or texture, and can throw off the texture of this frosting.
• Room Temperature Butter. Softened butter works wonders! It adds creaminess and a plush texture to cream cheese frosting. Start with unsalted butter + add a pinch of salt, if you like, or use salted butter and skip any added salt. Your choice!
• Powdered Sugar. For best results, sifting the powdered sugar first with a fine mesh sieve can help eliminate any extra lumps in the frosting. It’ll give your frosting the best texture possible.
• Vanilla or Vanilla Bean Paste. Always! If you want little flecks of vanilla, try using vanilla bean paste instead of regular vanilla extract. Either works!
• Pinch of Salt (Maybe). Only if you need it to help balance the flavors. (Skip if you’re using salted butter!)

How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting, Step By Step

1. Start With Softened Ingredients. Before you start the frosting, it’s important that the butter and cream cheese have both been softened so they’ll blend well. If they’re cold, you’ll end up with chunks in your frosting, which is NOT what we want! 
2. Combine Butter & Cream Cheese in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (which I prefer). Beat butter and cream cheese 2-3 minutes with a paddle attachment or hand mixer or until fluffy, smooth, and well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
3. Add Powdered Sugar 1/2 Cup At A Time, until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and salt (if using), then mix on medium speed 1-2 minutes to make sure everything is well incorporated and smooth. 
4. Use For Decorating! You can transfer this frosting to a piping bag, or spread over a cake with an offset spatula. Keep in mind the frosting will soften quickly at room temperature, so you can pop it in the fridge, as needed to firm back up.

What Desserts Go Well With Cream Cheese Frosting?

Now that you know how to make cream cheese frosting, we can talk about all the yummy ways to use cream cheese frosting! Isn’t that the best part? This homemade frosting is the perfect complement to all sorts of delicious cakes, bars, and desserts, like:

• Gluten-Free Carrot Cake or Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cake
• Banana Cake or Banana Bars
• Fruit Pizza Cookies – Lemon sugar cookies + cream cheese frosting + fresh fruit!
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars
• Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes
• Zucchini Cake
• Cinnamon Rolls
• Spice Cake

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Cream Cheese Frosting

What Store-bought Cream Cheese Frosting Is Gluten-Free? Many popular brands of cream cheese frosting are made without gluten ingredients, but not all are certified gluten-free or labeled gluten-free. A few brands that ARE labeled gluten-free are Pillsbury Cream Cheese Frosting and Betty Crocker Cream Cheese Frosting. Duncan Hines Cream Cheese Frosting is not currently labeled gluten-free.

Want Tangier Frosting? If you really like the tang of cream cheese frosting, you can add a small splash of fresh lemon juice to play up the tanginess of the cream cheese. 1-2 teaspoons should do the trick!

Can I Use Dairy-Free Cream Cheese? I don’t recommend this exact recipe with vegan cream cheese (like Kite Hill) and vegan butter (like Earth Balance). The proportions of fat and water in dairy-free cream cheese are different from those in regular cream cheese, so you’d be better off with a specifically vegan cream cheese frosting recipe that’s already taken this into account.

Simple Ingredients For Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

• Gluten-Free Flour. We highly recommend this gluten-free flour blend from King Arthur for making carrot cake. It’s THE BEST. You can’t substitute coconut flour, almond flour, or any single ingredient flour (rice, tapioca, etc.) for this flour. If you use another blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum, or your cake won’t turn out properly.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda. These two will give your cake the right softness, puff, and rise. It’s important to use fresh ingredients, so you can use this 30-second trick to check if yours are fresh!
• Kosher Salt. Always a must in any gluten-free cake recipe to balance the flavor of your cake.
• Warm Spices. Carrot cake recipes are known for their blend of warm spices. I’m using cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. I love this combination of flavors!
• Oil & Applesauce. I use a mix of oil and unsweetened applesauce because you get that velvety soft, moist texture without the cake feeling greasy. Choose a neutral tasting oil like vegetable oil or canola oil over coconut oil for best results. 
• Sugar & Brown Sugar. Using some brown sugar helps add moisture and more layers of flavor to the cake.
• Eggs. You’ll need 4 large eggs to make this super moist gluten-free carrot cake, and every single one is worth it for the texture!
• Vanilla. Adding some vanilla extract plays up the notes in the spices and gives this moist cake a really well-rounded flavor.
• Freshly Grated Carrots. Don’t use pre-bagged shredded carrots as these are too thick and will give your cake a coarse, chewy texture. Stick to freshly grated carrots. Use a box grater or your food processor to get this job done in a jiffy.
• Toasted Nuts (If You Want). Not everyone loves nuts in carrot cake, so feel free to leave them out, but I love adding some toasted pecans. Toasting takes just a few minutes, but completely transforms the flavor. Don’t skip this step!
• A Quick Cream Cheese Frosting, To Finish. Classic cream cheese frosting is the most popular pairing for a carrot cake! Ours comes together quickly without a lot of fuss with just cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

How To Make a Gluten-Free Carrot Cake, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

Start With The Cake

1. Preheat Oven & Prep Pans. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans then line with parchment paper. 
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk until well blended, then set aside.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine oil, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix until evenly blended.  
4. Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients and mix until the flour mixture is almost fully combined (just a few floury/dry patches left). 
5. Fold In Carrots & Pecans and mix just until evenly blended throughout the batter. (You don’t want any large clumps of carrots!)
6. Divide Cake Batter evenly between your two prepared pans. 
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-32 minutes rotating pans halfway through baking, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (The cake should just be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, and if you gently press the center of the cake with your finger, it should spring back fairly quickly)
8. Let Cakes Cool 10 Minutes Then Turn Out onto a wire cooling rack to cool COMPLETELY before frosting. The cakes need to be completely, totally cool or they’ll melt the frosting. Don’t rush this step! (Once completely cooled, the cake layers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled overnight in the fridge.)

Then, Make The Frosting

1. Start With Softened Ingredients. Before you start the frosting, it’s important that the butter and cream cheese have both been softened so they’ll blend well. If they’re cold, you’ll end up with chunks in your frosting, which is NOT what we want! 
2. Combine Butter & Cream Cheese in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (which I prefer). Beat butter and cream cheese 2-3 minutes or until fluffy, smooth, and well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
3. Add Powdered Sugar 1/2 Cup At A Time, until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla then mix on medium speed 1-2 minutes to make sure everything is well incorporated and smooth. 
4. Check The Texture. At this point the frosting should be smooth and soft, but not runny or gooey. If the frosting is very loose (it doesn’t hold it’s shape when you put it on a spatula and rotate the spatula), consider chilling the frosting for 5-10 minutes to help it firm up. (Adding more powdered sugar can give the frosting more structure, but it will also add more sugar, which can get too sweet.)

Assemble & Decorate The Cake

1. Build The Bottom Layer. Place the bottom cake layer flat side up (the side that was on the bottom in the pan should now be facing up on the cake stand). Add about 3/4 cup frosting on top of the cake layer and use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting to the edges of the bottom layer. 
2. Build The Top Layer. Repeat this process with the second layer, adding it flat side up on top of the bottom cake layer. Top with another 3/4 cup or so of frosting and spread to the edges of the top cake layer. 
3. Add A Crumb Coat (Optional). For an extra pretty cake, do a crumb coat. Add another 3/4-1 cup of frosting to the top layer and use an offset spatula to spread the frosting to the edge of the top layer and down sides of the cake. Your goal is to make a very thin layer of frosting to just coat the outer layer of the cake. You’ll be able to see the cake through the crumb coat. Chill the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes before frosting the rest of the cake. (Pop the frosting back in the fridge during this time so it doesn’t get too warm!) 
4. Finish Frosting & Decorating. After chilling the crumb coat, remove the cake and frosting from the fridge, and use the remaining frosting to coat the outside of the cake. If desired, decorate with chopped pecans, either adding a bottom “skirt” of pecans around the bottom edges of the cake, or adding them in a border around the top of the cake. 
5. Chill cake until ready to serve and store leftover carrot cake covered in the refrigerator 3-4 days. Since cream cheese frosting doesn’t do well at room temperature, cake should be out of the fridge no longer than about 1 hour at a time (less if it’s hot!).  

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

Make-Ahead Tips

You can prep this delicious gluten-free carrot cake recipe in advance a few different ways:

1. Chill Layers Overnight Before Frosting. Bake the cake layers and cool them completely. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap or press ‘n’ seal and chill in the refrigerator up to 1 day in advance. Frost and assemble the cake while the layers are cold for the easiest assembly.
2. Freeze Layers. To make the cake more than 1 day in advance, bake and cool the layers. Wrap each layer individually with plastic wrap, then place the layers in a freezer-safe bag. Cake can be frozen like this up to 3 weeks in advance. Thaw layers in the refrigerator overnight before frosting and assembling the cake.

Measure Carefully

Especially when you’re making cake, it’s important to weigh or measure the ingredients carefully to get the texture just right.

Whenever possible, I recommend using the metric measurements and an inexpensive kitchen scale for the best results, but when that’s not possible, use the scoop and level method for your flour to avoid packing extra into the cake.

Tools We RecommenD

More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Lemon Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 10–12 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This two layer gluten-free carrot cake is perfect for all kinds of special occasions! It has all the warm spices & fluffy texture you love, finished with an easy cream cheese frosting that’s perfect for decorating.

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour,* weighed or scooped & leveled (300 grams) 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable oil or canola oil (240 ml) 
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar (300 grams)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce* (133 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix-Ins:

• 3 cups peeled, grated carrots* (260 grams) – lightly packed
• 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans* (130 grams)

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound full-fat cream cheese (2 blocks/452 grams), softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup butter butter (1 1/2 sticks/170 grams), softened to room temperature 
• 5 cups powdered sugar (600 grams) 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

To Decorate (Optional)

• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans (130 grams)

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Instructions

First, Bake The Cakes:

1. Preheat Oven & Prep Pans. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans then line with parchment paper. 
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk until well blended, then set aside.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine oil, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix until evenly blended.  
4. Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients and mix until almost fully combined (just a few floury/dry patches left). 
5. Fold In Carrots & Pecans and mix just until evenly blended throughout the batter. (You don’t want any large clumps of carrots!)
6. Divide Batter evenly between your two prepared pans. 
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-32 minutes rotating pans halfway through baking, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (The cake should just be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, and if you gently press the center of the cake with your finger, it should spring back fairly quickly)
8. Let Cakes Cool 10 Minutes Then Turn Out onto a wire rack to cool COMPLETELY before frosting. The cakes need to be completely, totally cool or they’ll melt the frosting. Don’t rush this step! (Once completely cooled, the cake layers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled overnight in the fridge.)

When The Cake Is Cool, Make The Frosting:

1. Start With Softened Ingredients. Before you start the frosting, it’s important that the butter and cream cheese have both been softened so they’ll blend well. If they’re cold, you’ll end up with chunks in your frosting, which is NOT what we want! 
2. Combine Butter & Cream Cheese in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (which I prefer). Beat butter and cream cheese 2-3 minutes or until fluffy, smooth, and well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
3. Add Powdered Sugar 1/2 Cup At A Time, until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla then mix on medium speed 1-2 minutes to make sure everything is well incorporated and smooth. 
4. Check The Texture. At this point the frosting should be smooth and soft, but not runny or gooey. If the frosting is very loose (it doesn’t hold it’s shape when you put it on a spatula and rotate the spatula), consider chilling the frosting for 5-10 minutes to help it firm up. (Adding more powdered sugar can give the frosting more structure, but it will also add more sugar, which can get too sweet.)

Frost & Decorate The Cake

1. Build The Bottom Layer. Place the bottom cake layer flat side up (the side that was on the bottom in the pan should now be facing up on the cake stand). Add about 3/4 cup frosting on top of the cake layer and use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting to the edges of the bottom layer. 
2. Build The Top Layer. Repeat this process with the second layer, adding it flat side up on top of the bottom cake layer. Top with another 3/4 cup or so of frosting and spread to the edges of the top cake layer. 
3. Add A Crumb Coat (Optional). For an extra pretty cake, do a crumb coat. Add another 3/4-1 cup of frosting to the top layer and use an offset spatula to spread the frosting to the edge of the top layer and down sides of the cake. Your goal is to make a very thin layer of frosting to just coat the outer layer of the cake. You’ll be able to see the cake through the crumb coat. Chill the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes before frosting the rest of the cake. (Pop the frosting back in the fridge during this time so it doesn’t get too warm!) 
4. Finish Frosting & Decorating. After chilling the crumb coat, remove the cake and frosting from the fridge, and use the remaining frosting to coat the outside of the cake. If desired, decorate with chopped pecans, either adding a bottom “skirt” of pecans around the bottom edges of the cake, or adding them in a border around the top of the cake. 
5. Chill cake until ready to serve and store leftover carrot cake covered in the refrigerator 3-4 days. Since cream cheese frosting doesn’t do well at room temperature, cake should be out of the fridge no longer than about 1 hour at a time (less if it’s hot!).  

Notes

• Gluten-Free Flour. We used King Arthur Measure For Measure gluten-free flour for this cake and highly recommend it. If you use another brand, be sure it contains xanthan gum or the texture will not work properly. Do not use almond flour or coconut flour for this recipe. To avoid packing extra flour into the cake (which can make it dense, dry or gummy) weigh the flour or use the scoop and level method to spoon flour into the measuring cup. 
• Salt. If using fine table salt, start with half of the amount and adjust to taste. 
• Applesauce. If you prefer, you can use drained crushed pineapple in place of the applesauce. Just keep in mind this will slightly alter the texture, will change the taste, and will yield a slightly less moist cake. 
• Carrots. Do NOT use shredded carrots from the grocery store as these tend to be too thick and dry to work properly in the cake. Use a box grated or a food processor to finely grate fresh carrots for the best taste and texture. 
• Pecans. You can use pecans or walnuts in this cake. To toast pecans, bake WHOLE PECANS in a single layer on a sheet pan at 350 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. Watch carefully and do not use if you burn them. (If you bought pre-chopped pecans, you’ll only want to toast them for 2-4 minutes since they’ll cook much faster)
• Frosting. The amount of frosting provided will be enough to cover and decorate the cake. If you want just enough to cover the cake (no extra for decorating), you can use 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. 

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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