Spiced Carrot Cake and Cupcakes

Warmly spiced and richly textured, this dairy-free, oil-free cake is layered with carrots, pineapple, coconut, and nuts for depth and gentle sweetness. Naturally moist from fruit and coconut milk, it’s equally suited for cupcakes or layered cakes—festive without excess and structured enough for cream cheese frosting.

Forage Baker's Notes

Flour matters. Gluten-free flour blends—and even wheat flours—can vary widely in weight per cup, which is why we always recommend using a kitchen scale for best results. If you don’t yet own a scale, gently scoop Heritage Baker’s Flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife. This method yields approximately 125g per cup. Packing the cup can result in too much flour and a denser cookie. Spooning flour into the cup may under-measure.

Sweeteners matter too. Sweeteners vary just as much and can significantly affect cookie texture. For best results, we recommend Homestead Sweetener or traditional sugar. While substitutions are possible, results may vary—some alternative sweeteners can make cookies overly soft or more dry and crumbly.

• Homestead Sweetener: 1:1 sugar replacement by volume, 140g per cup
  
• Granulated sugar: 200g per cup
  

Working the Batter

• Bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in warm water for a few minutes.
  
• Melted butter should be warm, not hot, when incorporated.
  
• Room-temperature ingredients blend more evenly and create a smoother crumb.
  
• Metal pans brown more readily than glass; glass pans require slightly longer bake times.
  
• If using a glass pan, reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
  
• Sifting Heritage Baker’s Flour can produce a lighter texture.
  
  
  

  Recipe

  
  

  Makes: 12 cupcakes, two 6-inch cakes, or one 8–9 inch cake

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Dry Ingredients

  • 2½ cups Heritage Baker’s Flour (312g)

  • 1 cup Homestead Sweetener (140g)

  • 4 tsp baking powder

  • 4 tsp cinnamon

  • ½ tsp sea salt

  • ¼ tsp allspice (optional)

  
  

  Wet Ingredients

  • ½ can coconut milk (200g)

  • 4 eggs (200g)

  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice (15g)

  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract (15g)

  
  

  Stir-Ins

  (Adjust coconut milk if altering these ingredients.)

  
  

  • 1 cup grated carrots (135g)

  • ½ cup crushed pineapple, drained (120g)

  • ½ cup shredded coconut (40g)

  • ½ cup raisins (70g)

  • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (50g)
    
    

  
  
  Directions

  
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line cake or muffin pans.
  2. Sift flour into a large bowl.
  3. Whisk in sweetener, baking powder, salt, and spices.
  4. In another bowl, combine coconut milk, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla.
  5. Whisk wet ingredients into dry until fully combined.
  6. Stir in carrots, pineapple, coconut, raisins, and nuts.
  7. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
  8. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Bake Times

  • 8–9 inch cake: 36–42 minutes

  • Two 6-inch cakes: 32–38 minutes

  • Cupcakes: 28–32 minutes 

  
  
  
  

  At the Table

  Best finished with cream cheese frosting and served slightly chilled or at room temperature.

  
  
  
  

  From the Forage Kitchen

  Made with our gluten-free Heritage Baker’s Flour and zero sugar Homestead Sweetener — crafted to organic standards and designed for balanced structure, gentle sweetness, and everyday heritage baking.