Spiced Carrot Cake and Cupcakes
- Aug 11, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 4
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 Note
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
This batter comes together easily in a food processor or large mixing bowl.
Room-temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly.
Sifting Heritage Baker’s Flour helps create a lighter texture.
Metal pans brown more readily than glass; glass pans require slightly longer bake times.
If using glass pans, reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Adjust coconut milk slightly if altering stir-ins, as moisture balance affects crumb structure.
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
Preheat oven to 350°F and line cake or muffin pans.
Sift flour into a large bowl.
Whisk in sweetener, baking powder, salt, and spices.
In another bowl, combine coconut milk, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Whisk wet ingredients into dry until fully combined.
Stir in carrots, pineapple, coconut, raisins, and nuts.
Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
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.
