Impossibly Moist, Fluffy Carrot Cake with Oat Flour
One bite of this incredibly moist, fluffy, and absurdly delish gluten-free carrot cake made with oatmeal flour and you will throw out all other recipes! If the richly spiced, old fashioned flavor and moist crumb isn't enough to convince you, then the nutty browned butter cream cheese frosting will definitely seal the deal. Tasting is believing!
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease 8X8 inch pan or 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with parchment and overhang, if lifting out. Set aside.
Hand grate and measure carrots so they can be added to the mixture when ready. If the batter sits while the carrots are grated it could absorb too much moisture and become dry.
1 cups grated carrots
Blender Method – Place the rolled oats in a powerful high speed blender, such as a Vitamix. Process into a fine, powdery flour, about 30-60 seconds. Add the remaining dry ingredients – granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Pulse to combine. Hand Mixer Method – Add the oat flour and remaining dry ingredients to a large bowl. Mix together on low speed.
2 cups gluten-free certified rolled oats, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup packed light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt
Blender Method – Add the wet ingredients – eggs, milk, applesauce, oil, and vanilla. Process again to combine, scraping down blender if necessary. The batter will be very thin. Hand Mixer Method – Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate medium bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
2 large eggs, ½ cup milk, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce , ¼ cup oil, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add in the pecans, raisins, and grated carrots. Pulse briefly to combine in the blender, or mix on low speed with hand mixer.
½ cup chopped pecans , ½ cup raisins
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top slightly cracks. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If frosting in the pan, you do not have to take the cake out. Just cool in the pan.
Cream Cheese Frosting
In a small skillet, brown the butter over medium heat. First the butter will melt fully. Then watch carefully and stir occasionally so it doesn't burn. It will foam, then the milk solids will start to settle at the bottom. Watch for the milk solids to turn from white to brown. Once that happens, immediately remove from heat. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and cool to room temperature.
¼ cup butter
Add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat together until smooth without lumps over low to medium speed. Increase the speed to high and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4 ounces cream cheese , 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, ⅛ teaspoon salt