Gluten free carrot cake

In the last few months my friend was told she had coeliac which means that she has a reaction to foods that contain gluten. As she was having a gathering while visiting home during Easter I didn't want her to miss out on some cake.
These days the supermarkets have a number of gluten free items and in some cases even a whole aisle. This is where I got some gluten free flour and gluten free self-raising flour (I got both as I haven't chosen a recipe yet).
I was keen not to try a gluten free recipe but instead find a recipe which had a low flour content and I came across this Carrot and Apple Cake recipe.

I used my trusty Russian doll cups as this was a cup rather than grams recipe. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar (I used caster)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs (I used free range)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used gluten free)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup chopped apples
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped pecans (I left out the pecans)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 (3 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened1 tablespoon milk2 teaspoons vanilladash salt1 box (1 lb) icing sugar, sifted1/2 cup chopped pecans (I left out the pecans)

To top it off as it was Easter I also used mini eggs! (I wasn't sure if these were gluten free so you would have to check. My friend was fine with them)

Method

Pre-heat your oven to about 180.
Combine the sugar, vegetable oil, 3 eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla in a large bowl and mix until all incorporated.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt; mix well. 

Then shred your carrots and put them in a bowl with your raisins. Peal your apples and shred and add them to your carrot and raisin bowl.

Mix the first two bowls together before adding your carrots, apple and raisins. Mix well!

Pour into your chosen cake pan (prepared with parchment paper) and bake for 35 - 45 minutes until the cake passes the skewer test. Once ready remove from the pan and let it cool.

While your cake is cooling you can make the cream cheese frosting. Mix all the ingredients together but leave the icing sugar until last and add a bit at a time. Once combine give it a whiz with an electric mixer.

Once your cake is cool add the cream cheese frosting any way you like. I spread it on with a spatula and then added the mini eggs.

My friend was very happy that I made a cake for her gathering and even happier when she found out it was gluten free. She said shop brought gluten free cakes didn't taste half as good. So maybe homemade is the way forward.

Why not give it a go?

Happy baking,

Ms B

xx