Passion Cake (make it gluten free!) AKA Carrot Cake!

Passion Cake is also known as Carrot Cake!
Credit: About.com Gluten-Free Cooking

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Moist and luscious, gluten-free carrot
cake with cream cheese frosting is a gluten-free
favorite at my house. The cake freezes well and
the recipe makes one round layer cake, one 13×9-inch
sheet cake or 36 cupcakes. Three cups of grated
carrots add healthy carotene, a nutrient that
the body uses to make vitamin A.
Not bad for a cake!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups light olive oil OR your favorite vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour mix (see notes)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups freshly grated carrots
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups gluten-free powdered sugar (See note)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C

Use two round 9-inch cake pans, one 9×13 pan or 36
muffin cups for this recipe. If using round cake pans,
lightly grease and place a circle of parchment in the
bottom of the pan for easy removal.
Use paper lining cups if making cupcakes.

1.Cream sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl with an electric
beater or stand mixer. Add oil and vanilla and beat just until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl combine gluten-free flour mix, baking soda,
baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients
to the wet ingredients and beat until blended.
3.Stir in grated carrots and nuts. Pour the batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted
into the middle of the cake comes out clean. For muffins, reduce baking
time to 30-35 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test.
Cool on a wire rack.
5. While cake or muffins are cooling place butter, cream cheese and
vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat on high until smooth.
Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
6.When cake is cool frost.

Notes:
Most powdered sugar products are made with granular sugar
processed with cornstarch or tapioca starch.
However, when buying powdered sugar, read labels carefully
to be sure that the product you are considering is not
made with wheat starch. Manufacturers can change product
formulations without notice.
I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Mix in this
recipe with good results. It contains xanthan gum,
eliminating the need to add more gum to this recipe.
Use your favorite gluten-free flour mix in this recipe
and add 1 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum to the recipe
IF the mix you are using does not contain one of these baking gums.