Mini Carrot Cake Recipe
The Mini Carrot Cake Recipe offers bite-sized cakes packed with shredded carrots, warm spices, and a hint of sweetness. Each mini cake is topped with creamy cream cheese frosting, making them perfect for individual servings at gatherings or as a delicious treat.
Equipment
- 2 mini cake pans (or 1 small round cake pan)
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk or hand mixer
- Grater (for carrots)
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cooling rack
- Small saucepan (for melting butter for greasing)
- Hand or stand mixer (for frosting)
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Additional walnuts for topping optional
- Melted butter for greasing the cake pans
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your mini cake pans with melted butter or line them with parchment paper.
Prepare the dry ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, kosher salt, and baking powder.
Mix the wet ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until smooth. Add the buttermilk and pure vanilla extract, and mix until everything is well combined.
Add the dry ingredients:
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Fold in the carrots and walnuts:
- Gently fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Bake the cake:
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cakes:
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the cream cheese frosting:
- In a medium bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and continue beating until the frosting is fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Frost the cake:
- Once the cakes are completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top and sides of each mini cake. Garnish with extra chopped walnuts on top if desired.
Serve and enjoy:
- Slice your mini carrot cakes, serve, and enjoy!