The Ultimate Mini Carrot Cake Recipe with Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting

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Delight your senses with this exquisite Mini Carrot Cake, a baking masterpiece that is as simple to make as it is utterly delicious. Perfect for any occasion, from intimate gatherings to festive celebrations like Easter or birthdays, this cake promises to impress your guests and satisfy every sweet craving. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of fluffy, incredibly moist carrot cake layers enveloped in the most delectable, tangy cream cheese frosting.

This mini carrot cake is renowned for its super soft texture and rich, comforting flavor, making it incredibly tempting to devour in one sitting! Its compact size, typically serving 6-8 people, makes it an ideal dessert that’s manageable and elegant. For anyone who adores the classic combination of sweet carrots and rich cream cheese, this recipe is an absolute must-try. We pride ourselves on creating the best mini carrot cake recipe, ensuring each layer is wonderfully moist and tender. This particular recipe keeps it pure and simple, free from nuts or raisins, but these can easily be added if you prefer those traditional elements.

Imagine the joy of serving this charming cake at your next spring event. Its vibrant flavors and appealing presentation make it a fantastic choice for any gathering, symbolizing freshness and celebration. This mini carrot cake isn’t just a dessert; it’s a testament to simple ingredients creating extraordinary results.

Looking for more impressive layer cake recipes? Explore our delightful Strawberry Lemon Cake, the vibrant Strawberry and Blueberry Layer Cake, and the decadent Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

WHY THIS MINI CARROT CAKE RECIPE WORKS SO WELL

This mini carrot cake recipe stands out for several compelling reasons, guaranteeing a perfect bake every time. From the perfectly spiced cake to the luscious frosting, every element is designed for maximum flavor and ease.

• The Best Moist Carrot Cake: Our carrot cake layers are exceptionally soft and moist, brimming with the natural sweetness and texture of fresh grated carrots. The careful selection of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice creates a comforting, aromatic profile that is truly irresistible. We use oil instead of butter in the cake batter, which contributes significantly to its remarkable moisture and tenderness, ensuring it stays soft for days.
• Irresistible Cream Cheese Frosting: The secret to an outstanding carrot cake lies in its companion frosting. Our cream cheese frosting is perfectly balanced – light, airy, and wonderfully fluffy, with a delightful tangy flavor that cuts through the sweetness of the cake. This classic pairing is simply divine, providing a smooth, creamy contrast to the spiced cake layers. Its texture is firm enough to pipe beautifully yet soft enough to melt in your mouth.
• Perfect Mini Size: Baked in two 15 cm (6-inch) baking pans, this cake yields a perfectly portioned small cake, ideal for serving 6-8 people without overwhelming your guests with leftovers. The mini size also makes it less intimidating to bake and decorate, perfect for home bakers of all skill levels. If you prefer a single-layer cake, the recipe can easily be adapted for an 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) square baking pan, offering versatility for any occasion.

ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT NOTES FOR MINI CARROT CAKE

Understanding the role of each ingredient is key to achieving the best results for your mini carrot cake. Here are some important notes and tips for the key ingredients. For a complete list with precise measurements, please refer to the detailed recipe card below.

• Carrots: The star of the show! Always use fresh carrots and grate them yourself. For the best texture, we recommend using a medium grater, which provides small strands that blend seamlessly into the batter while still offering a pleasant chew. Avoid pre-shredded carrots, as they can be drier and coarser.
• Spices: This recipe uses a classic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice to create that signature warm, comforting carrot cake flavor. If you’re short on individual spices, you can easily substitute them with 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin spice blend for a similar aromatic profile. Ensure your spices are fresh for maximum potency.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is crucial for this recipe, as it not only adds a deeper, more complex molasses flavor but also contributes significantly to the cake’s moistness and tenderness. Its hygroscopic nature helps keep the cake soft long after baking.
• Oil: We use a flavor-neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil. Oil is superior to butter in carrot cake for maintaining moisture, as it stays liquid at room temperature, preventing the cake from drying out.
• Eggs: Using large eggs at room temperature is vital. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the sugar and oil, creating a smoother batter and a more uniform, tender crumb. Take them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before you plan to start baking, depending on your kitchen’s ambient temperature.
• Butter (for frosting): For the cream cheese frosting, use unsalted butter that has softened slightly. Take it out of the fridge approximately 10 minutes before you begin making the frosting and cut it into cubes. This ensures it’s pliable enough to cream smoothly without being too warm.
• Cream Cheese (for frosting): Opt for full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture in your frosting. Like butter, it should be slightly chilled, not overly soft, for optimal consistency. In some regions, especially Europe, cream cheese can contain more water; if so, gently press it between a few pieces of paper towel to remove any excess moisture before use.
• Orange and Green Gel Food Color (optional): If you plan to decorate your mini carrot cake with charming little carrots, use gel food colors. Gel colors are highly concentrated and won’t thin out your frosting, unlike water-based liquid food colorings, giving you vibrant hues and better control.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – MINI CARROT CAKE

Crafting this delightful Mini Carrot Cake is a straightforward process that yields impressive results. This recipe is designed for ease, utilizing either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a reliable hand mixer. You will also need two 15 cm (6 inch) baking pans, properly prepared with parchment paper.

The comprehensive recipe details, including exact measurements, are available in the recipe card further down this page.

Preparation is Key: Before you begin mixing, preheat your oven to 170ºC (340ºF) for conventional ovens. Thoroughly prepare your two 15 cm (6 inch) baking pans by greasing them lightly and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. This ensures your cakes release perfectly.

STEP 1: Combine Wet Ingredients. In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk these ingredients together on high speed for 1-2 minutes until the mixture becomes light, pale, and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly, in a steady stream, pour in the vegetable oil, allowing it to emulsify smoothly into the egg and sugar mixture. This slow addition helps create a stable emulsion, leading to a perfectly moist cake. Once combined, add the vanilla extract and whisk briefly until fully incorporated.

STEP 2: Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Carrots. With the mixer on low speed, begin adding your flour mixture (which you should have sifted and set aside earlier, as noted in the recipe card) and the shredded carrots. Add about half of the dry flour mixture first, mixing just until streaks of flour disappear. Then, fold in all of the grated carrots. Finally, add the remaining half of the flour mixture. It’s crucial to mix each addition until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter, which can result in a tough cake. A spatula can be used for a final gentle fold to ensure all ingredients from the bottom of the bowl are integrated.

STEP 3: Bake to Perfection. Divide the prepared cake batter evenly between your two parchment-lined 15 cm baking pans. Bake the cakes in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a cake tester (like a toothpick or thin skewer) inserted into the center comes out clean, with no wet batter clinging to it. Once baked, remove the pans from the oven and let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. This allows them to firm up slightly. After 10 minutes, carefully invert the cakes onto the wire rack to cool completely. Ensuring they are fully cooled before frosting is essential to prevent the frosting from melting.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – CREAM CHEESE FROSTING & ASSEMBLY

Crafting the perfect cream cheese frosting is just as important as the cake itself. Follow these steps for a light, fluffy, and tangy frosting, then learn how to assemble your beautiful mini carrot cake.

STEP 1: Cream the Butter. In your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, begin by creaming the softened butter on high speed for a full 5 minutes. This aerates the butter, making the frosting light and fluffy. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl thoroughly with a spatula, and then continue mixing for another 2 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste and cream cheese (ensure it’s slightly chilled, not too soft). Cream these together with the butter for just 1 minute. Be careful not to overmix the cream cheese, as it can separate.

STEP 2: Incorporate Powdered Sugar. On low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar in two separate additions. Allow the first half to fully incorporate into the butter and cream cheese mixture before adding the second half. This prevents a cloud of sugar from erupting and ensures a smooth consistency. After both additions, scrape down the sides of the bowl one final time and mix for another 2 minutes on low to medium speed until smooth and creamy. Finally, remove the bowl from the stand mixer and give the buttercream a good beat by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon. This step is crucial for removing any trapped air bubbles, resulting in a perfectly smooth, silky frosting.

STEP 3: Prepare for Decoration (Optional). If you wish to decorate your cake with small piped carrots, set aside two generous tablespoons of the prepared cream cheese frosting into two separate small bowls. In one bowl, add orange gel food color paste and mix until you achieve a vibrant orange hue. In the other bowl, add green gel food color paste and mix for green. Transfer each colored buttercream into separate piping bags fitted with small piping tips (e.g., Wilton 10 for the orange carrot shape and Wilton 2 for the green leaves). This allows for precise and detailed decoration.

STEP 4: Crumb Coat the Cake. Begin assembly by placing your first cooled cake layer on your serving dish or cake board. A turntable can be very helpful for even frosting, but it’s certainly not essential if you don’t have one. Add two generous scoops of cream cheese frosting to the top of the first layer and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Gently place the second cake layer on top. Now, apply a thin layer of buttercream all over the entire cake – this is known as the “crumb coat.” The crumb coat traps any loose crumbs, ensuring a smooth, pristine final frosting layer. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set firm.

STEP 5: Final Frosting and Decoration. Once the crumb coat is firm, remove the cake from the fridge. Apply the remaining buttercream generously and evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Use your offset spatula or a bench scraper to achieve a smooth finish. Now, for the fun part: using your piping bag with orange buttercream, draw small carrot shapes on the cake. Then, switch to the green buttercream and pipe tiny green leaves above each carrot for a charming, rustic look. Your beautifully decorated Mini Carrot Cake is now ready to be served and enjoyed!

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR PERFECT MINI CARROT CAKE

Achieving bakery-quality results at home is easier than you think with these expert tips. Pay attention to the details, and your mini carrot cake will turn out perfectly every time.

• Use a Kitchen Scale for Accuracy: For all our recipes, we prioritize using grams as the default unit of measurement. This is by far the most precise way to measure your ingredients, ensuring consistent results and preventing common baking errors that arise from volumetric measurements. We highly recommend investing in a good quality kitchen scale for all your baking adventures. It makes a significant difference in the final outcome of your cakes.
• Avoid Overmixing Your Batter: Once you’ve added the dry ingredients and carrots, mix the batter only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to a dense, tough cake rather than the desired soft and tender crumb. After the mixer has done its work, we always recommend a final gentle fold with a spatula. This ensures all ingredients at the bottom of the mixing bowl are fully incorporated without overworking the batter.
• Choose the Right Baking Pans: For the ultimate soft and evenly baked cake, we strongly recommend using aluminum baking pans. These pans are light in color and reflect heat, allowing the cake to bake more gently and evenly, resulting in a softer, moister crumb. Always grease your aluminum pans and line the bottoms with baking paper. Avoid dark-colored baking pans, which absorb more heat and can lead to a darker, crispier crust and a potentially drier cake interior.
• Room Temperature Ingredients for Frosting: While the cake batter uses room temperature eggs and chilled oil, for the cream cheese frosting, it’s crucial that both your butter and cream cheese are at the correct temperature – slightly softened, but still cool. This ensures they cream together smoothly and prevent the frosting from becoming soupy or separating.
• Don’t Rush the Cooling Process: After baking, allow your cake layers to cool completely on a wire rack before attempting to frost them. Frosting a warm cake will cause the cream cheese frosting to melt and slide off, creating a messy result. Patience is key for a beautifully finished cake.
• Grate Carrots Just Before Use: For maximum moisture and flavor, grate your carrots right before you plan to mix your cake batter. Pre-grated carrots can dry out, and their texture might not be as vibrant.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MINI CARROT CAKE

Here are answers to some common questions you might have while baking and serving this delightful mini carrot cake.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MINI CARROT CAKE

Proper storage is essential to keep your mini carrot cake fresh, moist, and delicious for as long as possible. Once assembled and frosted, this cake, like all cream cheese-frosted delights, should be stored in the refrigerator. Place your mini carrot cake in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out or absorbing odors from other foods in your fridge. When you’re ready to indulge, take the cake out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before serving. This step significantly enhances the flavors and softens the texture of both the cake and the frosting, making it much more enjoyable. This mini carrot cake is best enjoyed within 4 days of baking and frosting.

Other Layer Cake Recipes To Try

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Mini Carrot Cake

This Mini Carrot Cake is a simple yet incredibly delicious dessert, designed to impress your guests and satisfy your sweet tooth without being overly large. It features super moist carrot cake layers paired with a light, tangy cream cheese frosting, creating a perfect harmony of flavors. An ideal choice for spring celebrations or any time you crave a delightful, classic cake.

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Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 slices

Calories 902 kcal

Equipment

• 15 cm (6 in) baking pan

Ingredients

 

 

CARROT CAKE

• 120 g grated carrots
• 175 g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 75 g granulated sugar
• 75 g brown sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 90 g vegetable oil like canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 200 g butter
• 100 g full-fat cream cheese
• 360 g powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• Orange and green gel color

Instructions

 

CARROT CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven. Prepare 2x 15 cm (6 in) baking pans with parchment paper.
• Grate the carrots. Sift together all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a bowl and set it aside.
  175 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon cloves, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 120 g grated carrots, ¼ teaspoon salt
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar together for 1-2 minutes on high speed, so it becomes light and fluffy.
  75 g granulated sugar, 75 g brown sugar, 2 eggs
• Turn the speed down to medium speed and in a slow and steady stream pour the oil into the eggs and sugar to emulsify. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
  90 g vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Continue by alternating between adding the flour mixture and grated carrots. Start by adding ½ of the flour, then the carrots, then the other ½ of the flour. Mix in each addition until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• Fill the prepared pans evenly with batter, and bake them for 25-28 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center.
• Let the cakes cool in their tins on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. After this initial cooling, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and transfer them directly to the wire rack to cool down completely before frosting. This prevents them from becoming soggy.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• TIP: If you live in Europe or find your cream cheese to be very wet, place it between a few pieces of paper towels and gently press to remove any excess water. This helps achieve a firmer frosting.
• Take the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge about 10 minutes before you begin to allow them to slightly soften. Cut the butter into cubes. Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps, ensuring a smooth frosting.
  200 g butter, 360 g powdered sugar
• In your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter on high speed for 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl thoroughly and continue mixing for another 2 minutes until it’s very light and fluffy.
  100 g full-fat cream cheese
• Add the vanilla bean paste and the slightly chilled cream cheese. Cream them together with the butter for just 1 minute. Be careful not to overmix the cream cheese, as it can become too soft and runny.
  ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, gradually mix in the sifted powdered sugar in two parts, ensuring each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. After all the sugar is in, scrape down the sides of the bowl again and give it a final mix for 2 minutes on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and lump-free.
• Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, vigorously beat the buttercream by hand for a minute or two. This step is crucial for eliminating any air bubbles that might have been incorporated during machine mixing, resulting in an exceptionally smooth and silky frosting.
• If you plan to decorate with little carrots, set aside two large tablespoons of the white frosting into two separate small bowls. Add orange gel color paste to one and green gel color paste to the other. Mix the color thoroughly into each bowl. Transfer each colored buttercream into separate piping bags fitted with small piping tips (e.g., Wilton 10 for the orange carrot outline and Wilton 2 for the green leaves).
  Orange and green gel color

ASSEMBLING THE MINI CARROT CAKE

• Before assembly, if your cake layers have domed tops, gently trim them flat with a serrated knife. This ensures a stable and even cake structure.
• Place the first cooled, leveled cake layer onto your chosen serving dish or a cake board. If you have a cake turntable, it will make frosting much easier; however, you can certainly decorate a beautiful cake without one.
• Add two generous scoops of the cream cheese frosting onto the first cake layer. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly across the top. Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Now, cover the entire cake (top and sides) with a thin, even layer of buttercream. This is known as the “crumb coat” and is essential for trapping any loose crumbs, creating a smooth canvas for your final frosting layer. Place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set and firm up.
• Once the crumb coat is firm, retrieve the cake from the fridge. Apply the remaining buttercream, spreading it smoothly and evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Use a bench scraper for extra smooth sides if desired. Finally, if you prepared colored frosting, use the orange buttercream to draw charming small carrots and the green buttercream to create tiny green leaves for decoration. Your beautifully assembled Mini Carrot Cake is now ready to be proudly served and enjoyed!

Nutrition

Calories: 902kcalCarbohydrates: 111gProtein: 6gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 527mgPotassium: 166mgFiber: 1gSugar: 86gVitamin A: 4478IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 2mg

Keyword carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, mini carrot cake recipe, spring dessert

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