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A mini carrot cake decorated with carrots on a serving board.

Mini Carrot Cake

Megan Weimer
This mini carrot cake is perfect for a small Spring or Easter celebration! It's a moist, plush 6-inch cake with 2 layers. It has cream cheese frosting and is loaded with freshly grated carrots, walnuts, and warm spices.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 slices
Calories 802 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Carrot Cake

  • 70 g all purpose flour
  • 60 g cake flour
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 50 g brown sugar light or dark
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • teaspoon ground cloves
  • teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 85 g unsalted butter softened
  • 54 g vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 55 g applesauce unsweetened
  • 150 g fresh grated carrots
  • 75 g chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 113 g unsalted butter softened
  • 226 g cream cheese softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 500 g powdered sugar
  • Orange gel food coloring optional
  • Green gel food coloring optional

Instructions
 

Carrot Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, grease 2 6-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray, and line them with 6-inch parchment paper rounds. Grate the carrots using the small side of a box grater.
  • Add the all purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, spices, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low, spinning about 5 times.
    70 g all purpose flour, 60 g cake flour, 100 g granulated sugar, 50 g brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • Add the butter to the bowl and beat on low for 5 minutes until the texture looks like wet sand.
    85 g unsalted butter
  • Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until a batter forms. Then add the applesauce and mix until well combined.
    54 g vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 55 g applesauce
  • Mix in the carrots on low. Stop the mixer and gently fold in the walnuts with a rubber spatula.
    150 g fresh grated carrots, 75 g chopped walnuts
  • Fill the prepared pans evenly and bake them for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
  • Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Using a mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed for 3 minutes until it is fluffy and smooth with no lumps.
    113 g unsalted butter, 226 g cream cheese
  • Add the vanilla and salt and mix on low.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • Mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time on medium-low speed until completely combined.
    500 g powdered sugar

Assembling the Cake

  • If the cake layers are domed, level them with a serrated knife
  • Place the first layer in the center of your cake stand and spread ¾ cup of frosting evenly over the cake.
  • Flip the second cake layer upside down and place it on top of the first layer. Press down on top with both hands firmly to remove air bubbles.
  • Apply a thin layer of frosting, or crumb coat, over the entire cake. Freeze for 30 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set.
  • Spread a thick, smooth layer of frosting over the entire cake.
  • With any remaining frosting, you can frost swirls on top of the cake or pipe little carrot decorations. Add 2 scoops of frosting to 2 separate bowls. To one, add 1-2 drops of green gel food coloring and mix. To the other, add 1-2 drops of orange gel food coloring and mix. 
    Orange gel food coloring, Green gel food coloring
  • Transfer the colored frosting to two separate piping bags fitted with small piping tips (I used Wilton 4). Pipe small carrots all around the cake followed by the green carrot stalks. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour, slice, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Use freshly grated carrots since store-bought shredded carrots are too thick and dry.
Use a kitchen scale to measure the flour accurately. If you don't have one, fluff it up before spooning it into your measuring cup.
Storage: Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to a week. Keep it in a large airtight container like a cake carrier and cover the cut section with extra frosting to seal in moisture.
Store leftover cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing: Wrap cake slices in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Frosting can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container too.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 802kcalCarbohydrates: 99.1gProtein: 6.8gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 20.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9.8gMonounsaturated Fat: 10.5gTrans Fat: 0.9gCholesterol: 122.7mgSodium: 406.2mgPotassium: 196.6mgFiber: 1.8gSugar: 82.8gVitamin A: 4194.8IUVitamin C: 1.3mgCalcium: 66.9mgIron: 1.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!