Description
This Mini Carrot Cake recipe offers a moist and flavorful single-layer cake packed with warm spices, finely grated carrots, and optional walnuts or raisins for added texture. Topped with a creamy, smooth cream cheese frosting, this cake is perfect for a small gathering or as an indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground ginger
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil or canola oil
- ½ cup (105 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk (2% or whole milk recommended)
- ¾ cup finely grated carrots
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or raisins (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 2 ounces (56 grams) full-fat cream cheese
- ½ – 1 cup (55-110 grams) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1–2 teaspoons milk or cream, if needed
- Chopped walnuts (optional, for decorating)
Instructions
- Prepare Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 6-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides to prevent sticking.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, baking soda, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
- Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the vegetable or canola oil, packed brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk thoroughly until smooth and well mixed.
- Combine: Stir the finely grated carrots into the wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture in. Stir gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are combined with no visible dry flour.
- Add Nuts/Raisins (Optional): Fold in chopped walnuts or raisins if you choose to include them for added texture and flavor.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. After baking, cool the cake in the pan for at least 15 minutes before removing it.
- Beat Butter and Cream Cheese: In a clean bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until creamy and smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat together until fully combined and fluffy.
- Add Sugar and Flavorings: Gradually add powdered sugar, the vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to the butter and cream cheese mixture. Mix until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk or cream to reach your desired consistency.
- Frost Cake: Once the carrot cake has completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Optionally, decorate with chopped walnuts for a finishing touch.
Notes
- For best results, finely grate the carrots so they integrate well into the batter and keep the cake moist.
- If substituting oil, use a neutral flavor oil like vegetable or canola; avoid olive oil for this recipe.
- Brown sugar can be either light or dark depending on your sweetness preference.
- You can customize the add-ins by using raisins, chopped walnuts, or omitting them entirely.
- To make the frosting smoother, ensure butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature before beating.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the cream cheese frosting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/6 of cake)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
