Small Batch Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
My all-time favorite carrot cake recipe in mini form! It’s extra moist, has the most incredible spice flavor, is downright irresistible with cream cheese frosting, and scaled to the perfect size for 2 to 4 people.
Servings 4 slices
Equipment
- 3 4-inch cake pans OR
Ingredients
Small Batch Carrot Cake
- 2/3 Cups (87g) grated carrots about 2 medium
- 3/4 Cups + 2 Tbsp (116g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 2 Tbsp (25g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 Cups (100g) packed brown sugar light or dark
- 1/3 Cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/4 Cup (34g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Small Batch Cream Cheese Buttercream*
- 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 Oz (170g) full-fat brick-style cream cheese*, room temperature NOT the spread
- 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, or to taste
Garnish
- 1/2 Cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
Make the Small Batch Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºF) and prepare three 4-inch or one 6-inch cake pan by spraying the sides with baking spray and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom(s).
- Grate the carrots by hand and measure them out into a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. In another medium bowl, whisk together the white and brown sugars, vegetable oil, egg and egg yolk, applesauce, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together using a rubber spatula until just combined, then fold in the grated carrots.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan(s). If using 4-inch cake pans, bake for 22-28 minutes. If using a 6-inch cake pan bake for 26-30 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before assembling and decorating.
Make the Toasted Pecans (Optional)
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF (149ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the chopped pecans on top in a single layer and bake for 6-8 minutes, shaking once at the halfway point. Let cool to room temperature before garnishing the cake in Step 2 of the the Assembly process.
Make the Small Batch Cream Cheese Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer and large bowl), cream the butter and cream cheese on medium-high until light, fluffy, and uniform (no lumps), about 5 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the vanilla and salt and mix on low for another minute, until fully combined and smooth.
Assembly
- Once the carrot cake is completely cooled, frost and decorate with the cream cheese buttercream. To create the mini layer cake pictured, level the cake layers to your desired height. Add a swipe of cream cheese buttercream onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first cake layer on top. Fill and stack the cake with cream cheese buttercream, then crumb coat the cake with cream cheese buttercream. Place the crumb coated cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the buttercream set firm.
- Use the remaining cream cheese buttercream to frost a rustic finish on the cake, then press some toasted pecans onto the bottom third of the cake. Pipe a swirl border on top of the cake with Wilton Tip 1M and garnish with more toasted pecans.
Notes
*Cream Cheese Frosting Amount: this frosting recipe makes enough to fill, frost, and decorate the mini layer cake pictured. If you are making the 6-inch version, a half batch of the above recipe will make the perfect amount for adding one layer of frosting to a single layer cake.
*Cream Cheese: It's very important to use full-fat brick-style cream cheese in this recipe (I use Philadelphia brand), not the spread or low-fat variations. The spreadable kind and reduced fat versions contain much more water content and will add too much liquid to the frosting, making it impossible to work with. If you don't have access to brick-style cream cheese, I recommend making a double batch of my vanilla buttercream recipe instead.
Make Ahead Tips:
- The carrot cake layer(s) can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
- The cream cheese buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix it with your stand mixer on low speed until it’s smooth and uniform.
- The decorated cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Take it out of the refrigerator an hour or two before serving – it stores best cold but tastes best at room temperature.