These mini carrot cakes are the perfect two-bite dessert for an Easter celebration or springtime brunch! The small cakes are moist, flavorful, and nut-free, and they're topped with rich and creamy cream cheese frosting.
This recipe is proof that you can never have too many carrot cake recipes! These small batch carrot cake cupcakes (with brown butter cream cheese frosting!) are a favorite, and this single-layer carrot cake is perfection (if you still haven't tried it with the citrus glaze, you must!).
And now, I bring you mini carrot cakes. These tiny carrot cakes pack all of the flavor and texture (and cream cheese frosting!) that we love about a full-sized carrot cake into two-bite portions that are ideal for holidays, brunch, and parties.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Carrot cake lovers are going to fall hard for this delicious and easy party-ready dessert!
Moist - As all great carrot cake should be, these mini carrot cakes are perfectly moist and tender.
Flavorful - The subtle flavor of carrot and the spiced flavor of cinnamon paired with the sweetness of brown sugar and the slight tang of cream cheese are truly delightful.
Easy - These cakes are so simple to make! The cake batter comes together quickly and without a stand mixer, and the baked cake is cut into circles using a cookie cutter, topped with frosting, and stacked.
Nut-Free - This cake made without nuts, since a cake without mix-ins is easier to cut into perfect circles. But it also means this cake is tree nut allergy-friendly, since unlike many carrot cake recipes is does not include pecans or walnuts.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.
Grated Carrot - Grated carrots are the subtle star of this recipe, because they add just a hint of flavor and texture but tons of moisture to the cake batter. For the best flavor and texture, always use freshly grated carrots, never pre-shredded carrots (which lack the moisture and flavor needed for truly delicious cake). Check out my post all about the best way to shred carrots for baking for even more information!
Cinnamon - Cinnamon perfectly complements the other flavors in the cake. For the best flavor, be sure to use cinnamon that is not expired and has been opened for less than a year.
Vegetable Oil - Vegetable oil adds moisture and fat to the carrot cake. While butter can create a cake that is more dense, using oil instead keeps the cake light and fluffy. Feel free to substitute another neutral oil, like canola oil.
Cream Cheese - Be sure to use room temperature full-fat block cream cheese for making the frosting. Whipped or spreadable cream cheese is too soft for making frosting, and trying to whip cold cream cheese will result in lumpy frosting. To bring the cream cheese to room temperature more quickly, cut it into small pieces.
Special Equipment
In addition to essential baking equipment (like a mixing bowl and spatula), I recommend some special tools for making this recipe.
- A box grater, for shredding the carrots. You'll use the fine shred side of the box grater (the side with the small holes).
- A 9x13 metal baking pan, for baking the carrot cake.
- A 2 inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, for cutting the cake into small circles.
- An electric hand mixer, for mixing the frosting.
- A piping bag with a large round piping tip (I used Ateco #809), for piping the frosting.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.
Step 1: Make the carrot cake. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.
Step 2: Whisk to combine sugar and vegetable oil.
Step 3: Add half of the flour mixture to the oil mixture and stir to combine. Then add one egg, whisking to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir before adding the final egg and whisking just until blended.
Step 4: Add grated carrots and stir until blended.
Step 5: Pour batter into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper and spread it evenly to the edges of the pan.
Step 6: Bake the cake at 350°F for 28-30 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly poked. Let the cake cool completely.
Step 7: Make the cream cheese frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and salt and beat to combine. Slowly add confectioners' sugar, then beat on high speed until the mixture is well combined and creamy.
Step 8: Assemble the mini cakes. Use a 2 inch round biscuit cutter to cut the cooled cake into 24 circles from the cake.
Step 9: Pipe a small swirl of frosting onto half of the cake circles. Top with the remaining cake circles and pipe another small swirl of frosting onto the top of each mini cake.
Allison's Top Tips
When grating the carrots, use the fine shred side of the box grater (the sides with lots of small - not spiky - holes). This will create fine shreds of carrot that seem to disappear into the cake, so you won't have large chunks of carrot when you're trying to cut the cake into small circles.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing and cutting. Trying to cut or stack the cake when its still warm will cause it to crumble.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Frosted cakes should be stored in the refrigerator, sealed in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. For the best taste, let the cakes sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
Room Temperature: Unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature, sealed in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Cake can be made ahead of time and frozen, wrapped in plastic and sealed in an airtight container, for up to 2 months. Defrost the cake at room temperature before cutting into circles and frosting.
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Recipe
Mini Carrot Cakes
Special Equipment
- Box grater
- 9x13 metal pan
- 2 inch round cookie or biscuit cutter
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
- 1 ¼ cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda
- 1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅝ cup (124 grams) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups (160 grams) freshly grated raw carrots (about 2 large or 4 medium carrots)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- 1 tiny pinch fine sea salt
- 1 ⅔ cups (200 grams) confectioners' sugar
- chamomile flowers for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Make the carrot cake.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.1 ¼ cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon, 1 ¼ teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder, ½ teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda
- In a large bowl, add sugar and vegetable oil and whisk to combine.1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar, ⅝ cup (124 grams) vegetable oil
- Add half of the flour mixture to the oil mixture and stir to combine. Then add one egg, whisking to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir before adding the final egg and whisking just until blended.2 large eggs
- Add grated carrots and stir until blended.1 ½ cups (160 grams) freshly grated raw carrots
- Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges of the pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly poked. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting.
- In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and salt and beat to combine. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add confectioners' sugar until all the sugar is added. Then beat on high speed until the mixture is well combined and creamy.4 ounces (113 grams) full-fat cream cheese, ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract, 1 tiny pinch fine sea salt, 1 ⅔ cups (200 grams) confectioners' sugar
Assemble the mini cakes.
- Remove the cooled cake from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Use a 2 inch round biscuit cutter to cut 24 circles from the cake.
- Fit a piping bag with a large round piping tip. Fill the bag with the cream cheese frosting.
- Pipe a small swirl of frosting onto half of the cake circles. Top with the remaining cake circles and pipe another small swirl of frosting onto the top of each mini cake.
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