The Perfect Small Carrot Cake Recipe
This small carrot cake recipe is made in 6-inch cake pans sandwiched with tangy cream cheese frosting. The cake is moist and soft, with warming spices.
A little carrot cake is always a good idea. It’s perfect for enjoying with your morning coffee or for small birthday celebrations or special occasions.
It’s a lovely and moist cake thanks to the shredded carrots in the batter, and very flavorful because of all the spices.
The cake batter is super easy to make by hand too! Check out this mini vanilla cake and 6-inch chocolate cake for more small-batch recipes.
Ingredients
Find the ingredient amounts listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of what you will need.
- Fresh carrots
- Vegetable oil – Choose a neutral oil
- Granulated sugar
- Soft brown sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Baking powder and baking soda
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Warm spices – ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg.
Frosting
- Cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Walnuts
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, grease, and line two 6-inch cake pans bottoms with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, spices, baking powder, soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
Use a box grater to grate the carrots.
Whisk the vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
Stir through the grated carrots.
Tip the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
A great way to divide batter evenly is to use a kitchen scale and weigh the batter out as it’s going into the pans to ensure each gets the perfect amount.
Bake the cakes for approximately 25-28 minutes until a skewer or cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack.
Cool them to room temperature before frosting.
Frosting
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until the mixture is creamy and smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or heavy cream until the desired consistency is reached.
It should be soft but not runny. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar until it thickens.
Assembling
If your cake layers are uneven or domed, use a serrated knife to slice off a little off the top to even it out.
Lay a cake layer on a cake stand or turntable.
Scoop half the frosting onto a cake layer and use an offset spatula to spread it out.
Top with the second cake layer and the remaining frosting.
Decorate the top of the cake with crunchy walnuts.
You can serve it now or place the frosted cake in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up the frosting.
Storing
Carrot cake can be stored at room temperature for up to a day or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container.
Making in advance
The carrot cake layers can be made in advance. Bake them and let them cool, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to three months.
The cream cheese frosting can also be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, and give it an extra whip with a hand mixer before frosting the cake.
Additions and variations
- Add in 1/4 cup of sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut for extra flavor.
- 1/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts in the batter will add texture.
- Bring in extra sweetness with a 1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins.
Related recipes
For another mini cake recipe, try this 6-Inch Red Velvet Cake or try these carrot cake muffins with cream cheese filling!
Small Carrot Cake Recipe
This small carrot cake recipe is made in 6-inch cake pans sandwiched with tangy cream cheese frosting. The cake is moist and soft, with warming spices.
Ingredients
- 125g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 105g (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 100g (1/2 packed cup) soft brown sugar
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- 120g (1 packed cup) of grated carrots
Frosting
- 140g (5oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 30g (2 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 180g (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- Chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, grease, and line two 6-inch cake pans bottoms with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, spices, baking powder, soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Use a box grater to grate the carrots.
- Whisk the vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Stir through the grated carrots.
- Tip the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake the cakes for approximately 25-28 minutes until a skewer or cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack. Cool them to room temperature before frosting.
Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth in a mixing bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat on low to combine, then switch to high speed and beat until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or heavy cream until the desired consistency is reached. It should be soft but not runny. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar until it thickens.
Assembling
- If your cake layers are uneven or domed, use a serrated knife to slice a little off the top to even it out.
- Lay a cake layer on a cake stand or turntable.
- Scoop half the frosting onto a cake layer and use an offset spatula to spread it out. Top with the second cake layer and the remaining frosting. Decorate the top of the cake with crunchy walnuts.
- You can serve it now or place the frosted cake in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up the frosting.
Notes
*The cup sizes are US size which is smaller than metric. For best results, use scales.
Storing
Carrot cake can be stored at room temperature for up to a day or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container.
Making in advance
The carrot cake layers can be made in advance. Bake them and let them cool, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to three months.
The cream cheese frosting can also be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, and give it an extra whip with a hand mixer before frosting the cake.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 461Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 367mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 1gSugar: 42gProtein: 5g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
Hi Baking with Butter, I want to thank you so much for making the cakes smaller for someone like me,since the weather changing, I’ll start baking. God bless you
Hi Baking with Butter, I want to thank you so much for making the cakes smaller for someone like me,since the weather changing, I’ll start baking. God bless you
Thanks Brenda! I hope you enjoy the recipes ☺️☺️
I love to add pineapple to my carrot cakes. How much should I use for this small Carrot Cake?
I would do about 1/3 cup of pineapple 🙂