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Mini Carrot Cake comes together quickly in one bowl, and is ultra moist and fluffy. It’s full of cozy spices, fresh carrot, and chopped nuts. Spread on a silky Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting and enjoy a slice with a cold glass of milk.
This recipe was originally published in April 2022. I just updated the recipe to make a more moist & tender cake. I reduced the amount of flour and changed the mixing method to produce a plush & moist carrot cake with delicious flavor!
Why You’ll Love Mini Carrot Cake:
- Simple Cake – This 9-inch square cake is a recipe that even the most beginner baker can easily make!
- Moist, Flavorful Cake – The cake is moist, tender, and perfectly spiced, with the most delicious cream cheese frosting of all time!
- Small Batch – The small size is perfect when you don’t want a TON of leftover dessert!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full small batch carrot cake recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Sour Cream – Use full fat sour cream, at room temperature.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
- Carrots – Grate the fresh carrots as finely as possible by using either a box grater or food processor. Use your extra carrots in my Carrot Cake Cookies!
- Butter – I always use salted butter because in my experience, it lends the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
Recipe Substitutions:
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted, dairy-free milk, butter, and cream cheese to make this cake dairy-free. Note: I have not tested this myself.
- Nuts – Feel free to use walnuts instead of pecans, or omit the nuts entirely if desired.
How to Make Mini Carrot Cake:
Step 1: Brown the Butter. Melt the butter over medium heat, then continue cooking, stirring constantly. The butter will get foamy, then turn golden, then start to turn brown and develop a nutty/caramely aroma.
Once it reaches a deep golden color, remove from the heat and pour into a heat-safe container to come to room temperature.
Step 2: Make the Batter. Beat together the eggs and sugar. Whisk in the oil, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, milk, carrots, and pecans.
The batter will be quite thin!
Step 3: Bake the Carrot Cake. Transfer the batter to the prepared 9-inch baking pan. Bake your cake just as directed in the recipe below.
Step 4: Make the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. In a large bowl, beat together brown butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, salt, and a pinch of cinnamon.
Step 5: Frost the Cake. Spread the frosting onto your cooled cake. Create swoops with the back of a spoon.
Serving + Storing:
Slice and enjoy once frosted! Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Bring to room temperature for 15-30 mins before serving. Love Carrot Cake? Try my Pineapple Carrot Cake next!
Expert Success Tips:
- Grating the Carrots – Be sure to grate your own carrots, rather than using the pre-grated you find in a bag at the store. They are drier and can create a drier cake. Be sure to use the really fine holes on the box grater too – you don’t want big chunks of carrot in your cake.
- Food Processor – Use the blade on your food processor to grate the carrots. This method is quicker and easier than using a box grater.
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
- Make Ahead – Browning the butter can be done up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Let it soften back to room temp before using, as you normally would with butter, if it has completely hardened.
FAQs:
Grate fresh carrots very fine for the best taste and cake texture. Large pieces will create a lumpy batter… And even the biggest fans of this small batch carrot cake don’t want to actually bite into a big chunk of carrot!
Sure! You’ll get about 18-22 cupcakes from this recipe.
Divide the batter evenly into two muffin pans lined with cupcake liners. Adjust the baking time to 18-19 minutes, and bake the pans one at a time or side by side.. Cool the baked cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes before popping out and placing on a wire rack to cool.
Make my Layered Carrot Cake recipe for double the amount of cake (one, three-layer cake). It’s the same as this recipe, but the math is already done for you!
More Carrot Cake Recipes:
More Easter Desserts:
- Classic Cheesecake with Homemade Strawberry Sauce
- Lemon Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Easter Egg Blondies
- Easter Egg Seven Layer Bars
- Raspberry Lemon Sweet Rolls
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Mini Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp dark brown sugar, packed, 190 grams
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 75 grams
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 112 mL
- 3 tbsp full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 40 grams
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 183 grams
- 1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 2/3 cup milk, at room temperature , I use 2%. 160 mL
- 1 and 1/2 cups finely grated carrots, see note, About 3 large carrots -150 grams (weigh this out for the best accuracy!)
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped, Can sub walnuts or omit entirely. 50 grams
For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed, See note
- 6 ounces cream cheese, cold
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Brown your butter ahead of time so it can chill in the fridge. In a nonstick pot or pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Turn the heat to medium-low and continue cooking the butter – stirring constantly. The butter will get foamy, then turn golden, then start to turn brown and develop a nutty/caramely aroma. Once it reaches a deep golden color, remove from the heat and pour into a heat-safe container. Let it chill in the fridge so that it can come back to the consistency of room temperature softened butter. Make-Ahead Tip: This can be done up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Let it soften back to room temp before using, as you normally would with butter, if it has completely hardened.
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×9 inch cake pan with shortening (use a paper towel and make sure to get into all the corners well). Then, dust the pan with flour, tapping it around so the shortening is coated entirely. This will ensure your cake pops out perfectly after baking! Note: If you don't have shortening, spray the pan with nonstick spray then line it with parchment paper so all the sides and bottom are completely covered.
- Start the Cake Batter: Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 30 seconds on medium high speed. Add sugars and beat on medium high speed until the mixture is pale and thick, 1 minute. Whisk in the oil, sour cream, and vanilla.2 large eggs, at room temperature , 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp dark brown sugar, packed, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3 tbsp full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Finish the Cake Batter: Add the dry ingredients and begin folding in with a silicone spatula until halfway incorporated, then pour in the milk, grated carrots, and chopped nuts. Continue gently folding together just until the last streaks of flour disappear into the batter. If there are a few lumps, that's fine.1 and 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 and 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 2/3 cup milk, at room temperature , 1 and 1/2 cups finely grated carrots, see note, 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared pan, and bake for 38 to 43 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a plate, then onto a cooling rack (so it's right-side-up). Let the cake cool completely before frosting it.
- Make the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: Add the brown butter and cream cheese to a medium mixing bowl and cream on high speed with an electric mixer until well combined, about a minute. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and mix until creamy. If it's not coming together, add 1-2 tsp of milk. Taste, and add a pinch of salt and or cinnamon to taste (don't skip these flavor makers!). Frost the cooled cake with a butter knife or offset spatula and create swoops and swirls with the back of a spoon for a pretty look.6 tbsp salted butter, cubed, 6 ounces cream cheese, cold, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, pinch of salt, pinch of cinnamon
- Serve + Store: Sprinkle the top of the cake with chopped nuts, sprinkles, or serve it as is. Serve the cake immediately, and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
WOW, this is delicious! Made yesterday to rave reviews and requests for the recipe. Definitely one to make again and again!
Thanks so much, Colleen! Glad to hear it was a hit.
Made this on the whim today and it’s perfect! The brown butter changes the frosting game and I won’t be making frosting any other way now. Cake is moist and flavorful!
So glad to hear that, Juliana!
Delish!! I added a brown butter caramel sauce on top and this was fantastic!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Wendi!
Can I make this by doubling it for a 9×13 pan
Yes you can! Let me know how you like the recipe!
I made this recipe as cupcakes with my 7 and 3 year old kids, and we all loved it! It was easy to follow and the cupcakes turned out delicious.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Brittany!
This cake is wonderful! Moist and flavorful and just perfect!!!
Thank you so much, Debbie!
Milk is missing from the ingredients list
Hi Dom – I’m able to see it – it says 2/3 cup milk. Try clearing your cache or refresh the page. Let me know if you try the recipe!
In step 3 you say to mix in “milk” but there is no milk listed in the ingredients.
Thanks for catching that! It should say 2/3 cup of milk. I’ve updated that just now. Let me know how you like the cake!
Was so simple to make! Super moist and flavourful. The brown butter cream cheese frosting was an absolute game changer!!
Thanks for the rave review, Taylah! 🙂
This was so simple to make and is the best carrot cake I have ever had 🙂
Thanks so much, Kerry! 🙂
Hi! Made the recipe last night and noticed that u mention milk in the batter when talking process but the ingredients list did not have milk on it. Can u clear up this discrepancy? I have a feeling it’s missing from ingredients list because the cake was pretty dry : (
Hi Kelsie! I’ve completely revamped this recipe recently, and it’s ultra moist & fluffy – I hope you give it another try! 🙂