These Mini Carrot Cakes are easy to make and delightfully moist, using spiced cake mix, instant vanilla pudding, a touch of nutmeg and cloves. Finish them with a classic cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of chopped pecans for a charming individual dessert.
If you love traditional carrot cake, these mini versions are perfect. Made from a spiced cake mix enhanced with instant vanilla pudding, they stay tender and flavorful. These single-serve cakes are simple to assemble and make a lovely finish to dinners like Lemon Chicken or Chilean Sea Bass.
How To Make Mini Carrot Cakes
See the ingredient list and step-by-step instructions below.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and spray an 11×17-inch rimmed baking sheet with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the spice cake mix, instant vanilla pudding mix, ground nutmeg and ground cloves until evenly combined.
- Add the oil, water and eggs to the dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low for 2 minutes, then fold in the finely shredded carrots with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake 25–28 minutes, until the cake pulls away slightly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Use a 2½-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles from the cooled cake. Place the rounds on a large sheet of parchment paper.
- To make the frosting, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add vanilla and mix in the powdered sugar a cup at a time on low speed, then increase to medium and beat until light and fluffy.
- Fill a piping bag with frosting and assemble the mini cakes: pipe frosting on half of the cake rounds, top with a second round to create a mini layer cake, then pipe frosting on top. Garnish with additional shredded carrots and chopped pecans. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
Mini Carrot Cakes Tips
Tips
- Ignore the cake mix package instructions and use the recipe measurements shown in the ingredient list below for best results.
- Use freshly shredded carrots. Pre-shredded or matchstick carrots are usually too thick and won’t incorporate as well.
- Mix the batter on low speed to avoid overworking it and producing a dense cake.
- To use a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan instead of an 11×17 sheet pan, remove about ½ cup plus a little more batter to avoid overflow; that pan will yield about nine mini layer cakes.
- Any leftover cake and frosting can be repurposed into cake pops.
How to Cut Mini Circular Cakes
- Choose a cookie cutter with a thin, sharp edge rather than a thick biscuit cutter for cleaner cuts.
- Let the baked sheet cake sit uncovered overnight to dry slightly; this firms the cake and makes cutting cleaner and easier.
Mini Carrot Cakes Decorating Tips
- Pipe a swirl of frosting on half the rounds to use as the bottom layer, add the top round, then pipe a little frosting on top for a neat finish.
- Garnish with finely chopped pecans and a few shredded carrot pieces for color and texture.
Storage and Freezing
Refrigerator: Store frosted mini carrot cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Keep any extra cream cheese frosting in a sealed container in the fridge until you need it.
Freezing: Freeze unfrosted mini carrot cakes wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer-safe bag for up to two months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before frosting and serving.
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Mini Carrot Cakes
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Author: Kim
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Cool Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
What You’ll Need
For the Cake:
- 15.25 ounces spice cake mix (1 box)
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding (1 box)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2–3 large carrots)
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces block-style cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup pecans, finely chopped (optional for topping)
- Additional finely shredded carrots for topping (optional)
How to Make It
For the Cake:
-
Preheat the oven to 325°F and spray an 11×17-inch rimmed baking sheet with baking spray. Set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, add the spice cake mix, instant vanilla pudding mix, ground nutmeg and ground cloves; whisk to combine.
-
Add the oil, water and eggs. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, then fold in the shredded carrots.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
-
Bake 25–28 minutes, until lightly browned, pulling away from the sides, and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.
-
Use a 2½-inch round cookie cutter to cut circular pieces from the cooled cake. Transfer to parchment paper.
For the Frosting:
-
In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
-
Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and the vanilla, mixing on low until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy.
-
Fill a piping bag with frosting and assemble mini layer cakes by piping frosting on half of the rounds, topping with a second round, and finishing with frosting on top. Garnish with chopped pecans and shredded carrots. Enjoy!
Suggested Equipment
- Hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Sheet pan (11×17-inch)
Notes
The nutrition information provided is an approximation based on the ingredients listed and a single mini cake serving. Actual values may vary.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cake
Calories: 541kcal
Carbohydrates: 78g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 24g
Sugar: 58g
Calories: 541kcal
Carbohydrates: 78g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 24g
Sugar: 58g