If you are looking for the perfect carrot cake but in a little version, then this is it.
Last year I shared a recipe for carrot cake, which in its normal size and glory was a huge hit. I wanted the same exact deliciousness but a smaller version of it. Thanks to my handy husband, he scaled the recipe down to this 6 inch cutie.
This carrot cake is so moist and delicious. It’s a pure carrot cake at its finest, meaning that there are no raisins, nuts, coconut, pineapple, or other similar ingredients that you might find in carrot cakes. Of course there are carrots going on here. However, it doesn’t taste like you’re eating carrots (in case you have never had carrot cake before and were wondering). The cake has lots of warm spices, which gives it wonderful flavors.
The cream cheese frosting is out of this world amazing. When I was frosting the cake I thought there might be too much. Nope. It’s just perfect.
If you cut the cake into four slices they kind of resemble the size of cupcakes. I’m not sure how many servings this little guy is supposed to feed but let’s just say that four makes sense since quarters “felt right” for a serving.
Little Carrot Cake Recipe
(Makes a 6 inch round cake)
Ingredients for the Carrot Cake:
- 1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup packed (light or dark) brown sugar
- 1/8 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup oil (I used olive oil.)
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup all purpose flour (equivalent to 78 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch ground nutmeg (I used an 1/8 tsp filled half way.)
- pinch ground cloves (I used an 1/8 tsp filled half way.)
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter (equivalent to 1/4 stick), softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar/confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Directions the Carrot Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 6 inch round baking pan and set it aside. (I laid parchment paper down in the bottom but it is not required. I used a 3 inch deep pan but a 2 inch deep one would also work.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, apple sauce, and vanilla extract together until combined. These are the wet ingredients. Set this bowl aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together until combined. These are the dry ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix everything together just until combined. Don’t overmix.
- Add the grated carrots and gently mix everything together just until combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake it for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (It took 28 minutes in my oven.)
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it with the cream cheese frosting. The frosting is supposed to be a properly thick layer with this recipe. Try to use all of the frosting from the directions below.
Directions the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until it’s smooth. (About 2 minutes)
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt, and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high once the sugar isn’t going to fly all over and beat until it’s creamy. (About 3 minutes)
- Check the consistency. Add more powdered sugar if it’s too thin.
Adapted from: Sally’s Baking Addiction
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Rating: (It’s supposed to be a 5 hat scale but this cake is off the charts awesome.)
